For software developers, engineering teams and game studios
Developer timestamping: a dated record of your source code and releases
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes. For developers, that is a dated, checkable record that the exact source tree, build or release existed no later than a recorded time and still matches, if a client, a collaborator or a later dispute says the code was different.
The fingerprint is made in the browser, and the file stays on your device. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free; after that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
In the TimeBinder app, drag and drop your file. Your browser creates its digital fingerprint. Your file stays on your device—we never receive or see its contents.
Your files stay on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of each file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.
Developer timestamping: the short answer
An independent, verifiable timestamp shows that an exact file, such as a source archive, a build artefact or a release tag export, existed no later than a recorded time, and lets anyone check later that the file they are shown still matches its fingerprint. TimeBinder makes the fingerprint in your browser, so the file stays on your device. The time is anchored to a public record that no single party controls, so a client, an employer or the other side can check it without having to trust your repository history. To make one, click here to start.
It does not show who wrote the code, who owns it, that the code works, or how a court will treat it. It does not replace Git, a code-signing tool or a solicitor's advice. That is general information, not legal advice. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required; after that TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
Where a dated record helps a developer
Match the record to hand-overs, not every commit. Date the exact archive or artefact you will share, deliver or publish.
While you build
Milestone archives of the source you care about, dated when you would want a record of that snapshot.
Before you deliver
The exact build, repository export or asset pack you will send a client, a store or a collaborator, dated before you send it.
Before you publish
The release you will open-source, ship or submit, dated before it goes public, alongside any signing or deposit you already use.
If a dispute starts
The stored archive and its certificate, so you can show that this exact file still matches the record made on that date.
A layer of protection your Git history cannot give you on its own
Git is excellent at recording what changed in a repository you control. Commit dates, though, can be set or rewritten by the author. They are not an independent record of when a file existed. A TimeBind adds a dated fingerprint of an exact archive or artefact, held outside the repository, so a client or the other side can check it without trusting your local history. It supports the repo. It does not replace it. See Git commit dates as proof.
The same is true of delivery disputes and open-source releases: date the exact zip, tarball or build you hand over, then keep that copy unchanged with the certificate. Signing a release, or depositing code in a public archive, answers a different question. Our comparisons of Sigstore and of Zenodo or Software Heritage set out the differences.
Learning path: prove your drafts existed first, defend against faked dates, then check file integrity
This four-stage path groups the guides we have written for developers. Start by dating the exact source archive or release. Then see why a commit date or a file date cannot stand alone, including when dates can be altered. Then check whether a file still matches. The last stage covers delivery, background records and the limits of each tool. TimeBinder does not detect AI; a TimeBind is a dated, checkable record that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. It is general information, not legal advice.
Prove your drafts existed first
Fingerprint the source archive or build, so you can show later that this exact file existed by a time and still matches.
AI-fakes defence
What a commit date or a file date can and cannot show, and why you want a record you did not write yourself when dates can be altered or generated.
File integrity
How to tell whether a file has been changed, how signing a release differs from dating its files, and how to check a fingerprint.
Delivery, clients and background records
Date what you hand over and what you brought to a job, before a payment or ownership dispute starts, and hook dating into your own tooling.
What a TimeBind shows, and what it does not
- It shows that this exact file existed no later than the recorded time, and that a copy shown later still matches its fingerprint.
- It does not show who made the file, who owns it, that its contents are true, or how a file was made.
- It does not replace your repository, a code-signing tool, a software deposit, or advice from a lawyer about employment or commission terms.
How to timestamp a source archive or release
- Freeze the exact files. Export the source archive, build artefact or asset pack you will deliver or publish. Do not edit that copy afterwards. Zip a larger tree if you have more than 10 files.
- Name it for the release. Use a name that shows the version and the reason, for example a client delivery or a pre-open-source snapshot.
- Create a TimeBind. Open the TimeBinder app and add up to 10 files. Your browser makes the fingerprints and the files stay on your device. Choose Pooled for routine milestones or ASAP when the date must be recorded straight away.
- Keep the certificate with the archive. Save the Proof of Time Certificate next to the exact files in your release records. Keep the original unchanged.
- Check it when you need it. Later, fingerprint the stored file again and confirm it matches the certificate. Share the certificate and file with a client, an employer or a lawyer if they ask, and explain only what it shows.
Developer guides, comparisons and tools
Every guide, comparison and tool we have for software developers, grouped by what you are about to do. The step-by-step page is source code timestamping. Game teams also have a short page on timestamping for game developers.
- Source code, releases and repositories
- Client delivery, freelance work and background IP
- Games, assets and builds
- API, tools and related hubs
- Newest tools, guides and answers
Source code, releases and repositories
- Source code timestamping for software developersThe developer landing page, step by step
- How do you prove source code existed before a date?
- Are Git commit dates proof of when code existed?Why an independent record is different
- Blockchain timestamp vs emailing yourself, Git dates or a notary
- Zenodo or Software Heritage vs a timestampDating code or research files
- TimeBinder vs SigstoreSigning a release or dating its files?
