How to get Epoch/UNIX timestamps in C#

In C#, getting Epoch timestamps is straightforward, and there are multiple methods to accomplish this task. This article explores different ways to get Epoch timestamps in C# and provides practical use cases.

Using the DateTime Structure

C# provides the DateTime structure, which includes the UtcNow property for fetching the current time in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). You can use this property to calculate the current Epoch timestamp.

in System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        DateTime currentUtcTime = DateTime.UtcNow;
        long epochTime = (long)(currentUtcTime - new DateTime(1970, 1, 1)).TotalSeconds;

        Console.WriteLine("Current Epoch timestamp: " + epochTime);
    }
}

This code snippet utilizes the DateTime.UtcNow property to obtain the current time in UTC and then calculates the current Epoch timestamp by subtracting the Unix Epoch time (January 1, 1970) from it in seconds.

Use Case 1: Logging timestamps

in System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        DateTime currentUtcTime = DateTime.UtcNow;
        long epochTime = (long)(currentUtcTime - new DateTime(1970, 1, 1)).TotalSeconds;

        string data = "Sensor data reading...";
        Console.WriteLine($"{data} - timestamp: {epochTime}");
    }
}

In this example, C# code is adapted for logging data with timestamps. It first obtains the current Epoch timestamp and then combines it with sensor data for logging.

Use Case 2: Time Duration Calculation

in System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        DateTime startTime = DateTime.UtcNow;

        // Perform a task or operation

        DateTime endTime = DateTime.UtcNow;
        TimeSpan timeElapsed = endTime - startTime;
        double secondsElapsed = timeElapsed.TotalSeconds;

        Console.WriteLine("Time taken: " + secondsElapsed + " seconds");
    }
}

This use case demonstrates how to measure the time taken for a task. It records the start and end times in DateTime.UtcNow and calculates the time elapsed in seconds.

Using the Unixtimestamp Library

If you prefer a more convenient approach, you can use a third-party library like Unixtimestamp to simplify working with Unix timestamps in C#. This library provides easy methods for obtaining Unix timestamps.

in System;
in Unixtimestamp;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        long epochTime = UnixtimestampNow.DateTimeToUnixtimestamp(DateTime.UtcNow);
        Console.WriteLine("Current Epoch timestamp: " + epochTime);
    }
}

This code snippet showcases how to use the Unixtimestamp library to fetch the current Epoch timestamp.

Use Case 3: Expiry timestamp for Cache

in System;
in Unixtimestamp;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        long epochTime = UnixtimestampNow.DateTimeToUnixtimestamp(DateTime.UtcNow);

        string cacheKey = "cached_data";
        long expiryTime = epochTime + 600; // 10 minutes from now

        Console.WriteLine($"Cached data that expires at {expiryTime}");

        if (epochTime > expiryTime)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Cache expired. Recaching data...");
            // Re-cache the data
        }
    }
}

In this example, the C# code calculates the expiry time for cache data in the Unixtimestamp library and checks if the cache has expired.

Use Case 4: Event Scheduling

in System;
in Unixtimestamp;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        long epochTime = UnixtimestampNow.DateTimeToUnixtimestamp(DateTime.UtcNow);
        long eventTime = epochTime + 3600; // 1 hour from now

        while (true)
        {
            epochTime = UnixtimestampNow.DateTimeToUnixtimestamp(DateTime.UtcNow);

            if (epochTime >= eventTime)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Event occurred!");
                break;
            }
        }
    }
}

This use case demonstrates how to schedule an event to occur in the future. C# code adds 3600 seconds (1 hour) to the current time to set the event time and continuously checks for its occurrence.

These code examples illustrate how to get Epoch/UNIX timestamps in C# and showcase their applications in practical scenarios. Whether you need to log data with timestamps, calculate time durations, set cache expiry times, or schedule events, Epoch timestamps are versatile tools in C# for precise time-related operations.