How can I convert a datetime object to milliseconds since epoch (unix time) in Python?

It appears to me that the simplest way to do this is

import datetime

epoch = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(0)

def unix_time_millis(dt):
    return (dt - epoch).total_seconds() * 1000.0

In Python 3.3, added new method timestamp:

import datetime
seconds_since_epoch = datetime.datetime.now().timestamp()

Your question stated that you needed milliseconds, which you can get like this:

milliseconds_since_epoch = datetime.datetime.now().timestamp() * 1000

If you use timestamp on a naive datetime object, then it assumed that it is in the local timezone. Use timezone-aware datetime objects if this is not what you intend to happen.

>>> import datetime
>>> # replace datetime.datetime.now() with your datetime object
>>> int(datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%s")) * 1000 
1312908481000

Or the help of the time module (and without date formatting):

>>> import datetime, time
>>> # replace datetime.datetime.now() with your datetime object
>>> time.mktime(datetime.datetime.now().timetuple()) * 1000
1312908681000.0

Answered with help from: http://pleac.sourceforge.net/pleac_python/datesandtimes.html

Documentation:

• time.mktime
• datetime.timetuple