Time & Duration

Time & Duration

Work with time values, durations, timezones, and scheduling. Create timers, sleep for specified periods, parse and format timestamps.

In workflows, time.now() returns a recorded time reference for deterministic replay.

Loading

local time = require("time")

Current Time

now

Returns the current time. In workflows, returns the recorded time from the workflow’s time reference for deterministic replay.

local t = time.now()
print(t:format_rfc3339())  -- "2024-12-29T15:04:05Z"

-- Measure elapsed time
local start = time.now()
do_work()
local elapsed = time.now():sub(start)
print("Took " .. elapsed:milliseconds() .. "ms")

Returns: Time

Creating Time Values

From Components

-- Create specific date/time in UTC
local t = time.date(2024, time.DECEMBER, 25, 10, 30, 0, 0, time.utc)
print(t:format_rfc3339())  -- "2024-12-25T10:30:00Z"

-- Create in specific timezone
local ny, _ = time.load_location("America/New_York")
local meeting = time.date(2024, time.JANUARY, 15, 14, 0, 0, 0, ny)

-- Defaults to local timezone if not specified
local t = time.date(2024, 1, 15, 12, 0, 0, 0)

Parameter	Type	Description
year	number	Year
month	number	Month (1-12 or time.JANUARY etc)
day	number	Day of month
hour	number	Hour (0-23)
minute	number	Minute (0-59)
second	number	Second (0-59)
nanosecond	number	Nanosecond (0-999999999)
location	Location	Timezone (optional, defaults to local)

Returns: Time

From Unix Timestamp

-- From seconds since epoch
local t = time.unix(1703862245, 0)
print(t:utc():format_rfc3339())  -- "2023-12-29T15:04:05Z"

-- With nanoseconds
local t = time.unix(1703862245, 500000000)  -- +500ms

-- Convert JavaScript timestamp (milliseconds)
local js_timestamp = 1703862245000
local t = time.unix(js_timestamp // 1000, (js_timestamp % 1000) * 1000000)

Parameter	Type	Description
sec	number	Unix seconds
nsec	number	Nanoseconds offset

Returns: Time

From String

Parse time strings using Go’s reference time format: Mon Jan 2 15:04:05 MST 2006.

-- Parse RFC3339
local t, err = time.parse(time.RFC3339, "2024-12-29T15:04:05Z")
if err then
    return nil, err
end

-- Parse custom format
local t, err = time.parse("2006-01-02", "2024-12-29")
local t, err = time.parse("15:04:05", "14:30:00")
local t, err = time.parse("2006-01-02 15:04:05 MST", "2024-12-29 14:30:00 EST")

-- Parse in specific timezone
local ny, _ = time.load_location("America/New_York")
local t, err = time.parse("2006-01-02 15:04", "2024-12-29 14:30", ny)

Parameter	Type	Description
layout	string	Go time format layout
value	string	String to parse
location	Location	Default timezone (optional)

Returns: Time, error

Time Methods

Arithmetic

local t = time.now()

-- Add duration (accepts number, string, or Duration)
local tomorrow = t:add("24h")
local later = t:add(5 * time.MINUTE)
local d, _ = time.parse_duration("1h30m")
local future = t:add(d)

-- Subtract time to get duration
local diff = tomorrow:sub(t)  -- returns Duration
print(diff:hours())           -- 24

-- Add calendar units (handles month boundaries correctly)
local next_month = t:add_date(0, 1, 0)   -- add 1 month
local next_year = t:add_date(1, 0, 0)    -- add 1 year
local last_week = t:add_date(0, 0, -7)   -- subtract 7 days

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
add(duration)	number/string/Duration	Time	Add duration
sub(time)	Time	Duration	Difference between times
add_date(years, months, days)	numbers	Time	Add calendar units

Comparison

local t1 = time.date(2024, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.utc)
local t2 = time.date(2024, 1, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.utc)

t1:before(t2)   -- true
t2:after(t1)    -- true
t1:equal(t1)    -- true

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
before(time)	Time	boolean	Is this time before other?
after(time)	Time	boolean	Is this time after other?
equal(time)	Time	boolean	Are times equal?

