Node.js fs.utimes() Method

Last Updated : 08 Oct, 2021

The fs.utimes() method is used to asynchronously change the modification and access timestamps of a file. The timestamps can be specified using a number, string, or Date object. An error would be thrown if the timestamp cannot be converted to a proper number, or is NaN, Infinity or -Infinity.

Syntax:

fs.utimes( path, atime, mtime, callback )

Parameters: This method accepts four parameters as mentioned above and described below:

path: It is a string that denotes the path of the file whose timestamps have to be changed.
atime: It is number, string or Date object that denotes the new access timestamp to be set.
mtime: It is number, string or Date object that denotes the new modification timestamp to be set.
callback: It is a function that would be called when the method is executed.
- err: It is an error that would be thrown if the method fails.

Below examples illustrate the fs.utimes() method in Node.js:

Example 1:

// Node.js program to demonstrate the 
// fs.utimes() method 
  
// Import the filesystem module 
const fs = require('fs'); 
  
console.log("Details before changing time:"); 
  
// Get the stats object of the file 
prevStats = fs.statSync("example_file.txt"); 
  
// Access the modified and access time of the file 
console.log("Modification Time:", prevStats.mtime); 
console.log("Access Time:", prevStats.atime); 
  
// Get the current time to change the timestamps 
let newModifiedTime = new Date(); 
let newAccessTime = new Date(); 
  
// Use the utimes() function to assign 
// the new timestamps 
fs.utimes( 
  "example_file.txt", 
  newAccessTime, 
  newModifiedTime, 
  () => { 
    // Get the stats object of the file 
    console.log("\nDetails after changing time:"); 
  
    // Get the stats object of the file 
    changedStats = fs.statSync("example_file.txt"); 
  
    // Access the changed modified and 
    // access time of the file 
    console.log("Changed Modification Time:", 
                         changedStats.mtime); 
  
    console.log("Changed Access Time:",  
                        changedStats.atime); 
  } 
); 

Output:

Details before changing time:
Modification Time: 2017-01-24T23:41:00.000Z
Access Time: 2018-02-26T00:05:00.000Z

Details after changing time:
Changed Modification Time: 2020-05-25T15:31:08.257Z
Changed Access Time: 2020-05-25T15:31:08.257Z

Example 2:

// Node.js program to demonstrate the 
// fs.utimes() method 
  
// Import the filesystem module 
const fs = require('fs'); 
  
console.log("Details before changing time:"); 
  
// Get the stats object of the file 
prevStats = fs.statSync("example_file.txt"); 
  
// Access the modified and access time of the file 
console.log("Modification Time:", prevStats.mtime); 
console.log("Access Time:", prevStats.atime); 
  
// Get the current time to change the timestamps 
let newModifiedTime = new Date("January 25, 2017 05:11:00"); 
let newAccessTime = new Date("February 26, 2018 05:35:00"); 
  
// Use the utimes() function to assign 
// the new timestamps 
fs.utimes("example_file.txt", newAccessTime, 
                       newModifiedTime, () => { 
  
  // Get the stats object of the file 
  console.log("\nDetails after changing time:"); 
  
  // Get the stats object of the file 
  changedStats = fs.statSync("example_file.txt"); 
  
  // Access the changed modified and 
  // access time of the file 
  console.log("Changed Modification Time:", 
                        changedStats.mtime); 
  console.log("Changed Access Time:", 
                        changedStats.atime); 
}); 

Output:

Details before changing time:
Modification Time: 2015-12-20T19:42:00.000Z
Access Time: 2020-05-25T15:19:24.250Z

Details after changing time:
Changed Modification Time: 2017-01-24T23:41:00.000Z
Changed Access Time: 2018-02-26T00:05:00.000Z

Reference: https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_utimes_path_atime_mtime_callback