TIME

Introduction and Use Case(s)

The TIME command in Redis returns the current server time as a Unix timestamp and microsecond precision. It is typically used for synchronizing operations, logging events with consistent timestamps, or generating unique IDs based on the server’s current time.

Syntax

  1. TIME

Parameter Explanations

The TIME command does not take any parameters.

Return Values

The TIME command returns an array containing two strings:

  1. The first string represents the Unix timestamp in seconds.
  2. The second string represents the microseconds part of the time.

Example output:

  1. 1) "1625588827"
  2. 2) "123456"

Code Examples

  1. dragonfly> TIME
  2. 1) "1625588827"
  3. 2) "123456"

Best Practices

  • Use the TIME command when you need precise, current server time for logging or time-based calculations.
  • Combine TIME with other commands to create time-stamped entries in your datasets.

Common Mistakes

  • Assuming the TIME command returns a single value instead of an array.
  • Using TIME without considering the time zone of the server, which could lead to discrepancies if your application spans multiple time zones.

FAQs

How accurate is the time returned by the TIME command?

The TIME command provides the current server time with microsecond precision, making it highly accurate for most use cases.

Can the TIME command be used for issuing timeouts or delays?

No, TIME only returns the server’s current time. For issuing timeouts or delays, consider using commands like PEXPIRE or SETEX.