`time.time()` Function Explained

time.time() returns the current time as a number.

In Python, this number is the current Unix timestamp: the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 UTC. Beginners often use it for two simple tasks:

getting the current timestamp
measuring how long some code takes to run

If you want a readable date like 2025-04-22 10:30:00, use the Python datetime module overview instead.

Quick example

import time

current_timestamp = time.time()
print(current_timestamp)

start = time.time()
time.sleep(1)
end = time.time()
print(end - start)

time.time() returns the current time as seconds since the Unix epoch. It is often used for simple timing.

Example output:

1712345678.12345
1.00012

What `time.time()` does

time.time():

returns the current time as a float
gives the number of seconds since January 1, 1970 UTC
returns what is often called a Unix timestamp or epoch time
includes fractions of a second in the decimal part

A simple example:

import time

timestamp = time.time()
print(timestamp)
print(type(timestamp))

Possible output:

1712345678.12345
<class 'float'>

This value is useful for storing or comparing times, but it is not easy for humans to read.

Basic syntax

First, import the time module. Then call time.time() with no arguments.

import time

current_time = time.time()
print(current_time)

Key points:

you must import time first
time.time() takes no arguments
store the result in a variable if you want to use it again later

If you used import time, you must call the function as time.time().

This will fail:

import time

print(time())

Because time is the module name, not the function name.

What the return value looks like

The result is usually a large floating-point number, such as:

1712345678.12345

This means:

the whole number part is the number of full seconds
the decimal part is the fraction of a second

It is not a formatted date string.

If you want only whole seconds, you can convert it with int():

import time

timestamp = time.time()
print(timestamp)
print(int(timestamp))

If you want a readable date and time, look at datetime.now() explained or the Python datetime module overview.

Common use cases

Beginners usually use time.time() for simple tasks like these:

get the current timestamp
measure how long code takes to run
compare two times by subtraction
store simple time values in logs or files

Example: getting the current timestamp

import time

timestamp = time.time()
print("Current timestamp:", timestamp)

Example: comparing two times

import time

first = time.time()
time.sleep(2)
second = time.time()

difference = second - first
print("Seconds between times:", difference)

In this example, time.sleep() pauses the program for about 2 seconds, so the difference is about 2.0.

Using `time.time()` to measure elapsed time

This is one of the most common beginner uses.

The pattern is:

save the start time
run your code
save the end time
subtract start from end

Example:

import time

start = time.time()

for i in range(3):
    print("Working...")
    time.sleep(0.5)

end = time.time()

elapsed = end - start
print("Elapsed time:", elapsed, "seconds")

Possible output:

Working...
Working...
Working...
Elapsed time: 1.5008 seconds

This works well for simple timing examples and quick checks.

If you want to learn more about the module, see the Python time module overview.

Limits beginners should know

time.time() is useful, but it has some limits:

the result depends on your system clock
it is not the best tool for precise benchmarking
it does not give a human-readable date by itself
it is not a replacement for delays like time.sleep()

So a good rule is:

use time.time() for timestamps and simple elapsed-time checks
use datetime for readable dates and times
use time.sleep() when you want to pause your program

Common mistakes

Here are some common problems beginners run into with time.time().

Forgetting to import the `time` module

This causes an error because Python does not know what time means yet.

current = time.time()
print(current)

Fix:

import time

current = time.time()
print(current)

Expecting a formatted date string

This:

import time

print(time.time())

returns a number, not something like 2025-04-22 10:30:00.

If you need a readable date, use the Python datetime module overview.

Confusing `time.time()` with `time.sleep()`

These functions do different jobs:

time.time() gets the current timestamp
time.sleep() pauses the program

Example:

import time

print("Before:", time.time())
time.sleep(1)
print("After:", time.time())

Calling `time()` directly after `import time`

This is wrong:

import time

print(time())

This is correct:

import time

print(time.time())

Rounding too early

If you round or convert to int() too soon, you may lose useful timing detail.

Less precise:

import time

start = int(time.time())
time.sleep(1.2)
end = int(time.time())

print(end - start)

More precise:

import time

start = time.time()
time.sleep(1.2)
end = time.time()

print(end - start)

Useful commands to test `time.time()`

You can test time.time() quickly from your terminal.

Check your Python version:

python --version

Print the current timestamp:

python -c "import time; print(time.time())"

Measure about 1 second of sleep:

python -c "import time; start=time.time(); time.sleep(1); print(time.time()-start)"

Check the return type:

python -c "import time; print(type(time.time()))"

If you are new to troubleshooting, the how to debug Python code beginner guide is a good next step.

FAQ

What does `time.time()` return in Python?

It returns the current time as a float representing seconds since the Unix epoch.

Why does `time.time()` return a large number?

Because it counts seconds from January 1, 1970 UTC to the current moment.

Is `time.time()` good for measuring code speed?

It is fine for simple timing, but more precise tools are better for benchmarking.

How do I get whole seconds from `time.time()`?

Wrap the result with int() if you only want the integer part.

import time

print(int(time.time()))

time.time() Function Explained

`time.time()` Function Explained