timeval(3type)

✨ timeval — bestie's guide to time in seconds and microseconds ✨

okay so you're here because you met timeval and you're like "what is this little struct doing in my life" — don't worry, I got you. this is timeval(3type), a type page from the man pages, and honestly? she's an icon. let's go 💖

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🌸 NAME 🌸

timeval — time, but make it seconds and microseconds 💅

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🎀 LIBRARY 🎀

Standard C library (libc) — the classic, the blueprint, the main character 🫶

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <sys/time.h>

struct timeval {
    time_t       tv_sec;   /* Seconds */
    suseconds_t  tv_usec;  /* Microseconds */
};

like. look at her. two fields, zero drama, maximum usefulness 💜

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

She describes times in seconds and microseconds. that's it. that's the whole vibe. tv_sec holds your seconds, tv_usec holds your microseconds, and together they're giving extremely precise time energy ⏱️✨

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📜 STANDARDS 📜

POSIX.1-2024. — yes bestie, she's standardized, she's official, she's certified 👑

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🦋 HISTORY 🦋

SUSv1, POSIX.1-2001. — she's been around. she's seen things. lowkey a legend at this point 🌈

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📝 NOTES 📝

heads up, these other headers also hand you this type, no cap:

• <sys/resource.h>
• <sys/select.h>
• <utmpx.h>

so if you're already including one of those, surprise, you got timeval for free 🎁

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👀 SEE ALSO 👀

• gettimeofday(2)
• select(2)
• utimes(2)
• adjtime(3)
• futimes(3)
• timeradd(3)
• suseconds_t(3type)
• time_t(3type)
• timespec(3type)

go read them, they're all part of the same little friend group 🫶

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fr fr: this is the Linux man-pages version 6.20, dated 2026-02-08. go off bestie, you understood the whole page, periodt 💅✨🎀