timestamp
Generate deterministic timestamps in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format using bash. Use when you need timestamps for filenames, logging, or any situation requiring consistent timestamp formatting without LLM generation.
When & Why to Use This Skill
This Claude skill provides a reliable method to generate deterministic timestamps in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format using Bash. It ensures high precision and consistency for system-level tasks, eliminating the variability and potential hallucinations associated with LLM-generated date strings in automated workflows.
Use Cases
- Automated File Naming: Generate unique, chronological filenames for backups, database exports, or system logs to prevent overwriting and ensure easy sorting.
- Directory Organization: Create time-stamped folders for periodic data captures or project snapshots to maintain a clear chronological structure.
- CI/CD Pipeline Integration: Use standardized timestamps for tagging build artifacts, versioning releases, or documenting execution times in deployment scripts.
- Log Standardization: Append consistent time identifiers to log entries or commit messages to facilitate easier debugging and audit trails across different environments.
| name | timestamp |
|---|---|
| description | Generate deterministic timestamps in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format using bash. Use when you need timestamps for filenames, logging, or any situation requiring consistent timestamp formatting without LLM generation. |
| allowed-tools | Bash |
Timestamp
Overview
Generate timestamps in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format (e.g., 20251030143215) using bash date command for deterministic, reliable timestamp generation.
When to Use
- Creating timestamped filenames or directories
- Adding timestamps to logs or commit messages
- Any situation requiring consistent timestamp formatting
- When deterministic bash execution is preferred over LLM-generated timestamps
Usage
Always use the bash script to generate timestamps:
bash ./skills/timestamp/scripts/generate_timestamp.sh
Examples
Timestamped filename:
timestamp=$(bash ./skills/timestamp/scripts/generate_timestamp.sh)
echo "backup_${timestamp}.tar.gz"
# Output: backup_20251030143215.tar.gz
Timestamped directory:
timestamp=$(bash ./skills/timestamp/scripts/generate_timestamp.sh)
mkdir "logs_${timestamp}"
In file content:
timestamp=$(bash ./skills/timestamp/scripts/generate_timestamp.sh)
echo "Generated at: ${timestamp}" > output.txt
Format Specification
- Format: YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
- Example: 20251030143215
- Breakdown:
- YYYY: 4-digit year (2025)
- MM: 2-digit month (10)
- DD: 2-digit day (30)
- HH: 2-digit hour, 24h format (14)
- MM: 2-digit minute (32)
- SS: 2-digit second (15)
Resources
scripts/generate_timestamp.sh
Executable bash script using date +"%Y%m%d%H%M%S" to generate timestamps in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format.