| --- |
| page_title: timestamp - Functions - Configuration Language |
| description: |- |
| The timestamp function returns a string representation of the current date |
| and time. |
| --- |
| |
| # `timestamp` Function |
| |
| `timestamp` returns a UTC timestamp string in [RFC 3339](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3339) format. |
| |
| In the Terraform language, timestamps are conventionally represented as |
| strings using [RFC 3339](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3339) |
| "Date and Time format" syntax, and so `timestamp` returns a string |
| in this format. |
| |
| The result of this function will change every second, so using this function |
| directly with resource attributes will cause a diff to be detected on every |
| Terraform run. We do not recommend using this function in resource attributes, |
| but in rare cases it can be used in conjunction with |
| [the `ignore_changes` lifecycle meta-argument](/language/meta-arguments/lifecycle#ignore_changes) |
| to take the timestamp only on initial creation of the resource. For more stable |
| time handling, see the [Time Provider](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/time). |
| |
| Due to the constantly changing return value, the result of this function cannot |
| be predicted during Terraform's planning phase, and so the timestamp will be |
| taken only once the plan is being applied. |
| |
| ## Examples |
| |
| ``` |
| > timestamp() |
| 2018-05-13T07:44:12Z |
| ``` |
| |
| ## Related Functions |
| |
| * [`formatdate`](/language/functions/formatdate) can convert the resulting timestamp to |
| other date and time formats. |
