Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Dubai Time Fetcher agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The Dubai Time Fetcher is a small agent skill named time-fetcher. It teaches an AI agent how to read the current time in Dubai by running one bash command, then return that time in a fixed format. This guide explains what a skill is, how to install this one, how to trigger it, and what to check before relying on its output.
Dubai Time Fetchershanraisshan/claude-code-best-practice · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the time-fetcher ZIP from this page.
- 2Choose a location. Pick ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or .claude/skills/ inside a project.
- 3Unzip the skill. Extract the ZIP so that the time-fetcher folder with SKILL.md sits in the chosen skills folder.
- 4Or upload in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP.
- 5Ask for Dubai time. Make a plain request that needs the current Dubai time.
- 6Check the output. Confirm the reply shows the time in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +04 format.
What is an agent skill and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file that gives an AI agent instructions for a specific task. The agent reads those instructions when it needs them. This skill is narrow: it tells the agent how to get the current Dubai time.
When the agent needs Dubai time, it runs the command TZ='Asia/Dubai' date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z'. The computer's clock returns the time in Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4). The skill then asks the agent to return three fields: time (HH:MM:SS only), timezone ("GST (UTC+4)"), and formatted (the full output string).
Install the time-fetcher skill
Download the ZIP for the skill from our page. Then choose one of the following locations.
For a personal setup, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into the .claude/skills/ folder inside that project. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/time-fetcher/
- Project: .claude/skills/time-fetcher/ inside your project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP
How do you trigger the skill with natural requests?
The skill is set to user-invocable: false, so you do not call it directly by name. The agent uses it when a task needs the current Dubai time. Ask for something that involves Dubai time and the agent should pick up the instructions.
Asking for Dubai time in plain words works best, for example when you want a timestamp for a log entry or a team report. Check the agent's reply to confirm it ran the command and shows the expected format.
- What time is it in Dubai right now?
- Add a Dubai timestamp to this status update.
- Log this task with the current Gulf Standard Time.
What the output looks like
The command prints a date and time with the zone abbreviation, in the form YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +04. The abbreviation is GST (Gulf Standard Time). Dubai does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset stays at UTC+4 all year.
TZ='Asia/Dubai' date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z'What does the skill need to run?
The skill depends on running a shell command. It needs a bash-compatible shell with the standard date command, and timezone data for Asia/Dubai available on the system. If the agent cannot run shell commands, the skill will not work in that environment.
The skill runs a script and does not use the network.
- A bash-compatible shell with the standard date command
- Timezone data for Asia/Dubai on the system
- Ability for the agent to run shell commands
Safety notes and limits
The skill runs a command on your machine, so review it before use. It makes no network calls, but it reads whatever the local clock reports. If that clock is wrong, the output will be wrong too.
The skill only covers Dubai. It does not handle other time zones, calendars or scheduling. Do not treat its output as an authoritative time source.
- Runs a shell command: yes. Review it before installing.
- Uses the network: no.
- Reports the local machine's clock, which may be inaccurate.
Tips for getting reliable results
Use the skill inside multi-agent or team workflows that need a consistent Dubai timestamp. Its single purpose makes it easy to read and to reuse as a minimal example of a skill.
If you need another time zone, you will need a different skill or instructions, because this one only targets Asia/Dubai.
- Confirm the output matches YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +04.
- Check the machine's clock if times look off.
- Use it as a template for other single-purpose skills.
What people use it for
- Adding a consistent Dubai timestamp to status reports from a multi-agent team.
- Logging when an agent task ran, using Gulf Standard Time.
- Giving a teaching example of a minimal, single-purpose agent skill.
- Reporting local Dubai time in workflows run by teams in the Gulf region.
Frequently asked questions
Is the time-fetcher skill free to use?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as listed on this page. The source does not mention pricing for the Claude apps or any other product you may use alongside it.
What do I need to run the time-fetcher skill?
You need a bash-compatible shell with the standard date command and timezone data for Asia/Dubai on the system. The agent must also be able to run shell commands, because the skill depends on it.
Where do I install an agent skill like this one?
Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into .claude/skills/ in a project. In the Claude apps, you can upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the skill use the internet to get the time?
No. The skill runs a local script and does not use the network. It reads the time from the computer's own clock.
Can I use this skill to get the time in other cities?
No. The skill only covers Asia/Dubai. For another time zone you would need a different skill or changed instructions.
Is the time from this skill accurate?
It reports whatever the local machine's clock says, so it can be wrong if that clock is off. Do not rely on it where a verified, authoritative clock is needed.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are building multi-agent or team workflows that need a consistent Dubai timestamp, or if you want a small example of a single-purpose agent skill. Pick something else if you need other time zones, scheduling, calendar features, a verified clock, or an environment where the agent cannot run shell commands.
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