--- title: "nanosecond" slug: "dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-nanosecond" updated: 2026-10-30T18:19:01Z published: 2026-10-30T18:19:01Z canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-nanosecond" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vastdata.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # nanosecond *Applies to VAST Cluster 5.5.* *[Functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-index) › [Date and time functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time) › Parts of a date or time.* Returns the seconds of a timestamp or time of day, including their fraction, as a whole number of nanoseconds from 0 to 59999999999. On an interval, it returns the seconds within the minute of its time part, in nanoseconds. ## Syntax ``` nanosecond(value) ``` | Argument | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `value` | `TIMESTAMP_NS`, `TIMESTAMP` (also `TIMESTAMP_MS`, `TIMESTAMP_S`), `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE`, `TIME`, `TIME WITH TIME ZONE`, `DATE` or `INTERVAL` | The value to take the nanoseconds of. | **Returns:** `BIGINT`. `date_part` and `extract` have no nanosecond part: use `nanosecond`. ## Set up the examples The examples connect with the ADBC driver, as in [VAST Query Engine (ADBC)](/develop/docs/dev-database-integrations-adbc), and work in a schema called `docs_sql_fn_date_time_nanosecond`. Set `QE_ENDPOINT`, `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` and `VASTDB_BUCKET` ([SQL reference](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-index#example-connect-and-use-a-transaction)), and run the blocks in order in one Python session. Below each block is the output you should see. This block connects, defines the `run()` and `plan()` helpers, and creates a table of five events. Each has a date (`d`), a timestamp (`ts`), a time of day (`t`) and a timestamp with nanoseconds (`tns`). Row 4 has no values, and row 5 is the last moment of 1969: ``` import os import re import adbc_driver_manager import adbc_driver_manager.dbapi as dbapi import adbc_driver_vastdb BUCKET = os.environ["VASTDB_BUCKET"] SCHEMA = f'"{BUCKET}/docs_sql_fn_date_time_nanosecond"' conn = dbapi.connect( driver=adbc_driver_vastdb.get_driver_path(), db_kwargs={ "vast.db.endpoint": os.environ["QE_ENDPOINT"], "vast.db.access_key": os.environ["AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"], "vast.db.secret_key": os.environ["AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"], }, autocommit=True, ) def server_message(e): """The server's message in a driver error, without the request ID or the echoed statement.""" text = re.sub(r"\[req=0x[0-9a-f]+\]: ", "", str(e)) found = (re.search(r'message: "(.*?)", request_id', text, re.S) or re.search(r"description: (.*)\)", text, re.S)) message = found.group(1) if found else text.strip().splitlines()[-1] message = re.sub(r"^Plan query: '.*?' failed with: ", "", message, flags=re.S) message = re.split(r"\\n|\n", message)[0].replace('\\"', '"') return message.replace(BUCKET, "") def run(sql): """Run one statement. Print the rows it returns, or the error.""" try: with conn.cursor() as cur: cur.execute(sql) rows = cur.fetchall() if cur.description else [] except (adbc_driver_manager.Error, OSError) as e: print(f"{type(e).__name__}: {server_message(e)}") else: print(rows) def plan(sql): """Print the plan without its ~N Rows lines: the table's row count, which can still be 0 just after an insert.""" with conn.cursor() as cur: cur.execute("EXPLAIN " + sql) steps = cur.fetchall()[0][1] print("\n".join(line for line in steps.splitlines() if "Rows" not in line)) TABLE = f"{SCHEMA}.events" run(f"CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS {SCHEMA}") run(f"CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS {TABLE} (id BIGINT, d DATE, ts TIMESTAMP, t TIME, tns TIMESTAMP_NS)") run(f"INSERT INTO {TABLE} VALUES " "(1, DATE '2026-02-28', TIMESTAMP '2026-02-28 23:15:00', TIME '23:15:00', " "CAST('2026-02-28 23:15:00.123456789' AS TIMESTAMP_NS)), " "(2, DATE '2026-03-01', TIMESTAMP '2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456', TIME '08:30:45.123456', " "CAST('2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456' AS TIMESTAMP_NS)), " "(3, DATE '2024-12-30', TIMESTAMP '2024-12-30 12:00:00', TIME '12:00:00', " "CAST('2024-12-30 12:00:00' AS TIMESTAMP_NS)), " "(4, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL), " "(5, DATE '1969-12-31', TIMESTAMP '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999', TIME '23:59:59.999999', " "CAST('1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999' AS TIMESTAMP_NS))") ``` ``` [] [] [(5,)] ``` ## What it does `nanosecond` returns the seconds part of a timestamp or time of day *including* the whole seconds, in nanoseconds: `nanosecond(TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789')` is `30123456789` (30 seconds and 123456789 nanoseconds). It's the only part