Relative Time Formatter API
Relative Time Formatter is a tool for converting timestamps and dates to human-readable relative time formats like '2 hours ago' or 'in 3 days'. It supports multiple styles and custom reference times for flexible time representation.
The Relative Time Formatter API provides reliable and fast access to relative time formatter data through a simple REST interface. Built for developers who need consistent, high-quality results with minimal setup time.
To use Relative Time Formatter, you need an API key. You can get one by creating a free account and visiting your dashboard.
GET Endpoint
https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatterCode Examples
Here are examples of how to call the Relative Time Formatter API in different programming languages:
curl -X GET \
"https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short" \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here"const response = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short', {
method: 'GET',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);import requests
headers = {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
response = requests.get('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short', headers=headers)
data = response.json()
print(data)const https = require('https');
const url = require('url');
const options = {
method: 'GET',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
};
const req = https.request('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short', options, (res) => {
let data = '';
res.on('data', (chunk) => data += chunk);
res.on('end', () => console.log(JSON.parse(data)));
});
req.end();<?php
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, 'GET');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
'X-API-Key: your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type: application/json'
]);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
$data = json_decode($response, true);
print_r($data);
?>package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
)
func main() {
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short", nil)
req.Header.Set("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here")
req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
client := &http.Client{}
resp, err := client.Do(req)
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}require 'net/http'
require 'json'
uri = URI('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short')
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true
request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
request['X-API-Key'] = 'your_api_key_here'
request['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
response = http.request(request)
puts JSON.pretty_generate(JSON.parse(response.body))using System;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
class Program
{
static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
using var client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here");
var response = await client.GetAsync("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/relativetimeformatter?timestamp=1609459200&reference=2024-06-01T00%3A00%3A00Z&style=short");
response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
var responseBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
Console.WriteLine(responseBody);
}
}Authentication
The Relative Time Formatter API requires authentication via API key. Include your API key in the request header:
X-API-Key: your_api_key_hereInteractive API Playground
Test the Relative Time Formatter API directly in your browser with live requests and responses.
Parameters
The Relative Time Formatter API supports multiple query options. Use one of the following:
Option 1: Format from Timestamp
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
timestamp | string | required | Unix timestamp in seconds or milliseconds Format: timestamp (e.g., 1609459200) | - | |
reference | string | optional | Reference time to compare against (default: current time) Format: date (e.g., 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z) | - | |
style | string | optional | Output style Supported values: shortlongabbreviated |
Option 2: Format from Date
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
date | string | required | ISO date string | - | |
reference | string | optional | Reference time to compare against (default: current time) Format: date (e.g., 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z) | - | |
style | string | optional | Output style Supported values: shortlongabbreviated |
Response
The Relative Time Formatter API returns responses in JSON, XML, YAML, and CSV formats:
Example Responses
{
"status": "ok",
"error": null,
"data": {
"target_date": "2021-01-01T00:00:00Z",
"reference_date": "2025-12-16T22:28:24.459Z",
"relative_time": "4 years ago",
"is_past": true,
"is_future": false,
"difference_ms": -156464904459,
"primary_unit": "year",
"primary_value": 4,
"all_units": {
"years": 4,
"months": 59,
"weeks": 258,
