DateTime | SurrealDB

The DateTime class provides datetime values with nanosecond precision, extending the abstract Value class to match SurrealDB's datetime type.

Import:

import { DateTime } from 'surrealdb';

Source: value/datetime.ts

Constructor

`new DateTime(value?)`

Create a new datetime value.

Syntax

new DateTime() // Current time
new DateTime(datetime) // Clone existing
new DateTime(date) // From JavaScript Date
new DateTime(string) // Parse ISO string
new DateTime(number | bigint) // From timestamp
new DateTime([seconds, nanoseconds]) // From tuple

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`value`	`DateTime \| Date \| string \| number \| bigint \| [bigint, bigint]`	Value to create datetime from. If omitted, uses current time.

Examples

// Current time
const now = new DateTime();

// From JavaScript Date
const date = new DateTime(new Date());

// Parse ISO string
const parsed = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00Z');

// From Unix timestamp (seconds)
const fromTimestamp = new DateTime(1705320000);

// From tuple [seconds, nanoseconds]
const precise = new DateTime([1705320000n, 500000000n]);

// Clone existing
const clone = new DateTime(now);

Static methods

`DateTime.now()`

Get the current datetime with nanosecond precision.

Syntax

DateTime.now()

Returns

DateTime - Current datetime

Example

const now = DateTime.now();
console.log(now.toString()); // '2024-01-15T12:30:45.123456789Z'

// Use in queries
await db.create(new Table('events')).content({
    name: 'Meeting',
    timestamp: DateTime.now()
});

`DateTime.epoch()`

Returns a DateTime representing the Unix epoch (1970-01-01T0000Z).

Syntax

DateTime.epoch()

Returns

DateTime - Unix epoch datetime

Example

const epoch = DateTime.epoch();
console.log(epoch.toString()); // '1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000000Z'
console.log(epoch.seconds); // 0

`DateTime.fromEpochNanoseconds(ns)`

Create a DateTime from a nanosecond timestamp since Unix epoch.

Syntax

DateTime.fromEpochNanoseconds(ns)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`ns`	`number \| bigint`	Nanoseconds since Unix epoch.

Returns

DateTime - Datetime from the nanosecond timestamp

Example

const dt = DateTime.fromEpochNanoseconds(1705320000123456789n);
console.log(dt.toString()); // '2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456789Z'

`DateTime.fromEpochMicroseconds(µs)`

Create a DateTime from a microsecond timestamp since Unix epoch.

Syntax

DateTime.fromEpochMicroseconds(µs)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`µs`	`number \| bigint`	Microseconds since Unix epoch.

Returns

DateTime - Datetime from the microsecond timestamp

Example

const dt = DateTime.fromEpochMicroseconds(1705320000123456n);
console.log(dt.toString()); // '2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456000Z'

`DateTime.fromEpochMilliseconds(ms)`

Create a DateTime from a millisecond timestamp since Unix epoch.

Syntax

DateTime.fromEpochMilliseconds(ms)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`ms`	`number \| bigint`	Milliseconds since Unix epoch.

Returns

DateTime - Datetime from the millisecond timestamp

Example

const dt = DateTime.fromEpochMilliseconds(1705320000123);
console.log(dt.toString()); // '2024-01-15T12:00:00.123000000Z'

`DateTime.fromEpochSeconds(s)`

Create a DateTime from a second timestamp since Unix epoch.

Syntax

DateTime.fromEpochSeconds(s)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`s`	`number \| bigint`	Seconds since Unix epoch.

Returns

DateTime - Datetime from the second timestamp

Example

const dt = DateTime.fromEpochSeconds(1705320000);
console.log(dt.toString()); // '2024-01-15T12:00:00.000000000Z'

Instance methods

`.toDate()`

Convert to JavaScript Date object.

Syntax

datetime.toDate()

Returns

Date - JavaScript Date (millisecond precision)

Warning

JavaScript Date only supports millisecond precision. Nanosecond precision is lost in conversion.

Note

DateTime does not extend JavaScript's Date. To use Date methods like .getFullYear(), .getMonth(), .getDate(), .getHours(), etc., first call .toDate().

