Displaying exact datetimes on Ghost

200426

If your Ghost CMS blog using Handlebars theme shows published dates in relative time (like Published 11 months ago), you will find a handlebars code like this in your theme file.

Show exact date

The date published_at timeago="true" is responsible for the relative time. Change it to this.

This will give something like September 7, 2000.

Show exact time

You can use [moment.js](https://momentjs.com/) syntax for fine-tuning the details.

hbs

<!-- 2000 September 07 9:00:00 PM --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MMMM DD hh:mm:ss A"}}</time>
<!-- 2000 09 07 9:00 PM --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MM DD hh:mm A"}}</time>
<!-- 2000 09 07 21:00 --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MM DD hh:mm"}}</time>

For months, use MM for short notations (like 09) and MMMM for more extended notations (like September.) The basic syntax is for hours, minutes, seconds, and AM/PM if you want to display time. For example, I am using the following.

Show exact date

The date published_at timeago="true" is responsible for the relative time. Change it to this.

hbs

<time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD"}}">  {{date published_at format="MMMM DD, YYYY"}}</time>

<time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD"}}">  {{date published_at format="MMMM DD, YYYY"}}</time>

This will give something like September 7, 2000.

Show exact time

You can use [moment.js](https://momentjs.com/) syntax for fine-tuning the details.

hbs

<!-- 2000 September 07 9:00:00 PM --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MMMM DD hh:mm:ss A"}}</time>
<!-- 2000 09 07 9:00 PM --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MM DD hh:mm A"}}</time>
<!-- 2000 09 07 21:00 --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MM DD hh:mm"}}</time>

<!-- 2000 September 07 9:00:00 PM --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MMMM DD hh:mm:ss A"}}</time>
<!-- 2000 09 07 9:00 PM --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MM DD hh:mm A"}}</time>
<!-- 2000 09 07 21:00 --><time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY MM DD hh:mm"}}</time>

hbs

<time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD h:mm A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY/MM/DD h:mm A"}}</time>

<time datetime="{{date format="YYYY-MM-DD h:mm A"}}">  {{date published_at format="YYYY/MM/DD h:mm A"}}</time>

Displaying exact datetimes on Ghost

Show exact date

Show exact time

Further Readings

Displaying exact datetimes on Ghost

Show exact date

Show exact time

Further Readings