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pinkpixel-dev

DateTime MCP Server

by pinkpixel-dev
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JavaScript
Remote

Date & Time MCP Server

A powerful MCP server that provides LLMs with current date and time context with comprehensive timezone support. Get the current time in any timezone, with configurable defaults and intelligent fallbacks.

This is a TypeScript-based MCP server built with the Model Context Protocol that demonstrates timezone-aware datetime functionality.

Features

Tools

  • get_current_datetime: Returns the current date and time with full timezone support

    • Optional timezone parameter: Specify any IANA timezone (e.g., America/New_York, Europe/London, Asia/Tokyo)

    • Configurable defaults: Set server default timezone via environment variables

    • Smart fallbacks: Automatically falls back to UTC if no timezone is configured

    • Robust validation: Validates timezone identifiers and provides helpful error messages

    • ISO-compatible format: Returns properly formatted datetime strings with timezone information

Related MCP server: Time MCP Server

Installation

There are two ways to install and configure this MCP server:

Installing via Smithery

To install datetime-mcp for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @pinkpixel-dev/datetime-mcp --client claude

1. Installation from NPM (Recommended)

Install the package globally using npm:

npm install -g @pinkpixel/datetime-mcp

Then, add the following configuration to your MCP client's settings file.

Basic Configuration (Uses UTC)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "datetime": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pinkpixel/datetime-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Configuration with Default Timezone

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "datetime": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pinkpixel/datetime-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TZ": "America/New_York"
      }
    }
  }
}

2. Local Development Setup

If you want to run the server directly from a cloned repository for development or testing:

  1. Clone the repository:

    # git clone https://github.com/pinkpixel/datetime-mcp.git
cd datetime-mcp

  2. Install dependencies:

    npm install

  3. Build the server:

    npm run build

  4. Add the following configuration to your MCP client's settings file, making sure to replace /path/to/datetime-mcp with the actual absolute path to where you cloned the repository:

    Basic Local Configuration

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "datetime-local": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/datetime-mcp/build/index.js"],
    }
  }
}

    Local Configuration with Timezone

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "datetime-local": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/datetime-mcp/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "TZ": "Europe/London"
      }
    }
  }
}

(Restart your MCP client application after updating the settings)

🌍 Timezone Configuration Examples

Common Timezone Identifiers

United States

"TZ": "America/New_York"      // Eastern Time (EST/EDT)
"TZ": "America/Chicago"       // Central Time (CST/CDT)
"TZ": "America/Denver"        // Mountain Time (MST/MDT)
"TZ": "America/Los_Angeles"   // Pacific Time (PST/PDT)
"TZ": "America/Phoenix"       // Arizona (no DST)
"TZ": "America/Anchorage"     // Alaska Time
"TZ": "America/Honolulu"      // Hawaii Time

Europe

"TZ": "Europe/London"         // GMT/BST (Greenwich Mean Time)
"TZ": "Europe/Paris"          // CET/CEST (Central European Time)
"TZ": "Europe/Berlin"         // CET/CEST
"TZ": "Europe/Rome"           // CET/CEST
"TZ": "Europe/Madrid"         // CET/CEST
"TZ": "Europe/Amsterdam"      // CET/CEST
"TZ": "Europe/Stockholm"      // CET/CEST
"TZ": "Europe/Moscow"         // MSK (Moscow Time)

Asia

"TZ": "Asia/Tokyo"            // JST (Japan Standard Time)
"TZ": "Asia/Shanghai"         // CST (China Standard Time)
"TZ": "Asia/Seoul"            // KST (Korea Standard Time)
"TZ": "Asia/Kolkata"          // IST (India Standard Time)
"TZ": "Asia/Dubai"            // GST (Gulf Standard Time)
"TZ": "Asia/Singapore"        // SGT (Singapore Time)
"TZ": "Asia/Bangkok"          // ICT (Indochina Time)

Other Regions

"TZ": "Australia/Sydney"      // AEST/AEDT (Australian Eastern)
"TZ": "Australia/Melbourne"   // AEST/AEDT
"TZ": "Australia/Perth"       // AWST (Australian Western)
"TZ": "Pacific/Auckland"      // NZST/NZDT (New Zealand)
"TZ": "Africa/Cairo"          // EET (Eastern European Time)
"TZ": "America/Sao_Paulo"     // BRT (Brazil Time)
"TZ": "UTC"                   // Coordinated Universal Time

