# startTime

**Kind:** Function

**Source:** [`src/middleware/timing/timing.ts`](https://github.com/honojs/hono/blob/main/src/middleware/timing/timing.ts#L187)

**Part of:** [Middleware](subsystem-src-middleware)

Start a timer for the timing middleware.

`startTime` starts the timer used by the timing middleware. Call it when request handling begins, then retain the returned value so later middleware code can calculate elapsed time.

## Signature

```ts
function startTime(c: Context, name: string, description: string)
```

## Parameters

| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| `c` | `Context` |
| `name` | `string` |
| `description` | `string` |

## Diagram

```mermaid
graph LR
  Request[Incoming request] --> Start[startTime]
  Start --> Timer[Stored timer value]
  Timer --> Handler[Request handler]
  Handler --> End[Timing middleware records elapsed time]
```

## Usage

```ts
import { startTime } from "./src/middleware/timing/timing";

function timingMiddleware(request: Request) {
  const timer = startTime();

  return handleRequest(request).finally(() => {
    recordTiming(timer);
  });
}
```

## AI Coding Instructions

- Call `startTime` at the beginning of the middleware execution path.
- Keep the returned timer value available until elapsed time is recorded.
- Use the same timer value for all timing calculations associated with a request.
- Keep timer creation separate from response logging or metric submission.