current_time( string $type, int|bool $gmt ): int|string

Retrieves the current time based on specified type.

Contents

Description

  • The ‘mysql’ type will return the time in the format for MySQL DATETIME field.
    • The ‘timestamp’ or ‘U’ types will return the current timestamp or a sum of timestamp and timezone offset, depending on $gmt.
    • Other strings will be interpreted as PHP date formats (e.g. ‘Y-m-d’).

If $gmt is a truthy value then both types will use GMT time, otherwise the output is adjusted with the GMT offset for the site.

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Parameters

$type string Required
Type of time to retrieve. Accepts 'mysql', 'timestamp', 'U', or PHP date format string (e.g. 'Y-m-d').
$gmt int|bool Optional
Whether to use GMT timezone. Default false.

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Return

int|string Integer if $type is 'timestamp' or 'U', string otherwise.

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Source

File: wp-includes/functions.php. View all references 

function current_time( $type, $gmt = 0 ) {
	// Don't use non-GMT timestamp, unless you know the difference and really need to.
	if ( 'timestamp' === $type || 'U' === $type ) {
		return $gmt ? time() : time() + (int) ( get_option( 'gmt_offset' ) * HOUR_IN_SECONDS );
	}

	if ( 'mysql' === $type ) {
		$type = 'Y-m-d H:i:s';
	}

	$timezone = $gmt ? new DateTimeZone( 'UTC' ) : wp_timezone();
	$datetime = new DateTime( 'now', $timezone );

	return $datetime->format( $type );
}

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Uses

Uses
Uses Description
wp_timezone() wp-includes/functions.php

Retrieves the timezone of the site as a DateTimeZone object.
get_option() wp-includes/option.php

Retrieves an option value based on an option name.

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Used By

Used By
Used By Description
wp_resolve_post_date() wp-includes/post.php

Uses wp_checkdate to return a valid Gregorian-calendar value for post_date.
wp_insert_site() wp-includes/ms-site.php

Inserts a new site into the database.
wp_update_site() wp-includes/ms-site.php

Updates a site in the database.
wp_create_user_request() wp-includes/user.php

Creates and logs a user request to perform a specific action.
wp_privacy_generate_personal_data_export_file() wp-admin/includes/privacy-tools.php

Generate the personal data export file.
WP_Customize_Manager::save_changeset_post() wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php

Saves the post for the loaded changeset.
WP_REST_Comments_Controller::create_item() wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-comments-controller.php

Creates a comment.
_wp_upload_dir() wp-includes/functions.php

A non-filtered, non-cached version of wp_upload_dir() that doesn’t check the path.
WP_Customize_Manager::customize_pane_settings() wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php

Prints JavaScript settings for parent window.
populate_network() wp-admin/includes/schema.php

Populate network settings.
wp_dashboard_recent_posts() wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php

Generates Publishing Soon and Recently Published sections.
wp_install_defaults() wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php

Creates the initial content for a newly-installed site.
touch_time() wp-admin/includes/template.php

Prints out HTML form date elements for editing post or comment publish date.
media_handle_upload() wp-admin/includes/media.php

Saves a file submitted from a POST request and create an attachment post for it.
media_handle_sideload() wp-admin/includes/media.php

Handles a side-loaded file in the same way as an uploaded file is handled by media_handle_upload() .
bulk_edit_posts() wp-admin/includes/post.php

Processes the post data for the bulk editing of posts.
post_submit_meta_box() wp-admin/includes/meta-boxes.php

Displays post submit form fields.
get_calendar() wp-includes/general-template.php

Displays calendar with days that have posts as links.
WP_Query::get_posts() wp-includes/class-wp-query.php

Retrieves an array of posts based on query variables.
date_i18n() wp-includes/functions.php

Retrieves the date in localized format, based on a sum of Unix timestamp and timezone offset in seconds.
get_month_link() wp-includes/link-template.php

Retrieves the permalink for the month archives with year.
get_day_link() wp-includes/link-template.php

Retrieves the permalink for the day archives with year and month.
get_year_link() wp-includes/link-template.php

Retrieves the permalink for the year archives.
WP_Date_Query::build_mysql_datetime() wp-includes/class-wp-date-query.php