Usage Examples

Tool Usage Without Timezone Parameter

User: What time is it?
Assistant: (calls get_current_datetime with no parameters)
Response: "The current date and time is: 2025-09-06T19:30:00.000-04:00 (America/New_York)"

Tool Usage With Timezone Parameter

User: What time is it in Tokyo?
Assistant: (calls get_current_datetime with timezone: "Asia/Tokyo")
Response: "The current date and time in Asia/Tokyo is: 2025-09-07T08:30:00.000+09:00"

Multiple Timezone Queries

User: What time is it in London and Los Angeles?
Assistant: 
- London: (calls with timezone: "Europe/London")
- Los Angeles: (calls with timezone: "America/Los_Angeles")

2. Local Development Setup

Since MCP servers communicate over stdio, debugging can be challenging. We recommend using the MCP Inspector, which is available as a package script:

npm run inspector

The Inspector will provide a URL to access debugging tools in your browser.

License 📄

Apache 2.0 License - Copyright (c) 2025 Pink Pixel

Available Tools

1 tool
get_current_datetimeA

Get the current server date and time. Optionally specify a timezone (e.g., 'America/New_York', 'Europe/London', 'Asia/Tokyo'). Defaults to server's configured timezone or UTC.

ParametersJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
timezoneNoOptional timezone identifier (e.g., 'America/New_York', 'Europe/London', 'Asia/Tokyo'). If not provided, uses the server's default timezone or UTC.

TDQS

A4/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden. It discloses that the tool returns current datetime and defaults to server/UTC timezone, but lacks details on response format, precision, or error handling. It adds basic behavioral context but misses richer operational traits.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the core purpose, followed by an efficient explanation of the optional parameter. Both sentences are necessary and contribute directly to understanding, with zero wasted words.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple tool with one optional parameter and no output schema, the description adequately covers purpose and usage. However, without annotations or output details, it lacks information on return format (e.g., ISO string, object) and error cases, leaving minor gaps.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema fully documents the single optional parameter. The description adds minimal value by restating the timezone examples and default behavior already in the schema, meeting the baseline for high coverage.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the specific action ('Get') and resource ('current server date and time'), with no siblings to differentiate from. It precisely defines what the tool does without being vague or tautological.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides clear context for when to use the optional timezone parameter, but since there are no sibling tools, it cannot specify alternatives or exclusions. It effectively guides usage within its isolated scope.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. 1 tool update
    • First observedget_current_datetime
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TDQS

A3.9/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

With only one tool, there is no possibility of ambiguity or overlap between tools. The tool's purpose is clearly defined as retrieving the current date and time, with no other tools to confuse it with.

Naming Consistency5/5

The single tool name 'get_current_datetime' follows a clear verb_noun pattern (get + current_datetime). Since there is only one tool, consistency is inherently perfect with no deviations to assess.

Tool Count2/5

One tool is too few for a server named 'DateTime MCP Server', which suggests a broader scope for date and time operations. A single tool for getting the current datetime feels thin, lacking basic operations like formatting, parsing, timezone conversion, or date arithmetic that would be expected in this domain.

Completeness2/5

The tool surface is severely incomplete for a date/time server. It only provides current datetime retrieval, missing essential operations such as date formatting, parsing strings into dates, calculating differences, adding/subtracting time, or handling timezone conversions beyond the optional parameter in the single tool.

Maintenance

ActivitySlowing
ResponsivenessSyncing

Resources

Related MCP Connectors

Related MCP Servers

  • Time MCP Server

    asaficontact
    A
    license
    B
    quality
    D
    maintenance
    Provides current time information and timezone conversion capabilities using IANA timezone names. Enables LLMs to get current time in any timezone and convert times between different timezones with automatic system timezone detection.
    2
    MIT

  • Time MCP Server

    fisher1006
    A
    license
    B
    quality
    D
    maintenance
    Provides current time information and timezone conversion capabilities using IANA timezone names with automatic system detection. It enables LLMs to fetch local or global times and convert specific timestamps between different regions.
    2
    2
    MIT

  • Time MCP Server

    CarterPape
    A
    license
    Not graded
    quality
    D
    maintenance
    Provides current time information and timezone conversion capabilities using IANA timezone names and automatic system detection. It enables LLMs to fetch current times across different regions and convert specific times between timezones.
    MIT

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