19860219

19860219 is an eight-digit numeric string commonly used to encode a calendar date in the YYYYMMDD format. When interpreted as a date, it represents February 19, 1986. In data handling and record-keeping, this compact form is favored for its fixed width and separator-free structure.

In computing and information systems, the YYYYMMDD representation offers practical advantages. It enables straightforward lexical and chronological sorting, since the year component is placed most significantly, followed by month and day. The format is easy to generate programmatically from a date object and is often used in file names, database keys, versioning schemes, and catalog numbers where a reliable, machine-friendly date component is needed.

Compared with ISO 8601, which prescribes the more readable 1986-02-19, the concatenated form eliminates separators, reducing parsing overhead in simple storage or legacy systems. However, its lack of visual separators can reduce human readability and may lead to confusion in locales that use day-month-year or month-day-year conventions. When shown to users, 19860219 typically requires formatting to 1986-02-19 or 19 February 1986 to avoid misinterpretation.

If used in historical or archival contexts, 19860219 functions as a date marker rather than a description of an event. Its significance rests in its role as a standardized date representation within data structures, rather than as a standalone historical fact.