How Can I Convert Timestamps to 'Time Ago' Strings in PHP?

Converting Timestamp to Time Ago String in PHP

Converting timestamps to relative time strings can be useful for displaying information in a more user-friendly format. In PHP, there are several functions and approaches you can use to achieve this.

One popular approach involves using the strtotime() function to convert a string representation of a timestamp into its Unix timestamp format (the number of seconds since the Unix epoch, January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC). You can then use functions like gmdate() or date() to format the Unix timestamp, which can be beneficial if your timestamp is in an unconventional format.

Alternatively, you can use the DateTime() class to convert a timestamp or date string into a PHP DateTime object. The DateTime class provides various methods for manipulating and formatting dates and times. By comparing the DateTime object representing the timestamp with the current time, you can calculate the elapsed time and construct a relative time string.

Here's an example function that uses the DateTime class to convert a timestamp to a time ago string:

function time_elapsed_string($datetime, $full = false) {
    $now = new DateTime;
    $ago = new DateTime($datetime);
    $diff = $now->diff($ago);

    $diff->w = floor($diff->d / 7);
    $diff->d -= $diff->w * 7;

    $string = array(
        'y' => 'year',
        'm' => 'month',
        'w' => 'week',
        'd' => 'day',
        'h' => 'hour',
        'i' => 'minute',
        's' => 'second',
    );
    foreach ($string as $k => &$v) {
        if ($diff->$k) {
            $v = $diff->$k . ' ' . $v . ($diff->$k > 1 ? 's' : '');
        } else {
            unset($string[$k]);
        }
    }

    if (!$full) $string = array_slice($string, 0, 1);
    return $string ? implode(', ', $string) . ' ago' : 'just now';
}

This function takes a timestamp or date string as an argument and returns a relative time string. By setting the $full argument to true, you can get a more detailed string that includes all relevant time units. Otherwise, it will only include the largest relevant time unit.

Example usage:

echo time_elapsed_string('2013-05-01 00:22:35');
echo time_elapsed_string('@1367367755'); # timestamp input
echo time_elapsed_string('2013-05-01 00:22:35', true);

Output:

4 months ago
4 months ago
4 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 1 hour, 49 minutes, 15 seconds ago

This function provides a simple and customizable way to convert timestamps into relative time strings in PHP. You can use it to display time-sensitive information in a clear and concise manner for your users.

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