Unix Timestamps MCP Server
About
A simple MCP server that does one thing only - help your LLM to use current unix timestamps. Something that models are currently struggling with, partially due to knowledge cutoffs and not really knowing where in time they are.
Details
- Author
- Ivor
- Downloads
- 263
- Categories
- Other
Jump to
- Converts ISO 8601 strings to Unix timestamps
- Basic input validation using JavaScript’s Date parser
- Clear error messages for invalid inputs
- Instant deployment via npx without local install
- Client configuration for Claude Desktop included
Setting up with Highlight
This MCP is not yet compatible with Highlight’s one-click setup. However, you can still use it with Highlight by following these steps:
- Download and install Highlight from highlightai.com/download
- Navigate to the plugins tab and select "Add Custom Plugin"
-
Configure the plugin with the settings below
Plugin Name
Unix Timestamps MCP ServerCommand (node, npx, python, etc.)Please refer to the README for specific instructions on how to obtain API keys or other required environment variables.
- Enable "Start Automatically" if you want the plugin to start when Highlight launches
From the repository
Install and configure by adding the server to your MCP client’s settings file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json) with the command npx -y github:Ivor/unix-timestamps-mcp. Then invoke the tool iso8601_to_unix(iso8601: string) via your client to get the timestamp.
Claude Desktop / Cursor
Paste into your MCP client config file to install this server.
{
"mcpServers": {
"unix timestamps mcp server": {
"unix_timestamps_mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"github:Ivor/unix-timestamps-mcp"
]
}
}
}
}McpServers
{
"unix_timestamps_mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"github:Ivor/unix-timestamps-mcp"
]
}
}Unix Timestamps MCP Server
<!-- Assuming MIT License, please update if incorrect -->
<!-- Update status as needed -->
A lightweight MCP server for converting ISO 8601 date/time strings to Unix timestamps.
Features
- ISO 8601 to Unix Timestamp Conversion: Provides a tool (iso8601_to_unix) to convert standard ISO 8601 date/time strings into Unix timestamps (seconds since the epoch).
- Input Validation: Basic check to ensure the input string is a valid date recognized by JavaScript's Date parser.
- Error Handling: Returns an error message if the input string is not a valid ISO 8601 date/time.
Installation
Prerequisites
- Node.js (version 18 or higher recommended)
- npm or npx (usually included with Node.js)
Client Configuration (Claude Desktop)
To use this server with a client like Claude Desktop, add the following configuration to your client's settings file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json):
{
"mcpServers": {
"unix_timestamps_mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "github:Ivor/unix-timestamps-mcp"]
}
}
}
Usage
This server provides tools accessible via an MCP client.
Available Tools
Tool: iso8601_to_unix(iso8601: string)
Converts an ISO 8601 formatted date/time string into a Unix timestamp (seconds since epoch).
- Input Parameter: iso8601 (string) - The date/time string in ISO 8601 format (e.g., "2024-07-26T10:00:00Z", "2024-07-26T12:00:00+02:00").
- Output: Text containing the calculated Unix timestamp and confirmation of the parsed date. Example:
Unix Timestamp: 1721988000
Original ISO8601: 2024-07-26T10:00:00Z
Parsed as: Fri, 26 Jul 2024 10:00:00 GMT
- Error Handling: Returns an error message if the input string is not a valid ISO 8601 date/time.
Examples in Claude Desktop
1. Configure the server as shown in the Installation section.
2. Use the iso8601_to_unix tool in your prompts:
- "Convert '2023-03-15T12:00:00Z' to a Unix timestamp: iso8601_to_unix(iso8601: '2023-03-15T12:00:00Z')"
- "What is the Unix timestamp for '2024-01-01T00:00:00-05:00'? iso8601_to_unix(iso8601: '2024-01-01T00:00:00-05:00')"
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details. (Please create a LICENSE file or update this section if using a different license).
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