UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is the basis for civil time today and is used across the internet, in aviation, maritime operations, and many scientific applications.

UTC is maintained by a network of atomic clocks around the world and is closely related to, but distinct from, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Unlike local time zones, UTC does not change with the seasons and is not affected by Daylight Saving Time.

UTC is the time standard used for many systems requiring precision timekeeping, including the Internet, GPS satellites, and international air traffic control. Computer systems often use UTC internally and then convert to local time for display purposes.

The term "Coordinated Universal Time" is a compromise between the English "Coordinated Universal Time" and the French "Temps Universel Coordonné", which is why the acronym UTC doesn't match either language exactly.