date Command in Linux: Show and Set the Date

Quick take: The date command prints the current date and time, and formats it any way you like with + specifiers: date '+%Y-%m-%d' gives 2026-06-14. It is widely used to timestamp filenames and logs in scripts.

Introduction

The date command displays and formats the system date and time, and (as root) can set it. Its real power is the formatting syntax, which lets scripts produce timestamps for filenames, log entries, and reports in exactly the format they need — plus simple date arithmetic for things like “yesterday” or “next week”.

Syntax

The basic syntax of the date command is:

date [OPTIONS] [+FORMAT]

Common Options and Parameters

The most useful options and parameters for the date command:

Practical Examples

Real date commands you can run today:

# Current date and time
date
# ISO date for a filename
date '+%Y-%m-%d'
# Date and time stamp
date '+%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S'
# Use in a backup filename
tar -czf "backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz" /data
# What was yesterday's date?
date -d 'yesterday' '+%Y-%m-%d'
# Unix timestamp
date '+%s'

Tips and Best Practices

• $(date +%F) produces an ISO date (2026-06-14) ideal for sortable, timestamped filenames.
• Use -d for date math in plain English: date -d '7 days ago' or date -d 'next monday'.
• Prefer timedatectl to set the clock and timezone on systemd systems; date -s works but does not handle the timezone or NTP.

Final Thoughts

date is the go-to for showing, formatting, and computing dates and times. Its +FORMAT specifiers make it indispensable for timestamping files and logs in scripts, and -d handles plain-English date math. For setting the clock and timezone on modern systems, reach for timedatectl instead of date -s.