Unix time facts for kids
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(2025-07-18T23:21:09+00:00)
Unix time is a way computers keep track of time. It counts the number of seconds that have passed since a specific moment. This moment is called the "epoch." For Unix time, the epoch started on January 1, 1970, at midnight (00:00:00) in a time zone called Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
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What is Unix Time?
Unix time is simply a very large number. This number goes up by one every second. It does not use dates, months, or years in its basic form. Instead, it is a single, ever-increasing number. This makes it easy for computers to understand and use time.
Why Do Computers Use It?
Computers need a simple and consistent way to measure time. Imagine if every computer used a different way to count seconds! It would be very confusing. Unix time gives all computers a common clock. This helps them work together smoothly.
How It Helps Computers
- Timestamps: When you save a file, your computer records the exact time. Unix time helps store this information.
- Ordering Events: Computers use Unix time to know the order of things that happen. For example, which email arrived first.
- Network Communication: When computers talk to each other over the internet, they often use Unix time. This helps them agree on when messages were sent.
- Programming: Many computer programs use Unix time to handle dates and times. It makes calculations much simpler.
How Does It Work?
The starting point for Unix time is January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 UTC. This is known as the "Unix epoch." Every second since then adds one to the Unix time number. For example, if it's 10 seconds after the epoch, Unix time is 10. If it's 100 seconds, Unix time is 100.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
UTC is a worldwide standard for time. It's like the main clock for the entire planet. Using UTC helps avoid problems with different time zones. When a computer uses Unix time, it's always based on UTC. This means everyone using Unix time is on the same global clock.
Checking Unix Time
On many computers that use a system like Unix (such as Linux or macOS), you can easily see the current Unix time. You can open a special window called a "command line" or "terminal." Then, you type a simple command: date +%s
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More Information
In Spanish: Tiempo Unix para niños
