---
title: "Discussion on \"Why time breaks distributed systems\" | Hashnode"
description: "Discussion on \"Why time breaks distributed systems\". Part 1: Why timestamps lie and ordering events isn’t as simple as it looks"
url: "https://hashnode.com/posts/why-time-breaks-distributed-systems/69c8eced7816e434a01628ee"
---

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# [Why time breaks distributed systems](https://chidinma.dev/why-time-breaks-distributed-systems?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

Part 1: Why timestamps lie and ordering events isn’t as simple as it looks

Mar 29 · 12 min read · chidinma.dev  
Updated May 17  
Read the article

-   [#time](https://hashnode.com/tag/time)
-   [#distributed-systems](https://hashnode.com/tag/distributed-systems)
-   [#system-design](https://hashnode.com/tag/system-design)
-   [#clock-synchronisation](https://hashnode.com/tag/clock-synchronisation)
-   [#event-ordering](https://hashnode.com/tag/event-ordering)
-   [#ntp](https://hashnode.com/tag/ntp)
-   [#monotonic-clock](https://hashnode.com/tag/monotonic-clock)
-   [#causality](https://hashnode.com/tag/causality)

## Written by

[Chidinma](https://hashnode.com/@ChidinmaKO)

@ChidinmaKO · Netherlands

  
[View profile](https://hashnode.com/@ChidinmaKO)

I write about why systems break, and why they were always going to.

## Responses 1

Markdown supported · ⌘↵ to post

[Code with Disloyal](https://hashnode.com/@mrdisloyal)

[Mar 29](https://hashnode.com/posts/why-time-breaks-distributed-systems/69c8eced7816e434a01628ee/comment/69c948805282e6ac9cbd1133)

Mind. Blown. My previous strategy for time in web apps was essentially: 'Slap a `CURRENT_TIMESTAMP` on it and call it a day! What could _possibly_ go wrong?' Turns out, an awful lot. My blissful ignorance about event ordering at scale has been shattered into a million tiny, out-of-order pieces. Seriously, thanks for making this brain-bending system design topic hilariously simple!