Example

const dt = DateTime.now();
const jsDate = dt.toDate();

// Use with JavaScript APIs
const formatted = jsDate.toLocaleDateString();

// Access Date component methods via .toDate()
console.log(jsDate.getFullYear());  // 2024
console.log(jsDate.getMonth());     // 0 (January)
console.log(jsDate.getDate());      // 15
console.log(jsDate.getHours());     // 12
console.log(jsDate.getMinutes());   // 30
console.log(jsDate.getSeconds());   // 45

`.toString()`

Convert to ISO 8601 string with full nanosecond precision.

Syntax

datetime.toString()

Returns

string - ISO 8601 formatted string

Example

const dt = DateTime.now();
console.log(dt.toString());
// '2024-01-15T12:30:45.123456789Z'

`.toISOString()`

Convert to ISO 8601 string (alias for .toString()).

Syntax

datetime.toISOString()

Returns

string - ISO 8601 formatted string

`.toJSON()`

Serialize for JSON.

Syntax

datetime.toJSON()

Returns

string - ISO string for JSON serialization

Example

const dt = DateTime.now();
console.log(JSON.stringify({ timestamp: dt }));
// {"timestamp":"2024-01-15T12:30:45.123456789Z"}

`.toCompact()`

Returns the datetime as a compact tuple of seconds and nanoseconds since Unix epoch.

Syntax

datetime.toCompact()

Returns

[bigint, bigint] - Tuple of [seconds, nanoseconds]

Example

const dt = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00.500000000Z');
const [secs, nanos] = dt.toCompact();
console.log(secs);  // 1705320000n
console.log(nanos); // 500000000n

// Round-trip via constructor
const restored = new DateTime([secs, nanos]);
console.log(dt.equals(restored)); // true

`.add(duration)`

Add a duration to the datetime.

Syntax

datetime.add(duration)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`duration`	Duration	Duration to add.

Returns

DateTime - New datetime with duration added

Example

import { Duration } from 'surrealdb';

const now = DateTime.now();
const later = now.add(Duration.parse('1h30m'));
const tomorrow = now.add(Duration.parse('24h'));

`.sub(duration)`

Subtract a duration from the datetime.

Syntax

datetime.sub(duration)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`duration`	Duration	Duration to subtract.

Returns

DateTime - New datetime with duration subtracted

Example

const now = DateTime.now();
const earlier = now.sub(Duration.parse('1h'));
const yesterday = now.sub(Duration.parse('24h'));

`.diff(other)`

Calculate the duration between two datetimes.

Syntax

datetime.diff(other)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`other`	`DateTime`	The other datetime to calculate the difference from.

Returns

Duration - Duration between the two datetimes

Example

const start = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00Z');
const end = new DateTime('2024-01-15T14:30:00Z');

const elapsed = end.diff(start);
console.log(elapsed.toString()); // '2h30m'

`.compare(other)`

Compare two datetimes for ordering.

Syntax

datetime.compare(other)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`other`	`DateTime`	The datetime to compare against.

Returns

number - Returns -1 if this datetime is before other, 0 if equal, 1 if after

Example

const a = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00Z');
const b = new DateTime('2024-01-16T12:00:00Z');

console.log(a.compare(b)); // -1
console.log(b.compare(a)); // 1
console.log(a.compare(a)); // 0

// Useful for sorting
const dates = [b, a];
dates.sort((x, y) => x.compare(y));

`.equals(other)`

Check if two datetimes are equal (including nanosecond precision).

Syntax

datetime.equals(other)

Returns

boolean - True if equal

Properties

`nanoseconds`

Total nanoseconds since Unix epoch.

Type: bigint

const dt = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456789Z');
console.log(dt.nanoseconds); // 1705320000123456789n

`microseconds`

Total microseconds since Unix epoch.

Type: bigint

const dt = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456789Z');
console.log(dt.microseconds); // 1705320000123456n

`milliseconds`

Total milliseconds since Unix epoch.

Type: number

const dt = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456789Z');
console.log(dt.milliseconds); // 1705320000123

`seconds`

Seconds since Unix epoch.

