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Packer HCL2 RFC 3339 and Unix timestamp parsing functions

Introduced 2026-07-24 · score 0.96

HOW TO USE IT

When a Packer HCL2 template needs to parse a timestamp, choose the function for the input format. Use `rfc3339_parse(<RFC3339 timestamp>)` for RFC 3339 input; use `unix_timestamp_parse(<RFC3339 timestamp or Unix epoch integer>)` for either format.

locals { parsed = rfc3339_parse("<RFC3339 timestamp>") }
locals { parsed = unix_timestamp_parse(<RFC3339 timestamp or Unix epoch integer>) }

WHY THIS HELPS

When a Packer template needs to parse a timestamp, use the HCL2 timestamp parsing function that matches the input format.

REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS

  • Version: v1.16.0
  • rfc3339_parse(timestamp) (required): Takes an RFC 3339 timestamp string; returns date fields and a `unix` attribute.
  • unix_timestamp_parse(timestamp) (required): The v1.16.0 release note says it accepts an RFC 3339 timestamp or Unix epoch integer. Returns date fields and an RFC 3339 representation, per the implementation PR.
  • Both functions accept RFC 3339 timestamps; `unix_timestamp_parse` additionally accepts Unix epoch integers.
  • Docs conflict: The implementation PR describes `unix_timestamp_parse(unix_timestamp number)` as taking an epoch integer; the v1.16.0 release note says it also accepts RFC 3339 timestamps. Follow the release note's broader input support.

FIRST-PARTY EVIDENCE

Check the installed version and the source before using it. Entry JSON

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