developer-tools command-line-tools datetime-processing open-source-software

Bttf is a command line datetime Swiss army knife

GitHub - BurntSushi/bttf: A command line tool for datetime arithmetic, parsing, formatting and more.

github.com

May 28, 2026

7 min read

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56/100

Summary

bttf is a command line tool for datetime arithmetic, parsing, formatting, and more. It is dual-licensed under MIT or the UNLICENSE and provides a user guide for understanding its features and functionalities.

Key Takeaways

bttf is a command line tool for datetime arithmetic, parsing, and formatting, available under MIT or UNLICENSE.
Users can print the current time, format it in various styles, and perform datetime calculations such as adding durations or finding relative times.
bttf allows for timezone conversions and can round times to specific increments, such as 15 minutes.
The tool can generate sequences of dates based on specific criteria, such as weekdays or monthly occurrences.

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Coverage & discussions

Hacker News · github.com

Bttf is a command line datetime Swiss army knife ↗

Community discussions

Hacker News discussion ↗

Historical count: 5 · 5 saved in sample · Historical sample

Analysis ready

Community Sentiment

Positive

Positives

Bttf offers a unique solution for datetime manipulation on the command line, showcasing its versatility in handling complex use cases.
The author shared a compelling example of Bttf's capabilities, highlighting its potential to simplify tasks that are otherwise cumbersome.
Community members appreciate the tool's functionality, with comments expressing excitement about its practical applications in daily workflows.
The tool's design encourages exploration of command line possibilities, helping users enhance their proficiency and productivity.

Concerns

There are concerns about the default locale settings not being user-friendly, which could hinder accessibility for some users.
Some users expressed frustration with the name collision between Bttf and the traditional 'biff' command, which could lead to confusion.