create javascript date UTC

Question

Let's say I type the following code in the console:

var TheDate = new Date(2012, 10, 5);
TheDate.toUTCString();
"Sun, 04 Nov 2012 23:00:00 GMT" (I'm +1 hour ahead of GMT)

The result is that the date is actually set to the local time. How do I create a Date that's set to UTC? If I do TheDate.toUTCString() I want it to say 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT.

Thanks.

score 57 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 13 '12 at 16:00

57

Use the Date.UTC() method:

var TheDate = new Date( Date.UTC(2012, 10, 5) );
console.log( TheDate.toUTCString() );

returns

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Date.UTC

Accepts the same parameters as the longest form of the constructor, and returns the number of milliseconds in a Date object since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00, universal time.

answered Nov 13 '12 at 16:00

Sirko

72,589
19
149
183

What is the functional difference between `new Date( Date.UTC(2012, 10, 5) );` and `Date.UTC(2012, 10, 5);` ? – Jake T. Apr 07 '17 at 17:38
2

@JakeT. `Date.UTC()` just returns the timestamp (a number). `new Date( Date.UTC() )` will return a `Date` object. – Sirko Apr 07 '17 at 20:06
I run `TheDate.getTimezoneOffset();`. I don't get `0` as I would expect, any idea how to resolve this? – Josh Bowling Sep 27 '20 at 17:46
@JoshBowling—a Date object doesn't have an offset, they're UTC. *getTimezoneOffset* returns the offset for the host system for the moment in time represented by the Date. Change system settings to a timezone with a different offset and *getTimezoneOffset* will return a different value. – RobG Jan 12 '22 at 03:36

eerFun · Answer 2 · 2018-12-18T09:10:53.680

2

I found a shorthand for it, You could also create your date in ISO format as new Date('YYYY-MM-DD') to create date as UTC:

var DateA = new Date( '2012-11-05' );
console.log( DateA.toUTCString() );

// note the difference between input methods

var DateB = new Date( Date.UTC(2012, 10, 5) );
console.log( DateB.toUTCString() );

edited Dec 18 '18 at 09:10

answered Dec 18 '18 at 08:58

eerFun

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8

score -4 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 13 '12 at 15:58

-4

I would suggest you use momentjs (

momentjs.com

), then all you have to do is:

var theDate = new Date(2012, 10, 5),
    utcDate = moment.utc(theDate);

answered Nov 13 '12 at 15:58

Eudis Duran

742
3
16

3

This doesn't answer the question. The author wants a Date object, moment.utc does not return a Date. – JamesB Sep 06 '19 at 23:14

create javascript date UTC

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