- Timestamp your code before you open-source it
- Prove a Jupyter notebook or result existed before a date
- Timestamp before you discloseBefore a pitch, demo or hand-over
Client delivery, freelance work and background IP
- Freelance code delivery: timestamp before the client pays
- Timestamping for freelancersA dated record of the work you send
- Record background IP before a client contract
- How to protect an app idea
- How to protect digital products from being copied
Games, assets and builds
- Timestamping for game developers
- Timestamp video game assets before you share them
- How to protect a board game idea
- Prove a 3D model (STL or 3MF) existed before a date
API, tools and related hubs
- TimeBinder Developer API
- Free checklist: proving when your invention or code existedPDF
- Inventor timestampingNotes, sketches and specifications
- Creator timestampingMusic, design, writing and art
- PricingFirst Pooled TimeBind free, then from US$5
- Business plansOne company account, monthly invoice
- Which plan do I need?
- Free SHA-256 hash checker
- Was this file changed? File comparison checker
- File date and metadata inspector
- Free folder hash generator and verifier
- Vibe-coding review checklistA checklist before you merge or ship code an assistant helped write. It does not scan the repository.
- Free AI crawler opt-out generator
- Check a file still matches its fingerprint
Newest tools, guides and answers (10–13 Nov 2026)
- AI agent file-access checklist
- How to prove code existed at a specific time
- What is a file hash?
- What is blockchain timestamping?
- How to prove a document existed on a date
- What are the best alternatives to OpenTimestamps?
- How to timestamp a document for free
- What is a hash timestamp, and how is it different from notarisation?
- DigiCert timestamp vs a file timestamp: signing code is not the same as dating a file
- Woleet alternatives: API-first Bitcoin anchoring vs a self-serve file record
- Proof of Existence alternatives: Bitcoin document proof, then and now
- WordProof alternatives: timestamping website content vs a file you hold
- AI contribution policy note builder
- AI-assisted change description builder
- AI coding agent session audit log
Free checklist: proving when your code or invention existed
A one-page checklist for developers and inventors covering repositories, builds, lab notes and CAD. It shows a file existed by a date. It does not show who wrote the code, and it is not a substitute for a repository or a patent filing.
The free game clone record checklist is for the next time you ship a build, or a similar title appears. It cannot show ownership or that another title was copied.
Before you share a private repo or client code with a cloud coding assistant, the free cloud coding assistant checklist helps you review the plan you are on, the current terms, and the exact files to keep. It cannot decide a licence, and it cannot show what a vendor did with your code.
Before you merge a workflow that calls third-party GitHub Actions, the free GitHub Actions workflow lockfile checklist helps you review the current lockfile docs, the actions you will lock, and the exact workflow and lockfile to keep. Locking does not show that an action is safe.
Before you set up or change npm trusted publishing, the free npm trusted publishing checklist helps you check the settings that must match, old tokens and the exact files to keep. It is not a security audit.
Before you set up or change PyPI trusted publishing, the free PyPI trusted publishing checklist helps you check what you trust, who can change the publish workflow, old API tokens and the exact files to keep. It is not a security audit.
Developer timestamping: FAQ
What is developer timestamping?
It is a way to record that an exact file, such as a source archive, a build or a release export, existed no later than a recorded time, and to check later that the file you are shown still matches. TimeBinder makes a digital fingerprint of the file in your browser and records the fingerprint with a time. The file stays on your device.
Are Git commit dates enough to show when my code existed?
Not on their own. Git commit dates can be set or rewritten by the author, so they are not an independent record. A TimeBind records a fingerprint of an exact archive on a public record that a third party can check without trusting your repository. Keep both: the repo for the history of changes, and a TimeBind for the snapshot you care about.
Should I timestamp every commit?
No. Timestamp the archives or artefacts that leave your hands, or that you would be sorry not to have a record of: a client delivery, a release, a pre-open-source snapshot, or a milestone you may later need to show. Routine working commits rarely need one.
Does a TimeBind show that I wrote the code, or that I own it?
No. It shows when an exact file existed, not who wrote it or who owns it. Authorship and ownership turn on the facts, any employment or commission terms, and the law where you work.
Can I timestamp code without sharing the source?
Yes. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device. TimeBinder records the fingerprint, not the source, so the source is not published or sent to TimeBinder.
What does it cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that a Pooled TimeBind is US$5 and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15, each for up to 10 files. A Pooled TimeBind is usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, often sooner. An ASAP TimeBind is broadcast straight away; confirmation on the public record is not instant. People who timestamp often can use a monthly plan. Prices checked on the live pricing page on 11 November 2026.
Is there an API?
Yes. Teams that want to date files from their own systems can use the TimeBinder Developer API. The API page sets out how to get started. The same honest limits apply: a TimeBind shows when an exact file existed, not who made it.
What public record is the time anchored to?
The fingerprint is anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain, a public ledger that no single party controls. An ASAP TimeBind is its own Bitcoin transaction and can be checked there without relying on TimeBinder. A Pooled TimeBind is batched with others and is verified through TimeBinder. Checking a certificate is free.
Can a TimeBind show that code was not written by AI?
No. TimeBinder does not detect AI. A TimeBind records that an exact file, such as a source archive, existed no later than a recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. It does not show who wrote the code or how. Git history and your own notes can add context. Our guide on Git commit dates explains what they can and cannot show.
Date your next release or delivery free
Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact source archive or build you are about to hand over.
- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
Teams that timestamp every week: see business plans or pricing.