Convert python datetime to epoch with strftime

Python signpost: 3.3 or an earlier version

If you're stuck in the past using a Python version prior to 3.3, datetime.timestamp() won't be in your toolkit. Instead, you can calculate the total number of seconds since the Unix epoch like so:

from datetime import datetime

# Once again, choose your date or time...
dt = datetime(2023, 1, 1)
epoch = (dt - datetime(1970, 1, 1)).total_seconds()

print(int(epoch))  # Witness epoch rise from the ashes of time!


Journey to the center of timezones

Universal Time, not Cuckoo Time (UTC!)

Make sure you're on calendar.timegm() especially if you need to work with UTC time when converting epoch:

import calendar
from datetime import datetime

# Get current UTC datetime
dt = datetime.utcnow()
# Timezone madness begone!
epoch = calendar.timegm(dt.utctimetuple())

print(epoch)  # Now that's some Universal Time magic!


Dialing Local Time

If your local timezone is integral to your epoch conversion, use the following approach:

import time
from datetime import datetime

dt = datetime.now()  # Let's go......now!
epoch = int(time.mktime(dt.timetuple()))

print(epoch)  # Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so!


Don't forget time.mktime() uses your local timezone, so do change your datetime to UTC before using this method when necessary.

Precision is key – not just in locksmithing

Classy Microseconds

To bring microseconds into your epoch conversion for more precise measuring:

from datetime import datetime

dt = datetime.now()  # That's NOW now! 
epoch_with_microseconds = time.mktime(dt.timetuple()) + (dt.microsecond * 1e-6)

print(epoch_with_microseconds)  # Yeah, we've got time for microseconds!


Things to jot down

The Pythonic scroll of wisdom

Always have a look at the Python documentation regarding strftime - it's better to consult the scrolls of wisdom before embarking on your time travel journey.

Sync your watches

Consider system time settings and how they could impact your epoch conversion. Nothing can derail a good time travel plan more than a misaligned clock!