What's the Best JSON Date Format to Use?

Unraveling the Intricacies of JSON Date Formats

Despite the ubiquity of JSON, there exists a perplexing array of date formats within it. This spawns the inevitable question: Which format should rightfully claim the title of "correct" or "best"?

JSON itself, being a mere data interchange format, remains silent on the matter of date representation. However, JavaScript provides a definitive answer through the toJSON method of Date objects.

The Case for ISO 8601

The format emitted by toJSON, namely "2012-04-23T18:25:43.511Z," aligns with ISO 8601. This choice is not arbitrary but rather driven by a compelling set of reasons:

• Human Readability and Succinctness: The format is intelligible to humans while remaining concise.
• Correct Sorting: Dates sort properly when represented in this format.
• Fractional Second Inclusion: Fractional seconds, crucial for restoring temporal order, are captured in the format.
• International Recognition: ISO 8601 enjoys widespread acceptance globally.
• Endorsement by Standard Bodies: Esteemed organizations such as W3C, RFC3339, and XKCD endorse ISO 8601.

Portability Considerations

While ISO 8601 stands as the preferred format, it is essential to acknowledge that most date libraries can interpret "milliseconds since 1970." Therefore, for optimal portability across different platforms, the "milliseconds" format remains a viable option.

Conclusion

While JSON offers flexibility in date representation, ISO 8601 emerges as the optimal choice due to its human readability, sorting accuracy, inclusion of fractional seconds, international acceptance, and endorsement by respected standards bodies. However, for maximum portability, the "milliseconds since 1970" format should not be overlooked.

The above is the detailed content of What's the Best JSON Date Format to Use?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!