net.openhft.chronicle.core.time

Interface TimeProvider

All Known Implementing Classes:

PosixTimeProvider, SetTimeProvider, SystemTimeProvider, UniqueMicroTimeProvider

Functional Interface:

This is a functional interface and can therefore be used as the assignment target for a lambda expression or method reference.

@FunctionalInterface
public interface TimeProvider

Defines an interface for providing high-resolution wall-clock timestamps.

This interface specifies methods to retrieve the current time with varying degrees of precision, namely in milliseconds, microseconds, and nanoseconds. Implementations of this interface are expected to provide time values with the highest accuracy and precision feasible. Key implementations include PosixTimeProvider and SystemTimeProvider. The PosixTimeProvider is often preferred for its enhanced speed, accuracy, and stability, though it relies on native code and thus may have platform-specific dependencies.

This interface is crucial in contexts where precise time measurements are vital, such as in performance monitoring, timestamping events, or handling time-sensitive operations.

See Also:

PosixTimeProvider, SystemTimeProvider

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
default long	currentTimeMicros() Retrieves the current time in microseconds.
long	currentTimeMillis() Retrieves the current time in milliseconds.
default long	currentTimeNanos() Retrieves the current time in nanoseconds.

Method Detail

currentTimeMillis

long currentTimeMillis()

Retrieves the current time in milliseconds.

This method returns the current time with millisecond precision, measured from the Unix epoch (00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970). It is expected to be implemented by all subclasses, providing the baseline precision for time measurements.

Returns:

the current time in milliseconds since the Unix epoch

currentTimeMicros

default long currentTimeMicros()
                        throws IllegalStateException

Retrieves the current time in microseconds.

This default implementation offers microsecond precision by scaling the millisecond value from currentTimeMillis() by a factor of 1000. Implementations may override this for higher accuracy if available.

Returns:

The current time in microseconds since the Unix epoch.

Throws:

IllegalStateException - if the time value cannot be accurately determined or converted.

currentTimeNanos

default long currentTimeNanos()
                       throws IllegalStateException

Retrieves the current time in nanoseconds.

This default method provides nanosecond precision by further scaling the microsecond value from currentTimeMicros() by 1000. Implementations may provide more precise or direct measurements if their underlying system supports it.

Returns:

The current time in nanoseconds since the Unix epoch.

Throws:

IllegalStateException - if the time value cannot be accurately determined or converted.