> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/gettickcount.md).

# GetTickCount

Returns the current value of an internal timer.

The unit argument controls the time unit returned.

## Method Signature

```
GetTickCount(unit=[string])
```

### Arguments

| Argument | Type     | Required | Description                                                               | Default |
| -------- | -------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `unit`   | `string` | `false`  | The time unit to return. Valid values are: nano, milli (default), second. | `milli` |

## Examples

### Script Syntax

Outputs the current value of the internal millisecond timer

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJwrL8osSfUvLSkoLdFQSE8tCclMznbOL80r0dBU0LTmAgC%2FpQq4)

```java
writeOutput( getTickCount() );

```

### A simple timer

Outputs the millisecond difference between a starting point and end point

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJwrLkksKlGwVUhPLQnJTM52zi%2FNK9HQtOYqzklNLdBQMDQwMFAAcsuLMktS%2FUtLCkpLNNDUKugqFIMNASoDAPpmGRg%3D)

```java
start = getTickCount();
sleep( 1000 );
writeOutput( getTickCount() - start );

```

Result: 1000 (note: may be off by a few ms depending on the environment)

### Additional Examples

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJwrL8osSXUpzS3QUMhJTErNsVVKTy0JyUzOds4vzStR0MjNzMnJ1E9JTUsszSnRVNJRKEssskVWoqGpoGnNVY5hTF5iXj425QoQGQUc2opTk%2FPzUrBrhMpBtAIAPes99g%3D%3D)

```java
writeDump( label="getTickCount (milli/default)", var=getTickCount() );
writeDump( label="nano", var=getTickCount( "nano" ) );
writeDump( label="second", var=getTickCount( "second" ) );

```

## Related

* [ApplicationRestart](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/applicationrestart.md)
* [ApplicationStartTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/applicationstarttime.md)
* [ApplicationStop](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/applicationstop.md)
* [BoxAnnounce](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxannounce.md)
* [BoxAnnounceAsync](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxannounceasync.md)
* [BoxAST](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxast.md)
* [BoxModuleReload](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxmodulereload.md)
* [BoxRegisterInterceptionPoints](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxregisterinterceptionpoints.md)
* [BoxRegisterInterceptor](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxregisterinterceptor.md)
* [BoxRegisterRequestInterceptor](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxregisterrequestinterceptor.md)
* [BoxUnregisterInterceptor](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxunregisterinterceptor.md)
* [BoxUnregisterRequestInterceptor](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/boxunregisterrequestinterceptor.md)
* [CallStackGet](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/callstackget.md)
* [CreateGUID](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/createguid.md)
* [CreateObject](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/createobject.md)
* [CreateUUID](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/createuuid.md)
* [DE](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/de.md)
* [DebugBoxContexts](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/debugboxcontexts.md)
* [Dump](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/dump.md)
* [Duplicate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/duplicate.md)
* [echo](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/echo.md)
* [EncodeForHTML](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/encodeforhtml.md)
* [GetApplicationMetadata](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getapplicationmetadata.md)
* [GetBaseTagData](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getbasetagdata.md)
* [GetBaseTagList](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getbasetaglist.md)
* [GetBaseTemplatePath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getbasetemplatepath.md)
* [GetBoxContext](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getboxcontext.md)
* [GetBoxRuntime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getboxruntime.md)
* [GetBoxVersionInfo](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getboxversioninfo.md)
* [GetClassMetadata](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getclassmetadata.md)
* [GetComponentList](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getcomponentlist.md)
* [GetContextRoot](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getcontextroot.md)
* [GetCurrentTemplatePath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getcurrenttemplatepath.md)
* [GetFileFromPath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getfilefrompath.md)
* [GetFunctionCalledName](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getfunctioncalledname.md)
* [GetFunctionList](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getfunctionlist.md)
* [GetModuleInfo](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getmoduleinfo.md)
* [GetModuleList](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getmodulelist.md)
* [GetModuleTree](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getmoduletree.md)
* [GetRequestClassLoader](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getrequestclassloader.md)
* [GetSemver](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getsemver.md)
* [GetSystemSetting](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/getsystemsetting.md)
* [GetTempDirectory](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/gettempdirectory.md)
* [htmlEditFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/htmleditformat.md)
* [IIF](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/iif.md)
* [Invoke](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/invoke.md)
* [IsInstanceOf](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/isinstanceof.md)
* [JavaCast](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/javacast.md)
* [ObjectDeserialize](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/objectdeserialize.md)
* [ObjectSerialize](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/objectserialize.md)
* [PagePoolClear](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/pagepoolclear.md)
* [Print](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/print.md)
* [Println](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/println.md)
* [RunThreadInContext](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/runthreadincontext.md)
* [SessionInvalidate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/sessioninvalidate.md)
* [SessionRotate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/sessionrotate.md)
* [SessionStartTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/sessionstarttime.md)
* [Sleep](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/sleep.md)
* [SystemCacheClear](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/systemcacheclear.md)
* [SystemExecute](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/systemexecute.md)
* [SystemOutput](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/systemoutput.md)
* [Throw](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/throw.md)
* [Trace](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/trace.md)
* [URLDecode](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/urldecode.md)
* [URLEncodedFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/urlencodedformat.md)
* [writeDump](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/writedump.md)
* [WriteLog](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/writelog.md)
* [WriteOutput](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/system/writeoutput.md)


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