function that keeps the nanoseconds of a `TIMESTAMP_NS` value; [microsecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-microsecond) drops them. On a value with less precision, the result ends in zeros: `nanosecond(TIMESTAMP '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456')` is `30123456000`, and `nanosecond(TIMESTAMP_S '2024-02-29 13:45:30')` is `30000000000`. A `DATE` has no time, so its nanosecond is always `0`. Unlike [second](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-second), [millisecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-millisecond) and [microsecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-microsecond), `nanosecond` accepts a `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE` literal: `nanosecond(TIMESTAMPTZ '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456+02')` is `30123456000`. To get only the fraction, take the remainder after dividing by 1000000000: `nanosecond(tns) % 1000000000`. On an `INTERVAL`, `nanosecond` returns the seconds within the minute of its time part, in nanoseconds: | Interval | `nanosecond` | | --- | --- | | `INTERVAL '1 year 2 months 3 days 04:05:06.789'` | `6789000000` | | `INTERVAL '1.5 seconds'` | `1500000000` | | `INTERVAL '25 months 40 days 30 hours'` | `0` | | `INTERVAL '-1 year -2 months -3 days -04:05:06.789'` | `-6789000000` | ## NULLs and edge cases | Input | Result | | --- | --- | | A NULL value (row 4) | `NULL` | | `DATE 'infinity'`, `TIMESTAMP '-infinity'` | `NULL` | | A `DATE` | `0` | | `TIME '00:00:59.999999'` | `59999999000` | | `TIMESTAMP_NS '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999'` | `59999999999` | | `TIMESTAMP_S '2024-02-29 13:45:30'` | `30000000000` | | A time with a time zone: `TIMETZ '13:45:30.123456+02:30'` | `30123456000` | | `TIMESTAMPTZ '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456+02'` | `30123456000` | | An untyped `NULL`: `nanosecond(NULL)` | Error: `Could not choose a best candidate function for the function call "nanosecond("NULL")"` | | A string | Error: `Could not choose a best candidate function`; cast it to `TIME` or a timestamp type first | | A number, boolean, `BLOB` or list | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types`, for example `'nanosecond(INTEGER_LITERAL)'` | The same cases, as the cluster returns them. They use the table and helpers from [Set up the examples](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-nanosecond#set-up-the-examples): ``` run(f"SELECT id, nanosecond(tns), nanosecond(t) FROM {TABLE} WHERE id = 4") run("SELECT nanosecond(DATE 'infinity'), nanosecond(TIMESTAMP '-infinity'), nanosecond(DATE '2026-03-01'), " "nanosecond(TIME '00:00:59.999999'), nanosecond(TIMESTAMP_NS '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999'), " "nanosecond(TIMESTAMP_S '2024-02-29 13:45:30'), nanosecond(TIMETZ '13:45:30.123456+02:30'), " "nanosecond(TIMESTAMPTZ '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456+02')") run("SELECT nanosecond(INTERVAL '1 year 2 months 3 days 04:05:06.789'), nanosecond(INTERVAL '1.5 seconds'), " "nanosecond(INTERVAL '25 months 40 days 30 hours'), " "nanosecond(INTERVAL '-1 year -2 months -3 days -04:05:06.789')") run("SELECT nanosecond(NULL)") run("SELECT nanosecond('13:45:30.123456789')") run("SELECT nanosecond(123)") ``` ``` [(4, None, None)] [(None, None, 0, 59999999000, 59999999999, 30000000000, 30123456000, 30123456000)] [(6789000000, 1500000000, 0, -6789000000)] InternalError: Binder Error: Could not choose a best candidate function for the function call "nanosecond("NULL")". In order to select one, please add explicit type casts. InternalError: Binder Error: Could not choose a best candidate function for the function call "nanosecond(STRING_LITERAL)". In order to select one, please add explicit type casts. InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'nanosecond(INTEGER_LITERAL)'. You might need to add explicit type casts. ``` ## Examples The seconds of each event's nanosecond timestamp in nanoseconds, the fraction alone, and the same for the microsecond timestamp. Row 5 keeps its last nanosecond of 1969: ``` run(f"SELECT id, nanosecond(tns), nanosecond(tns) % 1000000000, nanosecond(ts) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` [(1, 123456789, 123456789, 0), (2, 45123456000, 123456000, 45123456000), (3, 0, 0, 0), (4, None, None, None), (5, 59999999999, 999999999, 59999999000)] ``` Keep only the events whose nanosecond timestamp has digits below a microsecond, which a `TIMESTAMP` column couldn't store: ``` run(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE nanosecond(tns) % 1000 <> 0 ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` [(1,), (5,)] ``` ## How it runs in VAST The Query Engine runs on the cluster's CNodes, and a query on a table starts with a scan in VAST DataBase (`VAST_SCAN`). VAST DataBase can evaluate a comparison of a column with a constant, but not a function of a column, so `nanosecond()` is