Get current time in seconds since the Epoch on Linux, Bash

Easy Ways to Get the Current Time in Seconds Since the Epoch on Linux using Bash

👋 Hey there tech enthusiasts! Looking for a simple way to get the current time in seconds since the Epoch on Linux using Bash? You're in luck, because I've got just the solution for you! Let's dive right in and explore some easy methods to tackle this common issue.

The Problem 🤔

So, you've tried using the date command in Bash, but it only displays the current date, hours, minutes, and seconds - not the time in seconds since 1970. Now you're wondering if there's a simple way to achieve this without delving too deep into complex coding.

The Solutions 💡

Method 1: Using the date Command with the +%s Format

Have no fear, because we have a really cool trick up our sleeves! Did you know that the date command actually supports custom formatting? By leveraging this feature, we can easily obtain the current time in seconds since the Epoch. Just execute the following command:

date +'%s'

That's it! 🎉 By adding the +%s format specifier, you can now extract the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970. How awesome is that?

Method 2: Using the gettimeofday Function in Bash

But wait, there's another way to achieve the same result if you're comfortable using Bash functions. You can call the gettimeofday function, which retrieves the current time and stores it in a timeval struct. Fear not, I'll guide you through it step-by-step:

1. Create a new file, let's call it get_current_time.sh, and open it in your favorite text editor.

2. Add the following code to the file:

#!/bin/bash

get_current_time() {
  local timeval=$(date '+%s%N')
  local seconds=${timeval%?????????} # Remove nanoseconds

  echo $seconds
}

get_current_time

1. Save the file and exit your text editor.

2. Now, open your terminal and navigate to the folder where you saved get_current_time.sh.

3. Execute the following command:

chmod +x get_current_time.sh

This will make the script executable.

1. Finally, run the script by entering:

./get_current_time.sh

Voila! 🎉 You now have the current time in seconds since the Epoch! The get_current_time function we defined calculates the time using the date command and then removes the nanoseconds portion to return a clean result.

The Call-to-Action 📣

I hope you found these solutions helpful in obtaining the current time in seconds since the Epoch. Now it's your turn to put them to the test! Give it a go and let me know in the comments below which method worked best for you. If you have any questions or know of any other cool tricks, I'd love to hear about them too. Keep exploring and happy coding! 😄👩‍💻👨‍💻