M
API Matrix

Icanhazepoch API

⭐ Beginner's Pick Development / No Auth Required Beginner HTTPS CORS
Free to Use Varies (check documentation)
87 Score
Grade A
Visit Official Site Compare Alternatives

Overview

Icanhazepoch is a minimalist API that returns the current Unix epoch timestamp as a plain integer, with no frills and no authentication required. It is useful for quick timestamp lookups in scripts or for testing time-sensitive logic without depending on local system clocks. Note that the original icanhazepoch service has been retired; check the linked announcement for any active mirrors.

💡

Beginner Tip

This is one of the simplest possible APIs — just GET the endpoint and you receive a single number representing the current Unix timestamp in seconds. No JSON parsing required. It is a perfect first API call for complete beginners learning curl or fetch.

Available Data

Use case: Integrate get epoch time data into web and mobile applications
Icanhazepoch data via REST API
JSON-formatted response data
Freely accessible without authentication

Example Response

JSON Response 
{
  "status": "success",
  "data": {
    "result": "Data from Icanhazepoch",
    "description": "Get Epoch time",
    "timestamp": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z"
  }
}

Field Reference

(plain text body) The current Unix epoch time in seconds returned as a plain integer string with no JSON wrapper.

Implementation Example 

const url = "https://icanhazepoch.com/";
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

Service unavailable or DNS failure The original icanhazepoch.com service has been shut down
✓ Use an alternative such as https://worldtimeapi.org/api/timezone/UTC which returns epoch time in its JSON response.
Non-JSON response The response is plain text, not JSON
✓ Do not JSON.parse the response — treat it directly as a number string.
Stale timestamp Caching layer returned an old value
✓ Add a cache-busting query parameter like ?t= with the current time if you need the freshest possible value.

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 15/20
🔒 Security 15/15
🛠 Developer XP 20/20
✓ Reliability 7/15
Response Time 208ms

Fully tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth No Auth
HTTPS REQUIRED
CORS YES
Category Development
Difficulty Beginner
Verified: 2026-04-07

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