TL;DR
A browser-based epoch converter provides bidirectional translation between Unix timestamps and human-readable dates, handling both seconds and milliseconds and showing local, UTC and ISO 8601 outputs. The site includes presets, live current-time display, code snippets for popular languages and guidance for database functions, and it runs entirely in the browser without signup.
What happened
A free online epoch conversion tool is being highlighted for its handling of common timestamp tasks. Users can paste or type an epoch value (seconds or milliseconds) or pick a date/time and get immediate conversions in multiple formats: seconds, milliseconds, local 12/24-hour, UTC 12/24-hour and ISO 8601. The interface attempts to auto-detect 10-digit (seconds) versus 13-digit (milliseconds) inputs and offers quick presets to adjust the current time by minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years. The site also exposes examples and ready-to-use code snippets for JavaScript, Python and SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL), showing how to convert between epoch and date in those environments. A live clock and a "Set Current Time" control let users capture the present timestamp, and the project states that conversions run client-side so no signup or server-side data retention is required.
Why it matters
- Unix epoch timestamps are a common, timezone-independent way to store and exchange instants across systems and services.
- Automatic detection of seconds vs milliseconds reduces user errors that can cause off-by-1000 mismatches between platforms like JavaScript and Python.
- Providing ready examples for languages and databases shortens the development cycle and reduces lookup time for routine conversions.
- A client-side, no-signup approach limits data transmission to external servers, addressing basic privacy concerns for casual use.
Key facts
- Unix epoch time counts seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC (the Unix epoch).
- The converter accepts both 10-digit (seconds) and 13-digit (milliseconds) epoch formats and attempts to auto-detect them.
- Outputs include epoch seconds and milliseconds, local time in 12- and 24-hour formats, GMT/UTC in 12- and 24-hour formats, and ISO 8601.
- Quick presets let users increment or decrement the current time by minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.
- The site includes code examples for converting epoch to date and back in JavaScript and Python.
- Database conversion examples are provided for MySQL (FROM_UNIXTIME, UNIX_TIMESTAMP) and PostgreSQL (to_timestamp, EXTRACT(EPOCH)).
- A live unix epoch clock and a "Set Current Time" button display the current timestamp on demand.
- The project states it is free for personal and commercial use, requires no signup, and performs conversions in the browser to keep data local.
What to watch next
- API access or embeddable widgets for programmatic integration: not confirmed in the source
- Support or guidance for handling leap seconds or non-UTC timebases: not confirmed in the source
- Mobile app or CLI utility equivalents for offline or automated workflows: not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Unix epoch time: A numeric count of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC used as a reference for time in computing.
- ISO 8601: An international standard for representing dates and times in a machine-readable textual format (e.g., 2026-01-06T12:29:05.669Z).
- UTC: Coordinated Universal Time, the time standard commonly used as the reference for timekeeping and time conversion.
- Timestamp (seconds vs milliseconds): Timestamps are often expressed as seconds (10-digit integers) or milliseconds (13-digit integers) since the epoch; languages and systems may expect one format or the other.
Reader FAQ
How do I see the current epoch time on the site?
The converter provides a "Set Current Time" control and a live unix epoch clock to display the present timestamp.
Can I convert epoch to UTC time with this tool?
Yes. Enter an epoch value and view the GMT/UTC section for both 12-hour and 24-hour displays as well as ISO 8601 output.
Is the converter free to use and do I need an account?
Yes. The project states it is free for personal and commercial use and requires no signup.
Does the tool send my input to a server or keep it private?
The site says all conversions run in the browser and that your data stays private, implying no server-side storage for inputs.
Does it provide an API for programmatic access?
not confirmed in the source
What is Unix Epoch Time? Understanding the foundation of computer time Unix epoch time (also known as POSIX time or Unix timestamp) represents the number of seconds that have elapsed…
Sources
- Show HN: Is this the best epoch converter?
- Epoch & Unix Time Converter | Convert Timestamps Online
- Epoch Converter – Oreate AI Blog
- convert unix timestamp to date and time in javascript
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