- Definition
- A standardized representation of time
How does it work?
Th world has 24 time zones. Each of these zones has a different local time. Some countries use Daylight Savings Time, while others don't. UTC is a means of storing time in a standardized way. Storing all time values in a standard way resolves allows these values to be compared in a simple way.
An example:
1997-07-16T19:20:30.45+01:00
When local time is used, it's always important to realize that it belongs to a specific locale (with its time zone and dst).
When should you use it?
When your application spans multiple time zones, or even just multiple countries, and knowing the exact time of events is relevant.