Random Date Generator
Generate random dates within custom date ranges and multiple formats for testing, data generation, and development
Our random date generator helps you generate random dates for application testing, database population, and development needs. Generate-Random.org provides a free date generator that creates random dates with customizable start and end dates. This date picker tool supports 6 date formats including ISO 8601, US format, European format, long format, short format, and Unix timestamps. Generate up to 100 dates at once with configurable date ranges from 1970 to present day. Perfect for test data generation, QA testing, and application development. All dates generated using cryptographically secure random number generation. No signup required, completely free.
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What is a Random Date Generator?
A Random Date Generator creates dates within a specified range for testing, development, and data generation purposes. Our generator uses cryptographically secure algorithms to ensure truly random date selection across your specified time period. Dates can span from January 1, 1970 (Unix epoch) to the present day.
Random dates are essential for populating test databases, QA testing of date-dependent features, generating sample datasets, and validating date range functionality. Our tool supports 6 popular date formats including ISO 8601 (2024-12-25), US format (12/25/2024), European format (25/12/2024), long format (Wednesday, December 25, 2024), short format (Dec 25, 2024), and Unix timestamps. Perfect for test data generation, application testing, and development workflows.
Date Generator Configuration Options
Date Range (Start & End Dates)
Date Format (6 Options)
US Format: Month/day/year format (12/25/2024) common in the United States.
European: Day/month/year format (25/12/2024) used in Europe and many countries.
Long Format: Full written format (Wednesday, December 25, 2024) for documentation.
Short Format: Abbreviated format (Dec 25, 2024) balancing readability and brevity.
Unix Timestamp: Seconds since Jan 1, 1970 for programming and system integration.
Count (1-100 Dates)
How to Generate Random Dates
[STEP 1] Set Date Range
Choose your start date and end date to define the time period. Dates from 1970-01-01 to today are supported.
[STEP 1] Pick Format
Select date format: ISO 8601 for databases, US/European for regional apps, Long/Short for readability, or Unix for programming.
[STEP 1] Set Count
Configure how many dates to generate (1-100) based on your testing or data generation needs.
[STEP 1] Generate & Export
Click generate to create random dates with metadata (day, month, year, timestamp). Export to TXT, CSV, or JSON format.
Common Use Cases for Random Dates
- _ Test Database Population: Fill test databases with realistic date values for user registration dates, transaction dates, and event schedules
- _ QA Testing: Test date range filters, date pickers, calendar widgets, and date-dependent application features
- _ Sample Dataset Generation: Create sample data for demos, prototypes, and proof-of-concept projects with realistic date distributions
- _ Date Validation Testing: Validate date parsing, formatting, and conversion functions with diverse date formats
- _ Historical Data Simulation: Generate dates within specific historical periods for time-series analysis and trend visualization
- _ API Testing: Test API endpoints that accept date parameters with various formats and edge cases
Technical Details: Random Date Generation
Our date generator uses PHP's random_int() function with cryptographically secure random number generation (CSPRNG) to create Unix timestamps within your specified range. Timestamps are then converted to your chosen date format with full timezone support and metadata extraction (day, month, year).
// Random Date Generation Process
Input: start_date, end_date, format, count
1. Convert dates to Unix timestamps:
start_timestamp = strtotime(start_date) // e.g., "1970-01-01" → 0
end_timestamp = strtotime(end_date) // e.g., "2024-12-25" → 1735084800
2. Generate random timestamps using CSPRNG:
for i from 1 to count:
random_timestamp = random_int(start_timestamp, end_timestamp)
// CSPRNG ensures unpredictable, uniform distribution
3. Convert timestamp to date object:
date_obj = new DateTime()
date_obj->setTimestamp(random_timestamp)
4. Format date based on selected format:
ISO 8601: date_obj->format('Y-m-d') → "2024-12-25"
US: date_obj->format('m/d/Y') → "12/25/2024"
EU: date_obj->format('d/m/Y') → "25/12/2024"
Long: date_obj->format('l, F j, Y') → "Wednesday, December 25, 2024"
Short: date_obj->format('M d, Y') → "Dec 25, 2024"
Unix: date_obj->format('U') → "1735084800"
5. Extract metadata:
day_of_week: date_obj->format('l') → "Wednesday"
month: date_obj->format('F') → "December"
year: date_obj->format('Y') → "2024"
iso8601: date_obj->format('Y-m-d') → "2024-12-25"
6. Return dates with complete metadata
Date Range: 1970-01-01 (Unix epoch) to present day
Security: CSPRNG ensures dates are unpredictable
Standards: ISO 8601, Unix timestamps, PHP DateTime
Distribution: Uniform probability across entire date range