Demo Timestamp

Adding timestamps to your Jenkins console output helps you pinpoint exactly when each build step starts and ends. In this guide, you’ll learn how to:

• View default console output
• Enable timestamps for a single job
• Configure global timestamp formats
• Define custom date-time patterns

1. Default Jenkins Console Output

By default, Jenkins provides console logs without timestamps:

Started by user emma
Running as SYSTEM
Building in workspace /var/lib/jenkins/workspace/npm-version-test
[npm-version-test] $ /bin/sh -xe /tmp/jenkins378958400214127704.sh
+ node -v
v22.6.0
+ npm -v
10.8.2
[Gitea] do not publish assets due to source being no GiteaCMSource
Finished: SUCCESS

Without timestamps, it’s difficult to measure the duration of each step or correlate events across builds.

2. Enable Timestamps Per Job

1. Navigate to your job (e.g., npm-version-test) and click Configure.
2. Under Build Environment, check Add timestamps to the Console Output.
3. Save and run the job.

Now you’ll see timestamps in the format HH:mm:ss:

00:28:38 Started by user siddharth
00:28:38 Running as SYSTEM
00:28:38 Building on the built-in node in workspace /var/lib/jenkins/workspace/npm-version-test
00:28:39 [npm-version-test] $ /bin/sh -xe /tmp/jenkins1225959520377962572.sh
00:28:39 + node -v
00:28:39 v12.6.0
00:28:39 + npm -v
00:28:39 6.8.2
00:28:39 [Gitea] do not publish assets due to source being no GiteaCMSSource
00:28:39 Finished: SUCCESS

3. Configure Global Timestamp Format

To apply a custom format across all jobs:

1. Go to Dashboard → Manage Jenkins → Configure System.
2. Locate the Timestamper section.
3. Edit System clock time format or Elapsed time format.

The default pattern is HH:mm:ss, but you can choose Detailed or enter your own using Java’s SimpleDateFormat.

4. Define a Custom Date-Time Pattern

Jenkins uses Java’s SimpleDateFormat. Below is a quick reference:

Example Pattern

To include date, time, milliseconds, and timezone:

yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSSXXX

Apply Your Pattern

1. Paste the pattern into System clock time format.
2. Click Apply and Save.
3. Rerun your job to see updated timestamps:

2025-02-06T00:28:38.991+05:30  Started by user siddharth
2025-02-06T00:28:38.992+05:30  Running as SYSTEM
2025-02-06T00:28:38.993+05:30  Building on the built-in node in workspace /var/lib/jenkins/workspace/npm-version-test
[npm-version-test] $ /bin/sh -xe /tmp/jenkins12295959205377962572.sh
+ node -v
v22.6.0
+ npm -v
10.8.2
[Gitea] do not publish assets due to source being no GiteaSCMSource
2025-02-06T00:28:39.254+05:30  Finished: SUCCESS

Feel free to adjust the pattern to fit your organization’s logging standards.

Links and References

• Jenkins Timestamper Plugin
• Oracle SimpleDateFormat Documentation
• Jenkins Console Output Settings