Formatting

local t = time.now()

t:format_rfc3339()              -- "2024-12-29T15:04:05Z"
t:format(time.DATE_ONLY)        -- "2024-12-29"
t:format(time.TIME_ONLY)        -- "15:04:05"
t:format("Mon Jan 2, 2006")     -- "Sun Dec 29, 2024"

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
format(layout)	string	string	Format using Go layout
format_rfc3339()	-	string	Format as RFC3339

Unix Timestamps

local t = time.now()

t:unix()       -- seconds since epoch
t:unix_nano()  -- nanoseconds since epoch

Components

local t = time.now()

-- Get date parts
local year, month, day = t:date()

-- Get time parts
local hour, min, sec = t:clock()

-- Individual accessors
t:year()        -- e.g., 2024
t:month()       -- 1-12
t:day()         -- 1-31
t:hour()        -- 0-23
t:minute()      -- 0-59
t:second()      -- 0-59
t:nanosecond()  -- 0-999999999
t:weekday()     -- 0=Sunday .. 6=Saturday
t:year_day()    -- 1-366
t:is_zero()     -- true if zero value

Timezone Conversion

local t = time.now()

t:utc()                    -- convert to UTC
t:in_local()               -- convert to local timezone
t:in_location(ny)          -- convert to specific timezone
t:location()               -- get current Location
t:location():string()      -- get timezone name

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
utc()	-	Time	Convert to UTC
in_local()	-	Time	Convert to local timezone
in_location(loc)	Location	Time	Convert to timezone
location()	-	Location	Get current timezone

Rounding

Round or truncate to duration boundaries. Requires Duration userdata (not number or string).

local t = time.now()
local hour_duration, _ = time.parse_duration("1h")
local minute_duration, _ = time.parse_duration("15m")

t:round(hour_duration)       -- round to nearest hour
t:truncate(minute_duration)  -- truncate to 15-minute boundary

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
round(duration)	Duration	Time	Round to nearest multiple
truncate(duration)	Duration	Time	Truncate to multiple

Duration

Creating Durations

-- Parse from string
local d, err = time.parse_duration("1h30m45s")
local d, err = time.parse_duration("500ms")
local d, err = time.parse_duration("2h30m45s500ms")

-- From number (nanoseconds)
local d, err = time.parse_duration(time.SECOND)
local d, err = time.parse_duration(5 * time.MINUTE)

-- Valid units: ns, us, ms, s, m, h

Parameter	Type	Description
value	number/string/Duration	Duration to parse

Returns: Duration, error

Duration Methods

local d, _ = time.parse_duration("1h30m45s500ms")

d:hours()         -- 1.5125...
d:minutes()       -- 90.75...
d:seconds()       -- 5445.5
d:milliseconds()  -- 5445500
d:microseconds()  -- 5445500000
d:nanoseconds()   -- 5445500000000

Timezones

Load by Name

Load timezone by IANA name (e.g., “America/New_York”, “Europe/London”, “Asia/Tokyo”).

local ny, err = time.load_location("America/New_York")
if err then
    return nil, err
end

local tokyo, _ = time.load_location("Asia/Tokyo")
local london, _ = time.load_location("Europe/London")

-- Convert between timezones
local t = time.now():utc()
print("UTC:", t:format(time.TIME_ONLY))
print("New York:", t:in_location(ny):format(time.TIME_ONLY))
print("Tokyo:", t:in_location(tokyo):format(time.TIME_ONLY))

Parameter	Type	Description
name	string	IANA timezone name

Returns: Location, error

Fixed Offset

Create timezone with fixed UTC offset.

-- UTC+5:30 (India Standard Time)
local ist = time.fixed_zone("IST", 5*3600 + 30*60)

-- UTC-8 (Pacific Standard Time)
local pst = time.fixed_zone("PST", -8*3600)

local t = time.date(2024, 1, 15, 12, 0, 0, 0, ist)

Parameter	Type	Description
name	string	Zone name
offset	number	UTC offset in seconds

Returns: Location

Built-in Locations

time.utc      -- UTC timezone
time.localtz  -- Local system timezone

Scheduling

sleep

Pause execution for specified duration. In workflows, recorded and replayed correctly.

time.sleep("5s")
time.sleep(500 * time.MILLISECOND)

-- Backoff pattern
for attempt = 1, 3 do
    local ok = try_operation()
    if ok then break end
    time.sleep(tostring(attempt) .. "s")
end

Parameter	Type	Description
duration	number/string/Duration	Sleep time

after

Returns a channel that receives once after the duration. Works with channel.select.

