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HTTP Header
Date
ResponseContains the date and time at which the message was originated.
HTTP header reference, syntax, examples, and developer usage.
What is the Date header?
The Date HTTP header is used to transmit metadata between a client and server as part of HTTP requests or responses.
HTTP headers define how content should be interpreted, cached, authenticated, secured, or processed by browsers and APIs.
Direction
This is a response header sent by the server to the client.
Syntax
Date: <http-date>
Example
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT
Common use cases
- Timestamping HTTP responses for caching and logging
- Calculating response age in combination with the Age header
- Debugging timing issues in distributed systems
Common mistakes
- Using the header in the wrong request or response context
- Sending invalid header values
- Incorrect header syntax
- Assuming the header automatically changes server behaviour
Practical developer insight
Date is added automatically by most web servers and is rarely set manually. It must be in RFC 7231 HTTP-date format (always GMT). Clients use it together with Age and Cache-Control to determine the freshness of a cached response.