unix-timelapse.php

<?php
function ReturnTimeLapse($start, $till)
{
   $time = array(
       'second' => $till - $start,
       'minute' => 60,
       'hour' => 60*60,
       'day' => 60*60*24,
       'month' => 60*60*24*30
   );

   switch($time['second'])
   {
      case ($time['second'] == 1): {
         $result = 'a seconds ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (1 * $time['minute'])): {
         $result = (is_float($time['second']) ? floor($time['second']) : $time['second']). ' seconds ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (2 * $time['minute'])): {
         $result = 'a minute ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (45 * $time['minute'])): {
         $result = (is_float($time['second'] / $time['minute']) ? floor($time['second'] / $time['minute']): $time['second'] / $time['minute']). ' minutes ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (90 * $time['minute'])): {
         $result = 'a hour ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (24 * $time['hour'])): {
         $result = (is_float($time['second'] / $time['hour']) ? floor($time['second'] / $time['hour']) : $time['second'] / $time['hour']). ' hours ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (48 * $time['hour'])): {
         $result = 'Yesterday';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (30 * $time['day'])): {
         $result = (is_float($time['second'] / $time['day']) ? floor($time['second'] / $time['day']) : $time['second'] / $time['day']). ' days ago';
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] < (12 * $time['month'])): {
         $rounded_month = round($time['second'] / $time['day'] / 30);
         $result = ($rounded_month <= 1 ? 'One month ago' : $rounded_month. ' months ago');
      }
      break;
      case ($time['second'] > (12 * $time['month'])): {
         $rounded_year = round($time['second'] / $time['day'] / 365);
         $result = ($rounded_year <= 1 ? 'One year ago' : $rounded_year. ' years ago');
      }
      break;
   }
   return $result;
}

echo ReturnTimeLapse(1535322044, time());
/*
   Output: 4 minutes ago
*/
?>