-- Simple timeout
local timeout = time.after("5s")
timeout:receive()  -- blocks for 5 seconds

-- Timeout with select
local response_ch = make_request()
local timeout_ch = time.after("30s")

local result = channel.select{
    response_ch:case_receive(),
    timeout_ch:case_receive()
}

if result.channel == timeout_ch then
    return nil, errors.new({message = "Request timed out", kind = errors.TIMEOUT})
end

Parameter	Type	Description
duration	number/string/Duration	Time to wait

Returns: Channel

timer

One-shot timer that fires after duration. Can be stopped or reset.

local timer = time.timer("5s")

-- Wait for timer
timer:response():receive()
send_reminder()

-- Reset on activity
local idle_timer = time.timer("5m")
while true do
    local r = channel.select{
        user_activity:case_receive(),
        idle_timer:response():case_receive()
    }
    if r.channel == idle_timer:response() then
        logout_user()
        break
    end
    idle_timer:reset("5m")
end

-- Stop timer
timer:stop()

Parameter	Type	Description
duration	number/string/Duration	Time until fire

Returns: Timer, error

Timer Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
response()	-	Channel	Get timer channel
channel()	-	Channel	Alias for response()
stop()	-	boolean	Cancel timer
reset(duration)	number/string/Duration	boolean	Reset with new duration

ticker

Repeating timer that fires at regular intervals.

-- Periodic task
local ticker = time.ticker("30s")
local ch = ticker:response()

while true do
    local tick_time = ch:receive()
    check_health()
end

-- Rate limiting
local ticker = time.ticker("100ms")
for _, item in ipairs(items) do
    ticker:response():receive()
    process(item)
end
ticker:stop()

Parameter	Type	Description
duration	number/string/Duration	Interval between ticks

Returns: Ticker, error

Ticker Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
response()	-	Channel	Get ticker channel
channel()	-	Channel	Alias for response()
stop()	-	boolean	Stop ticker

Constants

Duration Units

Duration constants are in nanoseconds. Use with arithmetic.

time.NANOSECOND    -- 1
time.MICROSECOND   -- 1,000
time.MILLISECOND   -- 1,000,000
time.SECOND        -- 1,000,000,000
time.MINUTE        -- 60 * SECOND
time.HOUR          -- 60 * MINUTE

-- Example usage
time.sleep(5 * time.SECOND)
local timeout = time.after(30 * time.SECOND)

Format Layouts

time.RFC3339       -- "2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00"
time.RFC3339NANO   -- "2006-01-02T15:04:05.999999999Z07:00"
time.RFC822        -- "02 Jan 06 15:04 MST"
time.RFC822Z       -- "02 Jan 06 15:04 -0700"
time.RFC850        -- "Monday, 02-Jan-06 15:04:05 MST"
time.RFC1123       -- "Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 MST"
time.RFC1123Z      -- "Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:04:05 -0700"
time.DATE_TIME     -- "2006-01-02 15:04:05"
time.DATE_ONLY     -- "2006-01-02"
time.TIME_ONLY     -- "15:04:05"
time.KITCHEN       -- "3:04PM"
time.STAMP         -- "Jan _2 15:04:05"
time.STAMP_MILLI   -- "Jan _2 15:04:05.000"
time.STAMP_MICRO   -- "Jan _2 15:04:05.000000"
time.STAMP_NANO    -- "Jan _2 15:04:05.000000000"

Months

time.JANUARY    -- 1
time.FEBRUARY   -- 2
time.MARCH      -- 3
time.APRIL      -- 4
time.MAY        -- 5
time.JUNE       -- 6
time.JULY       -- 7
time.AUGUST     -- 8
time.SEPTEMBER  -- 9
time.OCTOBER    -- 10
time.NOVEMBER   -- 11
time.DECEMBER   -- 12

Weekdays

time.SUNDAY     -- 0
time.MONDAY     -- 1
time.TUESDAY    -- 2
time.WEDNESDAY  -- 3
time.THURSDAY   -- 4
time.FRIDAY     -- 5
time.SATURDAY   -- 6

Errors

Condition	Kind	Retryable
Invalid duration format	errors.INVALID	no
Parse failed	errors.INVALID	no
Empty location name	errors.INVALID	no
Location not found	errors.NOT_FOUND	no
Duration <= 0 (timer/ticker)	errors.INVALID	no

local t, err = time.parse(time.RFC3339, "invalid")
if err then
    if errors.is(err, errors.INVALID) then
        print("Invalid format:", err:message())
    end
    return nil, err
end

local loc, err = time.load_location("Unknown/Zone")
if err then
    if errors.is(err, errors.NOT_FOUND) then
        print("Location not found:", err:message())
    end
    return nil, err
end

See Error Handling for working with errors.