# Instant

## Instant Class

The `Instant` class is a fundamental component of B2Win Suite Scripting, allowing you to work with instants in time. This class provides methods for creating and manipulating time-related data.

### Static Methods

* `Instant.now(): Instant`

**Description**: Returns an instance representing the current instant.

Example:

```typescript
var currentInstant = Instant.now();
```

***

* `Instant.parse(text: String)`

**Description**: Parses a string and returns an instance of `Instant.`

Example:

```typescript
var parsedInstant = Instant.parse("2023-10-20T12:00:00Z");
```

***

### Comparison Methods

* `isBefore(otherInstant: Instant)`

**Description**: Compares this `Instant` with another `Instant` and returns `true` if it is before the other instant or false otherwise.

Example:

```typescript
var instantA = Instant.parse("2023-10-20T08:00:00Z"); // parse Instant A
var instantB = Instant.parse("2023-10-20T09:00:00Z"); // parse Instant B

var isBefore = instantA.isBefore(instantB);

if (isBefore) {
    // Do something when instantA is before instantB
    return "instantA is before instantB";
} else {
    // Do something when instantA is not before instantB
    return "instantA is not before instantB";
}
```

***

* #### `isAfter(otherInstant: Instant)`

**Description**: Compares this `Instant` with another `Instant` and returns `true` if it is after the other instant or false otherwise.

Example:

```typescript
var isAfter = instantA.isAfter(instantB);

if (isAfter) {
    // Do something when instantA is after instantB
    return "instantA is after instantB";
} else {
    // Do something when instantA is not after instantB
    return "instantA is not after instantB";
}
```

***

### Conversion Methods

* #### `toEpochMilli()`

**Description**: Converts this `Instant` to the number of milliseconds since the epoch (00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970) and returns the value in type `Long.`

Example:

```typescript
var myInstant = Instant.parse("2023-10-20T08:00:00Z");
var epochMillis = myInstant.toEpochMilli();
```

***

* #### `toString()`

**Description**: Converts this `Instant` to a string representation and returns it.

Example:

```typescript
var myInstant = Instant.parse("2023-10-20T08:00:00Z");
var instantString = myInstant.toString();
```