Builds a MySQL format date/time based on some query parameters.
wp_insert_post() wp-includes/post.php

Inserts or update a post.
wp_update_post() wp-includes/post.php

Updates a post with new post data.
wpmu_log_new_registrations() wp-includes/ms-functions.php

Logs the user email, IP, and registration date of a new site.
wpmu_activate_signup() wp-includes/ms-functions.php

Activates a signup.
wpmu_signup_blog() wp-includes/ms-functions.php

Records site signup information for future activation.
wpmu_signup_user() wp-includes/ms-functions.php

Records user signup information for future activation.
wpmu_update_blogs_date() wp-includes/ms-blogs.php

Updates the last_updated field for the current site.
wp_xmlrpc_server::blogger_newPost() wp-includes/class-wp-xmlrpc-server.php

Creates a new post.
wp_new_comment() wp-includes/comment.php

Adds a new comment to the database.
wp_insert_comment() wp-includes/comment.php

Inserts a comment into the database.
Show 29 more used by Hide more used by

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Changelog

Changelog
Version Description
5.3.0 Now returns an integer if $type is 'U'. Previously a string was returned.
1.0.0 Introduced.

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User Contributed Notes

  1. Skip to note 1 content
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 7You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note
    Contributed by Denis Žoljom —

    The Date/Time component will be updated in WordPress 5.3, and there are some things that people should be aware of:

    https://make.wordpress.org/core/2019/09/23/date-time-improvements-wp-5-3/

    From the post:

    Not recommended

    Don’t retrieve time as WP timestamp:

    current_time( 'timestamp' )
    get_post_time( 'U' )

    Don’t localize time based on WP timestamp:

    date_i18n( DATE_RFC3339, $timestamp + $offset )

    Don’t store WP timestamps persistently;
    Don’t compare WP timestamps.

    ——————-

    Recommended

    Retrieve time as Unix timestamp or DateTimeImmutable object:

    time()
    current_datetime()
    get_post_datetime()
    get_post_timestamp()

    Localize time based on Unix timestamp:

    wp_date( DATE_RFC3339, $timestamp )

    Store Unix timestamps or formats that are precise moment in time, such as DATE_RFC3339;
    Compare Unix timestamps, DateTimeInterface objects, or string–comparable dates in same time zone.

  2. Skip to note 2 content
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 4You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note
    Contributed by Codex —

    Examine the results

    <?php

echo "current_time( 'mysql' ) returns local site time: " . current_time( 'mysql' ) . '<br />';
echo "current_time( 'mysql', 1 ) returns GMT: " . current_time( 'mysql', 1 ) . '<br />';
echo "current_time( 'timestamp' ) returns local site time: " . date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s', current_time( 'timestamp', 0 ) );
echo "current_time( 'timestamp', 1 ) returns GMT: " . date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s', current_time( 'timestamp', 1 ) );

?>
  3. Skip to note 3 content
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 2You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note
    Contributed by kapils003 —

    The code snippet gives an Warning with “split” function because
    the function was DEPRECATED in PHP 5.3.0, and REMOVED in PHP 7.0.0.

    Alternatives to this function include:

    preg_split()

    On using preg_split(), we get the required output. Code snippet below:

    $blogtime = current_time( 'mysql' );
    list( $today_year, $today_month, $today_day, $hour, $minute, $second ) = preg_split( "([^0-9])", $blogtime );
    echo $hour;

    For reference:
    http://php.net/manual/en/function.split.php

  6. Skip to note 6 content
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 0You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note
    Contributed by Andrei Surdu —

    When working with time functions, you must use current_time('timestamp') NOT time().

    current_time('timestamp') return blog specific timestamp that is set under Settings->General.
    time() return the time based on date.timezone setting from php.ini.

    Conclusion:
    time() !== current_time('timestamp') // There is a big chance that they are not equal

    Always use: current_time(‘timestamp’)

  7. Skip to note 7 content
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: -2You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note
    Contributed by Codex —

    This example gets the current time and assigns the parameters to variables.

    <?php 
$blogtime = current_time( 'mysql' ); 
list( $today_year, $today_month, $today_day, $hour, $minute, $second ) = split( '([^0-9])', $blogtime );
?>

    Example of format of current_time( 'mysql' ):

    2005-08-05 10:41:13

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