Ansible strftime Filter: Format Dates and Timestamps in Playbooks

What Is the strftime Filter?

The strftime filter formats Unix timestamps into human-readable date strings using Python's strftime directives. It's essential for creating timestamped backups, log entries, and dynamic filenames.

See also: ansible_date_time: Format Dates, Time & Timestamps in Playbooks

Basic Usage

---
- name: Format dates with strftime
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Current date formatted
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: "{{ '%Y-%m-%d' | strftime }}"
      # Output: 2026-04-25
- name: Current date and time
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: "{{ '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' | strftime }}"
      # Output: 2026-04-25 14:30:45
- name: Format a specific timestamp
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: "{{ '%B %d, %Y' | strftime(1745590245) }}"
      # Output: April 25, 2026

Common Format Directives

| Directive | Meaning | Example | |-----------|---------|---------| | %Y | 4-digit year | 2026 | | %m | Month (01-12) | 04 | | %d | Day (01-31) | 25 | | %H | Hour 24h (00-23) | 14 | | %M | Minute (00-59) | 30 | | %S | Second (00-59) | 45 | | %A | Weekday name | Friday | | %B | Month name | April | | %b | Month abbreviation | Apr | | %I | Hour 12h (01-12) | 02 | | %p | AM/PM | PM | | %Z | Timezone name | UTC | | %j | Day of year (001-366) | 115 | | %U | Week number (00-53) | 16 |

See also: ansible_date_time: Use Date, Time & Timestamps in Ansible Playbooks

Practical Examples

Timestamped Backup Filenames

- name: Create timestamped backup
  ansible.builtin.copy:
    src: /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
    dest: "/backup/nginx.conf.{{ '%Y%m%d_%H%M%S' | strftime }}"
    remote_src: true

Log Entries with Timestamps

- name: Write timestamped log entry
  ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
    path: /var/log/ansible-deploy.log
    line: "[{{ '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' | strftime }}] Deployment completed by {{ ansible_user }}"
    create: true

Archive with Date

- name: Create dated archive
  ansible.builtin.archive:
    path: /var/www/html
    dest: "/backup/website-{{ '%Y%m%d' | strftime }}.tar.gz"
    format: gz

Using ansible_date_time Facts

The ansible_date_time fact provides pre-formatted date/time values:

- name: Show ansible_date_time facts
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg:
      - "Date: {{ ansible_date_time.date }}"          # 2026-04-25
      - "Time: {{ ansible_date_time.time }}"           # 14:30:45
      - "ISO8601: {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}"     # 2026-04-25T14:30:45Z
      - "Epoch: {{ ansible_date_time.epoch }}"          # 1745590245
      - "Weekday: {{ ansible_date_time.weekday }}"      # Friday
      - "Day: {{ ansible_date_time.day }}"              # 25
      - "Month: {{ ansible_date_time.month }}"          # 04
      - "Year: {{ ansible_date_time.year }}"            # 2026

Format ansible_date_time.epoch

- name: Custom format from epoch
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "{{ '%A, %B %d %Y at %I:%M %p' | strftime(ansible_date_time.epoch) }}"
  # Output: Friday, April 25 2026 at 02:30 PM

Calculate Future/Past Dates

- name: Date 7 days from now
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "{{ '%Y-%m-%d' | strftime(ansible_date_time.epoch | int + 604800) }}"
  # 604800 = 7 days in seconds
- name: Date 30 days ago
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "{{ '%Y-%m-%d' | strftime(ansible_date_time.epoch | int - 2592000) }}"

Conditional Based on Time

- name: Run only during business hours
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "Running during business hours"
  when: ansible_date_time.hour | int >= 9 and ansible_date_time.hour | int < 17
- name: Run only on weekdays
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "Running on weekday"
  when: ansible_date_time.weekday not in ['Saturday', 'Sunday']

Ansible now() Function

Since Ansible 2.8, you can use now() for the current time:

- name: Using now() function
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg:
      - "{{ now(utc=true).strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S UTC') }}"
      - "{{ now().isoformat() }}"

FAQ

What is the difference between strftime and ansible_date_time?

strftime is a filter that formats timestamps with custom patterns. ansible_date_time is a fact gathered at playbook start containing pre-formatted date/time values. Use ansible_date_time for common formats and strftime for custom patterns.

How do I convert a date string to epoch in Ansible?

Use the to_datetime filter: {{ '2026-04-25' | to_datetime('%Y-%m-%d') }}. To get epoch seconds, chain with strftime: {{ ('2026-04-25' | to_datetime('%Y-%m-%d')).strftime('%s') }}.

Why does ansible_date_time show the wrong timezone?

ansible_date_time uses the target host's timezone. Set the TZ environment variable or use now(utc=true) for UTC. For a specific timezone, configure it on the target host with timedatectl set-timezone.

See also: Mastering Time in Ansible: An Introduction to the now() Function

Related Articles

• ansible_date_time Facts Guide • Ansible Jinja2 Filters • Ansible set_fact Module • Ansible Template Module