---
name: localtime
status: documented
runtime: pp
source: src/runtime/pp/time.rs
---
```{index} single: localtime; Perl built-in (pp runtime)
```

# localtime

## Synopsis

```perl
my ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst)
    = localtime($time);
my ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst)
    = localtime();           # uses current time
my $str = localtime($time);  # "Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970"
```

## Description

Converts a Unix timestamp to the local time zone, returning either
a 9-element list or a human-readable string depending on context.

If called without an argument (or with `undef`), uses the current
time.  In **list context**, returns a 9-element list:

| Index | Field    | Range               |
|-------|----------|---------------------|
| 0     | `$sec`   | 0-60 (60 = leap)    |
| 1     | `$min`   | 0-59                |
| 2     | `$hour`  | 0-23                |
| 3     | `$mday`  | 1-31                |
| 4     | `$mon`   | 0-11 (Jan = 0)      |
| 5     | `$year`  | years since 1900    |
| 6     | `$wday`  | 0-6 (Sun = 0)       |
| 7     | `$yday`  | 0-365               |
| 8     | `$isdst` | DST flag (-1, 0, 1) |

In **scalar context**, returns a ctime-style string like
`"Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970"`.

Uses `libc::localtime_r` for accurate timezone/DST handling.

## See also

gmtime, time, POSIX::strftime, POSIX::mktime