Get a TimeStamp in Java 8

1. Introduction

Obtaining a timestamp in Java is a common requirement for logging, versioning, or tracking when events occur within an application. The java.time.Instant class provides a straightforward way to capture the current moment in a format that is easy to store and use for time calculations.

Key Points

1. Instant represents a moment on the timeline in UTC with nanosecond precision.

2. It is part of the Java Date and Time API introduced in Java 8.

3. Instant.now() is used to capture the current timestamp.

2. Program Steps

1. Import the java.time.Instant class.

2. Use Instant.now() to capture the current UTC timestamp.

3. Print the timestamp to verify it has been captured.

3. Code Program

import java.time.Instant;

public class TimestampExample {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Step 2: Capture the current UTC timestamp
        Instant timestamp = Instant.now();

        // Step 3: Print the timestamp
        System.out.println("Current Timestamp: " + timestamp);
    }
}

Output:

Current Timestamp: 2023-10-02T15:30:45.123Z  // Example output, actual will depend on the moment when the code is run

Explanation:

1. Instant.now() is called to obtain the current UTC timestamp at the moment of execution. This method captures the exact date and time in UTC up to nanoseconds.

2. The captured Instant is then printed to the console, displaying the time in a standard ISO-8601 format. This timestamp can be used for logging or time-stamping events in applications.