"days": 1810,
"hours": 43462,
"minutes": 2607748,
"seconds": 156464904,
"milliseconds": 156464904459
},
"style": "short"
}
}<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
<status>ok</status>
<error xsi:nil="true" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"/>
<data>
<target_date>2021-01-01T00:00:00Z</target_date>
<reference_date>2025-12-16T22:28:24.459Z</reference_date>
<relative_time>4 years ago</relative_time>
<is_past>true</is_past>
<is_future>false</is_future>
<difference_ms>-156464904459</difference_ms>
<primary_unit>year</primary_unit>
<primary_value>4</primary_value>
<all_units>
<years>4</years>
<months>59</months>
<weeks>258</weeks>
<days>1810</days>
<hours>43462</hours>
<minutes>2607748</minutes>
<seconds>156464904</seconds>
<milliseconds>156464904459</milliseconds>
</all_units>
<style>short</style>
</data>
</response>
status: ok
error: null
data:
target_date: '2021-01-01T00:00:00Z'
reference_date: '2025-12-16T22:28:24.459Z'
relative_time: 4 years ago
is_past: true
is_future: false
difference_ms: -156464904459
primary_unit: year
primary_value: 4
all_units:
years: 4
months: 59
weeks: 258
days: 1810
hours: 43462
minutes: 2607748
seconds: 156464904
milliseconds: 156464904459
style: short
| key | value |
|---|---|
| target_date | 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z |
| reference_date | 2025-12-16T22:28:24.459Z |
| relative_time | 4 years ago |
| is_past | true |
| is_future | false |
| difference_ms | -156464904459 |
| primary_unit | year |
| primary_value | 4 |
| all_units | {years:4,months:59,weeks:258,days:1810,hours:43462,minutes:2607748,seconds:156464904,milliseconds:156464904459} |
| style | short |
Response Structure
All API responses follow a consistent structure with the following fields:
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
status | string | Indicates whether the request was successful ("ok") or failed ("error") | ok |
error | string | null | Contains error message if status is "error", otherwise null | null |
data | object | null | Contains the API response data if successful, otherwise null | {...} |
Learn more about response formats →
Response Data Fields
When the request is successful, the data object contains the following fields:
| Field | Type | Sample Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
target_date | string | - | |
reference_date | string | - | |
relative_time | string | - | |
is_past | boolean | - | |
is_future | boolean | - | |
difference_ms | number | - | |
primary_unit | string | - | |
primary_value | number | - | |
all_units | object | - | |
â”” years | number | - | |
â”” months | number | - | |
â”” weeks | number | - | |
â”” days | number | - | |
â”” hours | number | - | |
â”” minutes | number | - | |
â”” seconds | number | - | |
â”” milliseconds | number | - | |
style | string | - |
Headers
Required and optional headers for Relative Time Formatter API requests:
| Header Name | Required | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
X-API-Key | required | your_api_key_here | Your APIVerve API key. Found in your dashboard under API Keys. |
Accept | optional | application/json | Specify response format: application/json (default), application/xml, or application/yaml |
User-Agent | optional | MyApp/1.0 | Identifies your application for analytics and debugging purposes |
X-Request-ID | optional | req_123456789 | Custom request identifier for tracking and debugging requests |
Cache-Control | optional | no-cache | Control caching behavior for the request and response |
GraphQL AccessALPHA
Access Relative Time Formatter through GraphQL to combine it with other API calls in a single request. Query only the relative time formatter data you need with precise field selection, and orchestrate complex data fetching workflows.
Credit Cost: Each API called in your GraphQL query consumes its standard credit cost.
POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/graphqlquery {
relativetimeformatter(
input: {
timestamp: "1609459200"
reference: "2024-06-01T00:00:00Z"
style: "short"
}
) {
target_date
reference_date
relative_time
is_past
is_future
difference_ms
primary_unit
primary_value
all_units {
years
months
weeks
days
hours
minutes
seconds
milliseconds
}
style
}
}Note: Authentication is handled via the x-api-key header in your GraphQL request, not as a query parameter.
CORS Support
The Relative Time Formatter API supports Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) with wildcard configuration, allowing you to call Relative Time Formatter directly from browser-based applications without proxy servers.
| CORS Header | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
Access-Control-Allow-Origin | * | Accepts requests from any origin |
Access-Control-Allow-Methods | * | Accepts any HTTP method |
Access-Control-Allow-Headers | * | Accepts any request headers |
Browser Usage: You can call Relative Time Formatter directly from JavaScript running in the browser without encountering CORS errors. No proxy server or additional configuration needed.
