ClickHouse toUnixTimestamp Function

The toUnixTimestamp function in ClickHouse converts a DateTime or Date value to a Unix timestamp (number of seconds elapsed since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC). This function is particularly useful when working with time-based data or when interfacing with systems that use Unix timestamps.

Syntax

toUnixTimestamp(value)

For the official documentation, visit the ClickHouse DateTime Functions page.

Example Usage

SELECT toUnixTimestamp(now()) AS current_unix_timestamp,
       toUnixTimestamp('2023-05-01 12:00:00') AS specific_unix_timestamp;

This query will return the current Unix timestamp and the Unix timestamp for May 1, 2023, at 12:00:00.

Common Issues

1. Time zone considerations: Be aware that toUnixTimestamp uses the server's time zone by default. To ensure consistent results, consider specifying the time zone explicitly or use UTC.

2. Date vs. DateTime: When using toUnixTimestamp with a Date value, the time component is assumed to be 00:00:00.

Best Practices

1. Always use UTC when working with timestamps to avoid time zone-related issues.
2. When storing timestamps, consider using the Int32 or Int64 data type for efficiency.
3. Use toUnixTimestamp in combination with other date and time functions for complex time-based calculations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I convert a Unix timestamp back to a DateTime?
A: You can use the fromUnixTimestamp function. For example: SELECT fromUnixTimestamp(1620000000).

Q: Does toUnixTimestamp work with millisecond precision?
A: No, toUnixTimestamp returns seconds. For millisecond precision, you can use toUnixTimestamp64Milli.

Q: Can I use toUnixTimestamp with string inputs?
A: Yes, but the string must be in a format that ClickHouse can parse as a DateTime. For example: SELECT toUnixTimestamp('2023-05-01 12:00:00').

Q: How does toUnixTimestamp handle dates before 1970?
A: For dates before 1970-01-01, toUnixTimestamp returns negative values, representing the number of seconds before the Unix epoch.

Q: Is there a performance difference between using toUnixTimestamp and storing timestamps as Unix timestamps directly?
A: Storing timestamps as Unix timestamps directly can be more efficient for querying and indexing. However, toUnixTimestamp is optimized and generally has minimal performance impact when used in queries.