---
name: "time"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/time"
---

# time(1)

time command execution

## NAME

**time** – time command execution

## SYNOPSIS

**time** \[**-lp**\] *utility* \[*argument* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**time** executes and times *utility*. After the *utility* finishes, **time** writes the total time elapsed, the time consumed by system overhead, and the time used to execute *utility* to the standard error stream. Times are reported in seconds.

The options are as follows:

- **-l**

  The contents of the *rusage* structure are printed.

- **-p**

  The output is formatted as specified by IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (“POSIX.2”).

## FILES

- */usr/include/sys/resource.h*

  ## EXIT STATUS

The **time** utility exits with one of the following values:

- 1-125

  An error occurred in the **time** utility.

- 126

  The *utility* was found but could not be invoked.

- 127

  The *utility* could not be found.

Otherwise, the exit status of **time** shall be that of *utility*.

## SEE ALSO

[csh(1)](/csh/1.md), [ksh(1)](/ksh/1.md), [getrusage(2)](/getrusage/2.md)

## STANDARDS

The **time** utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification.

The flag \[**-l**\] is an extension to that specification.

**time** also exists as a built-in to [csh(1)](/csh/1.md) and [ksh(1)](/ksh/1.md), though with a different syntax.

## HISTORY

A **time** command appeared in Version 3 AT&T UNIX.