Template:Time ago/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Time ago.
It contains usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

This template is used on approximately 145,000 pages.
To avoid major disruption and server load, any changes should be tested in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. The tested changes can be added to this page in a single edit. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

This template uses Lua:

Module:Time ago

The Time ago template calculates the amount of time which has passed since a provided timestamp. The result is a string similar to one of the examples below. This template should not be used with "subst" unless you don't want the stamp to change as the user refreshes the page.

Note that due to Wikipedia's caching mechanisms, you may need to purge a page using this template to update the dynamic value. See the section Purge below.

The result is rounded down. "Month" is defined as 31 days.

Usage

{{Time ago|timestamp}}

The timestamp can be almost any solid, readable format but to avoid ambiguity mistakes, one of the styles below is preferred.

magnitude parameter can be set to explicitly use certain unit. Allowed values are: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.
min_magnitude parameter can be set to use the specified unit or bigger units. Allowed values are: seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years.
ago parameter can be set to override the default usage of the text "ago". If the parameter is blank but not missing (i.e. {{time ago|2008|ago=}}), then the text "ago" is suppressed altogether. For future dates, setting "ago" as blank but not missing will suppress the text "time" (i.e. "2 years" instead of "2 years' time").

Spelling out numbers

Numbers from 1 to 100 can be spelled out in their equivalent English word by using the spellout parameter. If spellout is set to "yes", "y", "true" or "1", all numbers from 1 to 100 will be spelled out. If spellout is set to "auto", only numbers from 1 to 9 will be spelled out, as per the recommendations at MOS:NUMERAL.

It is also possible to set a custom maximum value for spelling out by using the spelloutmax parameter. For example, setting |spellout=yes and |spelloutmax=24 will result in all numbers less than or equal to 24 being spelled out, and all numbers greater than 24 appearing as numerals.

Numeric output

Add |numeric=y to print the number only (no text).

Purge link

Add the parameter |purge=yes to add a purge link.

Examples

{{Time ago|-83 minutes}} → 83 minutes ago
{{Time ago|-334 minutes}} → 5 hours ago
{{Time ago|+334 minutes}} → 5 hours' time
{{Time ago|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}} → 2 years ago
{{Time ago|Jan 21, 2001 3:45 PM}} → 23 years ago
Wrong: {{Time ago|3:45 pm, 21 Jan 2001}} → Error: first parameter cannot be parsed as a date or time.
{{Time ago|20010121154500}} → 23 years ago
{{Time ago|Nov 6 2008}} → 16 years ago
{{Time ago|Nov 6 2008|magnitude=weeks}} → 841 weeks ago
{{Time ago|Nov 6 2008|min_magnitude=days}} → 16 years ago
{{Time ago|Nov 6 2008|min_magnitude=years}} → 16 years ago
{{Time ago|Nov 6 2008|ago=in the past}} → 16 years in the past
{{Time ago|Nov 6 2008|purge=yes}} → 16 years ago (purge)
{{Time ago|2008-11-06}} → 16 years ago
{{Time ago| June 1, 2009|spellout=yes}} → fifteen years ago
{{Time ago| June 1, 1999|spellout=yes}} → twenty-five years ago
{{Time ago| June 1, 2009|spellout=auto}} → 15 years ago
{{Time ago| June 1, 1999|spellout=auto}} → 25 years ago
{{Time ago| June 1, 1989|spellout=yes|spelloutmax=15}} → 35 years ago
{{Time ago| June 1, 1989|spellout=yes|spelloutmax=25}} → 35 years ago
{{Time ago|195909}} → 2 hours ago
Wrong: {{Time ago|196009}} → Error: first parameter cannot be parsed as a date or time.

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. Click here to see a monthly parameter usage report for this template based on this TemplateData.

TemplateData for Time ago

This template calculates the amount of time which has passed since a provided timestamp.

Template parameters
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Timestamp	`1`	Base timestamp for calculation of passed time. Example format: Nov 6 2008, see template documentation for other supported formats.	String	required
magnitude	`magnitude`	Explicitly sets a specific unit to display return value. Allowed values are: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.	String	optional
min_magnitude	`min_magnitude`	Sets a minimum unit to display return value. Allowed values are: seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years.	String	optional
ago	`ago`	Override the default usage of the text 'ago'. If it is blank but not missing then 'ago' will be removed completely; for future dates, this will remove the text 'time' as well.	String	optional
Purge link	`purge`	Add the parameter purge=yes to add a WP:PURGE link.	String	optional
Spell out numbers	`spellout`	If set to "yes", "y", "true" or "1", numbers from 1 to 100 are spelled out as English words. If set to "auto", numbers from 1 to 9 are spelled out.	Line	optional
Spell out max	`spelloutmax`	The maximum number to be spelled out as an English word.	Number	optional