How does Git parse the dates?

Question

I'm trying to make a commit before the epoch time but it seems that if I'm doing so, git says the date is sometime in 2014:

$ git commit -m 'Minor' --date 'Wed Dec 31 00:00:00 1969 +0000' . --amend
[master 4d1ea4d] Minor
 Date: Tue Dec 30 23:00:00 2014 +0200
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

However it does work if I make the commit in the epoch time:

$ git commit -m 'Minor' --date 'Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 +0000' . --amend
[master d0623ee] Minor
 Date: Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 +0000
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

Why? How can I force Git to accept my commit before 1970? I remember I did it sometime, but using an older version of git. Currently I'm using git version 2.1.4. Maybe changing the source code and recompiling my own git will work?

_{I need this for experimental reasons–just in case some of you will ask why. :)}

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:22

2

This isn't yet possible, as I mentioned in "Is it possible to set a git commit to have a timestamp prior to 1970?"

You can store a date prior to 1970, but you cannot guarantee that it will be correctly represented.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:22

Community

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answered Aug 23 '15 at 06:59

VonC

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Thanks, but how can I *store* it? – Ionică Bizău Aug 23 '15 at 07:05
@IonicăBizău You have some techniques to store a timestamp discussed in http://stackoverflow.com/a/24977895/6309. – VonC Aug 23 '15 at 07:08
Yeah, got it! :) Thanks! – Ionică Bizău Aug 23 '15 at 07:14

How does Git parse the dates?

1 Answers1