Rate Limiting
Relative Time Formatter API requests are subject to rate limiting based on your subscription plan. These limits ensure fair usage and maintain service quality for all Relative Time Formatter users.
| Plan | Rate Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 requests/min | Hard rate limit enforced - exceeding will return 429 errors |
| Starter | No Limit | Production ready - standard traffic priority |
| Pro | No Limit | Production ready - preferred traffic priority |
| Mega | No Limit | Production ready - highest traffic priority |
Learn more about rate limiting →
Rate Limit Headers
When rate limits apply, each Relative Time Formatter response includes headers to help you track your usage:
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
X-RateLimit-Limit | Maximum number of requests allowed per time window |
X-RateLimit-Remaining | Number of requests remaining in the current window |
X-RateLimit-Reset | Unix timestamp when the rate limit window resets |
Handling Rate Limits
Free Plan: When you exceed your rate limit, Relative Time Formatter returns a 429 Too Many Requests status code. Your application should implement appropriate backoff logic to handle this gracefully.
Paid Plans: No rate limiting or throttling applied. All paid plans (Starter, Pro, Mega) are production-ready.
Best Practices for Relative Time Formatter:
- Monitor the rate limit headers to track your Relative Time Formatter usage (Free plan only)
- Cache relative time formatter responses where appropriate to reduce API calls
- Upgrade to Pro or Mega for guaranteed no-throttle Relative Time Formatter performance
Note: Relative Time Formatter rate limits are separate from credit consumption. You may have credits remaining but still hit rate limits when using Relative Time Formatter on Free tier.
Error Codes
The Relative Time Formatter API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate success or failure:
| Code | Message | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
200 | OK | Request successful, data returned | No action needed - request was successful |
400 | Bad Request | Invalid request parameters or malformed request | Check required parameters and ensure values match expected formats |
401 | Unauthorized | Missing or invalid API key | Include x-api-key header with valid API key from dashboard |
403 | Forbidden | API key lacks permission or insufficient credits | Check credit balance in dashboard or upgrade plan |
429 | Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded (Free: 5 req/min) | Implement request throttling or upgrade to paid plan |
500 | Internal Server Error | Server error occurred | Retry request after a few seconds, contact support if persists |
503 | Service Unavailable | API temporarily unavailable | Wait and retry, check status page for maintenance updates |
Learn more about error handling →
Need help? Contact support with your X-Request-ID for assistance.
Integrate Relative Time Formatter with SDKs
Get started quickly with official Relative Time Formatter SDKs for your preferred language. Each library handles authentication, request formatting, and error handling automatically.
Available for Node.js, Python, C#/.NET, and Android/Java. All SDKs are open source and regularly updated.
Integrate Relative Time Formatter with No-Code API Tools
Connect the Relative Time Formatter API to your favorite automation platform without writing code. Build workflows that leverage relative time formatter data across thousands of apps.





All platforms use your same API key to access Relative Time Formatter. Visit our integrations hub for step-by-step setup guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an API key for Relative Time Formatter?
How many credits does Relative Time Formatter cost?
Each successful Relative Time Formatter API call consumes credits based on plan tier. Check the pricing section above for the exact credit cost. Failed requests and errors don't consume credits, so you only pay for successful relative time formatter lookups.
Can I use Relative Time Formatter in production?
The free plan is for testing and development only. For production use of Relative Time Formatter, upgrade to a paid plan (Starter, Pro, or Mega) which includes commercial use rights, no attribution requirements, and guaranteed uptime SLAs. All paid plans are production-ready.
Can I use Relative Time Formatter from a browser?
What happens if I exceed my Relative Time Formatter credit limit?
When you reach your monthly credit limit, Relative Time Formatter API requests will return an error until you upgrade your plan or wait for the next billing cycle. You'll receive notifications at 80% and 95% usage to give you time to upgrade if needed.