Type: number

const dt = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456789Z');
console.log(dt.seconds); // 1705320000

Complete examples

Event timestamps

import { Surreal, DateTime, Table } from 'surrealdb';

const db = new Surreal();
await db.connect('ws://localhost:8000');

// Create event with timestamp
const event = await db.create(new Table('events')).content({
    name: 'User Login',
    user: new RecordId('users', 'john'),
    timestamp: DateTime.now(),
    ip: '192.168.1.1'
});

console.log('Event created at:', event.timestamp.toString());

Date arithmetic

import { DateTime, Duration } from 'surrealdb';

const now = DateTime.now();

// Add time
const future = now.add(Duration.parse('7d')); // One week later
const meeting = now.add(Duration.parse('2h30m')); // Meeting in 2.5 hours

// Subtract time
const past = now.sub(Duration.parse('30d')); // 30 days ago
const recentCutoff = now.sub(Duration.parse('1h')); // Last hour

Query with date ranges

const startDate = new DateTime('2024-01-01T00:00:00Z');
const endDate = new DateTime('2024-12-31T23:59:59Z');

const events = await db.query(`
    SELECT * FROM events 
    WHERE timestamp >= $start AND timestamp <= $end
`, {
    start: startDate,
    end: endDate
}).collect();

Time-series data

// Record metrics with precise timestamps
async function recordMetric(name: string, value: number) {
    await db.create(new Table('metrics')).content({
        name,
        value,
        timestamp: DateTime.now()
    });
}

await recordMetric('cpu_usage', 45.2);
await recordMetric('memory_usage', 78.1);

// Query recent metrics
const recent = await db.query(`
    SELECT * FROM metrics 
    WHERE timestamp > $cutoff
    ORDER BY timestamp DESC
`, {
    cutoff: DateTime.now().sub(Duration.parse('5m'))
}).collect();

Conversion examples

// From JavaScript Date
const jsDate = new Date('2024-01-15T12:00:00Z');
const dt = new DateTime(jsDate);

// To JavaScript Date
const backToJS = dt.toDate();

// From Unix timestamp
const fromTimestamp = new DateTime(1705320000);

// Get Unix timestamp in milliseconds
const timestamp = dt.milliseconds;

// Parse from string
const parsed = new DateTime('2024-01-15T12:00:00.123456789Z');

// Convert to string
const isoString = dt.toString();

// From epoch helpers
const fromNs = DateTime.fromEpochNanoseconds(1705320000123456789n);
const fromMs = DateTime.fromEpochMilliseconds(1705320000123);
const fromSecs = DateTime.fromEpochSeconds(1705320000);

Scheduled tasks

// Schedule future task
const scheduledFor = DateTime.now().add(Duration.parse('1h'));

await db.create(new Table('tasks')).content({
    name: 'Send reminder',
    scheduled_for: scheduledFor,
    status: 'pending'
});

// Find overdue tasks
const now = DateTime.now();
const overdue = await db.query(`
    SELECT * FROM tasks 
    WHERE scheduled_for < $now 
    AND status = 'pending'
`, { now }).collect();

Expiration handling

// Set expiration time
const session = await db.create(new Table('sessions')).content({
    user: userId,
    created_at: DateTime.now(),
    expires_at: DateTime.now().add(Duration.parse('24h'))
});

// Check if expired
function isExpired(expiresAt: DateTime): boolean {
    return DateTime.now().milliseconds > expiresAt.milliseconds;
}

if (isExpired(session.expires_at)) {
    await db.delete(session.id);
}

Timezone handling

// DateTime is always stored in UTC
const utcTime = DateTime.now();

// Convert to local time for display
const localDate = utcTime.toDate();
const localString = localDate.toLocaleString();

console.log('UTC:', utcTime.toString());
console.log('Local:', localString);

Best practices

1. Use DateTime for database timestamps

// Good: Nanosecond precision preserved
await db.create(new Table('logs')).content({
    timestamp: DateTime.now(),
    message: 'Event occurred'
});

// Avoid: JavaScript Date (millisecond precision only)
await db.create(new Table('logs')).content({
    timestamp: new Date(),
    message: 'Event occurred'
});

2. Be aware of precision loss

// Good: Keep as DateTime for precision
const dt = DateTime.now();
const stored = dt.toString(); // Preserves nanoseconds

// Caution: Loses nanosecond precision
const jsDate = dt.toDate(); // Only milliseconds

3. Use Duration for time arithmetic

// Good: Type-safe duration arithmetic
const future = now.add(Duration.parse('1h'));

// Avoid: Manual millisecond math
const future2 = DateTime.fromEpochMilliseconds(now.milliseconds + 3600000);

4. Store as DateTime, display as localized

// Store in UTC using DateTime
const timestamp = DateTime.now();
await db.create(table).content({ created_at: timestamp });

// Display in user's timezone
const localDisplay = timestamp.toDate().toLocaleString('en-US', {
    timeZone: 'America/New_York'
});