datetime Module in Python

datetime Module in Python

Python provides a module named datetime to work on dates and times in the script if needed. Python has a number of modules with a number of useful classes, functions and data structures that can be used in the current script. To use a module, it has to be included in the script and it is done by using the import statement.

 

 

datetime Class of datetime Module in Python

One of the classes that the datetime module has is datetime. It has functions that work on date and time both. One of such functions is now() which returns current date and time to the python script in which it is called.

Get Current Date and Time

# Python program to illustrate now() function of datetime class of datetime module
import datetime as dt
var_datetime = dt.datetime.now()
print(var_datetime)

Output:

2022-01-27 17:28:32.111179

Create datetime Object

# Python program to illustrate creation of datetime object
import datetime as dt
var_datetime = dt.datetime(2021, 10, 15)
print(var_datetime)

var_datetime = dt.datetime(2021, 10, 15, 23, 6, 25, 111)
print(var_datetime)

Output:

2021-10-15 00:00:00
2021-10-15 23:06:25.000111

Use datetime Object

# Python program to illustrate using a datetime object
import datetime as dt
var_datetime = dt.datetime.now()

print("year:", var_datetime.year)
print("month:", var_datetime.month)
print("day:", var_datetime.day)
print("hour:", var_datetime.hour)
print("minute:", var_datetime.minute)
print("second:", var_datetime.second)
print("microsecond:", var_datetime.microsecond)

Output:

year: 2022
month: 1
day: 27
hour: 17
minute: 39
second: 44
microsecond: 869649

 

 

date Class of datetime Module

One of the classes that the datetime module has is date. It has functions that work on date only. One of such functions is today() which returns current date to the python script in which it is called.

Get Current Date

# Python program to exemplify today() method

import datetime as dt
d = dt.date.today()
print(d)

Output:

2022-02-01

Create date Object

# Python program to exemplify date() method

import datetime as dt
d = dt.date(2020,10,12) 
print(d)

Output:

2020-10-12

Use date Object

# Python program to exemplify date() method
import datetime as dt
d = dt.date(2020, 10, 12)

print("Year:", d.year)
print("Month:", d.month)
print("Day:", d.day)

Output:

Year: 2020
Month: 10
Day: 12

 

 

time Class of datetime Module

One of the classes that the datetime module has is time. It has functions that work on time only. It is used when the programmer needs to work only on time related matters.

Create time Object

# Python program to exemplify time() method
import datetime as dt
t1 = dt.time(23, 19, 55)
print(t1)

t2 = dt.time(10, 48, 47, 100)
print(t2)

Output:

23:19:55
10:48:47.000100

Use time Object

# Python program to exemplify time() method
import datetime as dt

t1 = dt.time(23, 19, 55, 101)
print("Hour:", t1.hour)
print("Minute:", t1.minute)
print("second:", t1.second)
print("Microsecond:", t1.microsecond)

Hour: 23
Minute: 19
second: 55
Microsecond: 101

 

 

timedelta Class of datetime Module

A timedelta object is created by the difference of two datetime objects or two date objects. It can also be created by using the timedelta method defined in the datetime module.

 

Example1:

# Python program to exemplify datetime() method
import datetime as dt
x1 = dt.datetime(year=2020, month=10, day=30, hour=20, minute=35, second=40)
x2 = dt.datetime(year=2017, month=8, day=6, hour=3, minute=17, second=35)
td1 = x1 - x2

y1 = dt.date(year = 2018, month =10, day = 11)
y2 = dt.date(year = 2017, month = 9, day = 3)
td2 = y1 - y2

print(td1)
print("type of td1:",type(td1)) 
print(td2)
print("type of td2:",type(td2))

Output:

1181 days, 17:18:05
type of td1: <class 'datetime.timedelta'>
403 days, 0:00:00
type of td2: <class 'datetime.timedelta'>

 

 

The strftime() Method

datetime, date and time classes of the datetime module has a method called strftime() method defined in them. This function is used to format datetime, date and time objects to make them more readable.

 

Example1:

# Python program to exemplify strftime() method
import datetime as dt
dt1 = dt.datetime(2020, 10, 23, 12, 45, 10)
print("Formatting a datetime object:")
print(dt1.strftime("%d/%m/%Y"))
print(dt1.strftime("%d %B,%Y"))
print(dt1.strftime("%d %B,%Y  %H:%M:%S"))

d = dt.date(2020, 10, 23)
print("\nFormatting a date object:")
print(d.strftime("%d/%m/%Y"))
print(d.strftime("%d %B,%Y"))

t = dt.time(12, 45, 10)
print("\nFormatting a time object:")
print(t.strftime("%H:%M:%S"))
print(t.strftime("%H hours %M minutes %S seconds"))

Output:

Formatting a datetime object:
23/10/2020
23 October,2020
23 October,2020  12:45:10

Formatting a date object:
23/10/2020
23 October,2020

Formatting a time object:
12:45:10
12 hours 45 minutes 10 seconds