apps/docs/src/guide/utilities/date-conversion.md
To allow for easier manipulation of date and time, the SDK exports the DateTime class which is a wrapper around the built-in Date class. Below we will go over the methods of instantiation, utility functions and time formats.
Internally the transactions and other time/date assets are encoded using the TAI64 format. We return a DateTime class, to allow of easier conversion and formatting between the two formats.
DateTimeWe have a host of static method for instantiation of our DateTime class.
<<< @./snippets/date-conversion/instantiation.ts#create-from-multiple-sources{ts:line-numbers}
fromTai64 is a static method, that allows the creation of DateTime class from a TAI64 string.
toTai64 is an instance method, that allows the conversion of a DateTime class to a TAI64 string.
<<< @./snippets/date-conversion/tai64.ts#from-tai-64-and-to-tai-64{ts:line-numbers}
fromUnixMilliseconds is a static method, that allows the creation of DateTime class from a UNIX Milliseconds number.
toUnixMilliseconds is an instance method, that allows the conversion of a DateTime class to a UNIX number in milliseconds.
<<< @./snippets/date-conversion/unix-milliseconds.ts#from-unix-milliseconds-and-to-unix-milliseconds{ts:line-numbers}
fromUnixSeconds is a static method, that allows the creation of DateTime class from a UNIX Seconds number.
toUnixSeconds is an instance method, that allows the conversion of a DateTime class to a UNIX number in seconds.
<<< @./snippets/date-conversion/unix-seconds.ts#from-unix-seconds-and-to-unix-seconds{ts:line-numbers}
The DateTime class extends the functionality of the Date object, so all method are available for your usages.
<<< @./snippets/date-conversion/date-object.ts#date-object-methods{ts:line-numbers}
Here we will go over the different date/time formats that we use in the SDK. Internally the blockchain uses the TAI64 format, but we also support the UNIX format for ease of use.
UNIX time is the number of seconds that have elapsed since 00:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), Thursday, 1 January 1970, minus leap seconds. Every day is treated as if it contains exactly 86400 seconds, so leap seconds are ignored.
TAI stands for Temps Atomique International and is the current international real-time standard Source.
We use TAI64 is a 64-bit integer representing the number of nanoseconds since the epoch.
the TAI second beginning exactly (2^62 - s) seconds before the beginning of 1970 TAI, if s is between 0 inclusive and 2^62 exclusive; or
the TAI second beginning exactly (2^62 + s) seconds after the beginning of 1970 TAI, if s is between -2^62 inclusive and 0 exclusive.