date.valueOf

The valueOf() method returns the primitive value of a Date object.

Syntax

dateObj.valueOf()

Return value

The number of milliseconds between 1 January 1970 00:00:00 UTC and the given date.

Description

The valueOf() method returns the primitive value of a Date object as a number data type, the number of milliseconds since midnight 01 January, 1970 UTC.

This method is functionally equivalent to the Date.prototype.getTime() method.

This method is usually called internally by JavaScript and not explicitly in code.

Examples

Using valueOf()

var x = new Date(56, 6, 17);
var myVar = x.valueOf();      // assigns -424713600000 to myVar

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
ECMAScript 1st Edition (ECMA-262)	Standard	Initial definition. Implemented in JavaScript 1.1.
ECMAScript 5.1 (ECMA-262) The definition of 'Date.prototype.valueOf' in that specification.	Standard
ECMAScript 2015 (6th Edition, ECMA-262) The definition of 'Date.prototype.valueOf' in that specification.	Standard
ECMAScript 2017 Draft (ECMA-262) The definition of 'Date.prototype.valueOf' in that specification.	Draft

Browser compatibility

See also

• Object.prototype.valueOf()
• Date.prototype.getTime()