Go-Unix-Timestamp-Snippets

Go timestamp basics

Go's time package has direct helpers for Unix seconds, milliseconds, and nanoseconds. Use time.Now().Unix() for seconds and time.Now().UnixMilli() for JavaScript-compatible milliseconds.

Formatting time.Time values

Use time.Unix(seconds, 0) to create a time.Time from Unix seconds, then call UTC() when you want deterministic output. RFC3339 is usually the best string format for API responses.

Go production notes

Go's time.Time carries a location, but Unix timestamps always represent a single UTC instant. Normalize timestamps at API and database boundaries, then format with an explicit location when a user or business rule needs local time. This keeps comparisons simple and prevents local server settings from changing output.

• Use time.Now().Unix() for Unix seconds in logs, queues, and database fields
• Use time.Now().UnixMilli() for JavaScript-compatible values
• Use time.Unix(seconds, 0).UTC() before formatting deterministic strings
• Use time.RFC3339 or time.RFC3339Nano for API responses

Frequently checked Go details

Should I store time.Time or Unix seconds?

Use time.Time inside Go when you need calendar operations. Store Unix seconds or a database timestamp type when the value must be indexed, queried, or shared with other systems.

What unit does time.Unix expect?

time.Unix expects seconds and nanoseconds as separate arguments. If you receive milliseconds, split or convert the value before calling time.Unix.

How do I verify Go output?

Format the value with t.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339) and compare it with the timestamp expected by the API, queue, or database column you are writing.