always computed by the Query Engine: - **In the `SELECT` list,** the scan reads the column and the Query Engine computes `nanosecond()` for each row it returns. - **In `WHERE`,** the scan sends the column for every row, and a `FILTER` step in the Query Engine computes `nanosecond()` and keeps the rows that match. No rows are skipped in storage. The plan of the `WHERE` example shows the `FILTER` step above the scan: ``` plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE nanosecond(tns) % 1000 <> 0") ``` ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ PROJECTION │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ #1 │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ FILTER │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ ((nanosecond(tns) % 1000) │ │ != 0) │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ VAST_SCAN │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ Function: VAST_SCAN │ │ │ │ Projections: │ │ tns │ │ id │ │ │ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` ## Make it faster - **Combine it with a range on the raw column.** In `ts >= TIMESTAMP '2026-02-28 00:00:00' AND ts < TIMESTAMP '2026-03-01 00:00:00' AND nanosecond(tns) % 1000 <> 0`, the range is still evaluated in VAST DataBase, so `nanosecond()` runs only on the rows of that day. The plan's `FILTER` step holds only the `nanosecond()` condition: ``` plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE ts >= TIMESTAMP '2026-02-28 00:00:00' AND ts < TIMESTAMP '2026-03-01 00:00:00' " "AND nanosecond(tns) % 1000 <> 0") ``` ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ PROJECTION │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ #1 │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ FILTER │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ ((nanosecond(tns) % 1000) │ │ != 0) │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ VAST_SCAN │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ Function: VAST_SCAN │ │ │ │ Projections: │ │ tns │ │ id │ │ │ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` - **Store the value if you filter on it often.** Compute it when you write the rows and keep it in its own column: a comparison of that column with a constant is pushed down, `nanosecond(tns) % 1000 <> 0` isn't. ## Limitations and errors - **Not a part name for `date_part` or `extract`.** `date_part('nanosecond', ...)` and `extract(nanosecond FROM ...)` fail with `extract specifier "nanosecond" not recognized`. Call `nanosecond()` instead. - **Nanoseconds only from `TIMESTAMP_NS`.** Other types store at most microseconds, so their result always ends in `000`. ``` run("SELECT date_part('nanosecond', TIMESTAMP '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456')") run(f"SELECT id, nanosecond(tns), nanosecond(ts), microsecond(tns) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` InternalError: Conversion Error: extract specifier "nanosecond" not recognized [(1, 123456789, 0, 123456), (2, 45123456000, 45123456000, 45123456), (3, 0, 0, 0), (4, None, None, None), (5, 59999999999, 59999999000, 0)] ``` ## Similar functions | Function | Returns | Result for `TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789'` (`nanosecond` gives `30123456789`) | | --- | --- | --- | | [second](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-second) | The whole second, 0 to 59 | `30` | | [millisecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-millisecond) | The seconds with their fraction, in milliseconds | `30123` | | [microsecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-microsecond) | The seconds with their fraction, in microseconds | `30123456` | | [strftime](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-strftime) with `'%n'` | The fraction alone, as nine digits of text | `'123456789'` | ``` run("SELECT nanosecond(TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789'), " "second(TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789'), " "millisecond(TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789'), " "microsecond(TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789'), " "strftime(TIMESTAMP_NS '2024-02-29 13:45:30.123456789', '%n')") ``` ``` [(30123456789, 30, 30123, 30123456, '123456789')] ``` Clean up: ``` run(f"DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {TABLE}") run(f"DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS {SCHEMA}") conn.close() ``` ``` [] [] ``` ## See also - [date_part](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-date-part): the other parts of a value, by name. - [Date and time functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time): all the date and time functions. - [Where filters run](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-select#where-filters-run) and [pushdowns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-pushdowns). - [EXPLAIN](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-explain): how to read a plan.