Get the current time from an API in JavaScript (browser and Node.js)

Short answer: new Date() tells you what the user's device thinks the time is. To get the real current time in JavaScript, call a time API with fetch, read unix_ms from the response, and keep the offset between that value and Date.now().

const res = await fetch("https://api.timelogicapi.com/v1/time/current?tz=UTC", {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.TIMELOGIC_API_KEY}` },
});
const now = await res.json();
console.log(now.utc, now.unix_ms); // "2026-10-30T16:22:54Z" 1793377374673

What does the JSON time API response look like?

TimeLogic API is a JSON time API: GET /v1/time/current returns one flat JSON object, so await res.json() gives you every field at once. Use unix_ms for logic and comparisons, utc as the canonical instant, and iso_local or human for display. This is the response for GET /v1/time/current?tz=America/New_York:

{
  "unix": 1793377374,
  "unix_ms": 1793377374673,
  "utc": "2026-10-30T16:22:54Z",
  "iso_local": "2026-10-30T12:22:54-04:00",
  "rfc2822": "Fri, 30 Oct 2026 12:22:54 -0400",
  "human": "October 30, 2026, 12:22 PM America/New_York",
  "day_number": 6,
  "day_short": "Fri",
  "day_full": "Friday",
  "timezone": "America/New_York"
}

Why not just use new Date()?

Date.now() and new Date() read the operating system clock. Users change it, it drifts on devices without network time, and a page cannot tell. Countdown timers, auctions, trial expiry checks, exam timers and "posted 3 minutes ago" labels all break when the clock is off. A time API gives every client the same reference instant.

How do I get the current time in Node.js?

Node 18 and later ship fetch, so the snippet above runs as-is. Keep the key in an environment variable:

// node time.mjs  (TIMELOGIC_API_KEY set in the environment)
const res = await fetch("https://api.timelogicapi.com/v1/time/current?tz=America/New_York", {
  headers: { "X-API-Key": process.env.TIMELOGIC_API_KEY },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(5000),
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`TimeLogic API ${res.status}`);
const { iso_local, timezone, day_full } = await res.json();
console.log(iso_local, timezone, day_full); // 2026-10-30T12:22:54-04:00 America/New_York Friday

There is also an official JavaScript/TypeScript SDK if you prefer typed calls.

How do I get server time in the browser and keep it in sync?

Fetch once, measure the round trip, and store an offset. Then derive the corrected time locally on every tick:

// Runs in the browser against your own endpoint, which calls TimeLogic with the key server-side
// and returns its JSON (for example: /api/now -> GET /v1/time/current?tz=UTC).
async function syncClock() {
  const t0 = Date.now();
  const res = await fetch("/api/now", { cache: "no-store" });
  const t1 = Date.now();
  const { unix_ms } = await res.json();
  return unix_ms - (t0 + t1) / 2; // ms to add to Date.now()
}

const offset = await syncClock();
const trustedNow = () => new Date(Date.now() + offset);
setInterval(() => {
  document.querySelector("#clock").textContent = trustedNow().toLocaleTimeString();
}, 1000);

The midpoint trick assumes the request and response took about the same time; with a warm connection the error is a small fraction of the round trip. Re-sync every few minutes, or when the tab becomes visible again.

How do I show the time in another time zone?

Ask for the zone you need and the API applies the current offset and daylight saving rules:

const res = await fetch("https://api.timelogicapi.com/v1/time/current?tz=Asia/Tokyo,Europe/London,America/Los_Angeles", {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.TIMELOGIC_API_KEY}` },
});
for (const city of await res.json()) console.log(city.timezone, city.iso_local);

A comma-separated tz is a bulk request: up to 10 zones, one call, results in input order. To find the user's zone from their IP address, see Get the timezone from an IP address.

How do I convert a Unix timestamp to a date in JavaScript?

new Date(unix * 1000) (or new Date(unix_ms)) gives a Date; format it with toISOString() or Intl.DateTimeFormat. To convert a timestamp into a specific zone with DST applied, or to format it with strftime, use /v1/time/convert:

const url = "https://api.timelogicapi.com/v1/time/convert?unix=1711300000&tz=America/New_York";
const res = await fetch(url, { headers: { "X-API-Key": process.env.TIMELOGIC_API_KEY } });
console.log((await res.json()).iso_local); // 2024-03-24T13:06:40-04:00

Can I call it from a WorldTimeAPI-era script?

Yes. Old code that fetched worldtimeapi.org/api/timezone/... works with the host changed to api.timelogicapi.com and a key added; see the migration guide.

Related guides

• World Time API guide (pillar)
• Get the current time from the internet in Python
• NTP vs a time API
• Get current time endpoint reference