# What is the difference between @timestamp and timestamp?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [April 6, 2016, 3:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464 "2016-04-06T03:03:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kramer\_Li](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kramer_li/32/46872_2.png) [@Kramer\_Li](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Kramer_Li)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464/1 "2016-04-06T03:03:03Z")

</div>

The timestamp field usually have a "@" prefix. Why? What is the difference if we do not add it ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464/2 "2016-04-06T03:05:17Z")

</div>

@ fields are usually ones generated by Logstash as metadata ones, @timestamp being the value that the event was processed by Logstash.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kramer\_Li](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kramer_li/32/46872_2.png) [@Kramer\_Li](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Kramer_Li)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464/3 "2016-04-06T03:07:49Z")

</div>

Hi Mark

Nice to see you. Thanks for your answer. So it means we can change the @timestamp to timestamp if we want, right?  
As long as we are not using logstash

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464/4 "2016-04-06T03:08:06Z")

</div>

If you want, yes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kramer\_Li](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kramer_li/32/46872_2.png) [@Kramer\_Li](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Kramer_Li)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464/5 "2016-04-06T03:10:32Z")

</div>

Thanks very much. I posted another question here

> [@\[@timestamp\] is used by multiple types. Set update\_all\_types to true to update \[format\] across all types](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/timestamp-is-used-by-multiple-types-set-update-all-types-to-true-to-update-format-across-all-types/46465):
>
> I have a template as below: curl -XPUT localhost:9200/\_template/template\_flow\_detail -d ' { "template" : "flow\_detail\_\*", "mappings" : { "traffic" : { "properties" : { "@timestamp": { "index": "not\_analyzed", "type": "date","format": "epoch\_second"}, "router\_ip" : { "type" : "integer", "index" : "not\_analyzed"}, "interface" : { "type" : "integer", "index" : "not\_analyzed"}, "src\_i…

Is it possible for you to have a look also? Thanks very much

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-is-the-difference-between-timestamp-and-timestamp/46464/6 "2017-07-05T23:02:05Z")

</div>