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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

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1. Default Jenkins Console Output

By default, Jenkins provides console logs without timestamps:
Without timestamps, it’s difficult to measure the duration of each step or correlate events across builds.

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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:
If Add timestamps is not available, install or update the Timestamper Plugin via Manage Jenkins → Manage Plugins.

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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 image shows a Jenkins system configuration page with settings for job config history and timestamp formatting. It includes options for system clock time format and elapsed time format.
The default pattern is HH:mm:ss, but you can choose Detailed or enter your own using Java’s SimpleDateFormat.

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4. Define a Custom Date-Time Pattern

Jenkins uses Java’s SimpleDateFormat. Below is a quick reference:
The image shows a webpage from the Oracle Java documentation, specifically detailing the SimpleDateFormat class with examples of date and time patterns. A cursor is pointing at one of the examples in the list.

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Example Pattern

To include date, time, milliseconds, and timezone:

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

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