SimpleDateFormat

In this chapter you will learn:

1. What is Java SimpleDateFormat for
2. What are date and time Patterns for SimpleDateFormat
3. Repeat letters to create format

What is Java SimpleDateFormat for

SimpleDateFormat is a concrete class for formatting and parsing dates in a locale-sensitive manner. It allows for formatting date to text, parsing from text to date, and normalization.

Date and Time Patterns

The following table shows the date and time patterns for SimpleDateFormat.

Repeat letters to create format

If the number of pattern letters is 4 or more, the full form is used; otherwise a short form is used if available. For parsing, both forms are accepted, independent of the number of pattern letters.

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
/*from j  a  v a 2  s . c  o m*/
public class Main{

  public static void main(String args[]) {
    Date date = new Date();
    SimpleDateFormat sdf;
    sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm:ss");
    System.out.println(sdf.format(date));
    sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("dd MMM yyyy hh:mm:ss zzz");
    System.out.println(sdf.format(date));
    sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("E MMM dd yyyy");
    System.out.println(sdf.format(date));

  }
}

The output:

Next chapter...

What you will learn in the next chapter:

1. How to parse date string
2. Convert date string from one format to another format using SimpleDateFormat

Date class

Date comparison

Converting date value

DateFormat class

Format time

DateFormat and Locale

Convert String to Date

SimpleDateFormat

Parse date string into Date object

SimpleDateFormat day format

SimpleDateFormat Hour Time format

SimpleDateFormat format minute

SimpleDateFormat to format month

SimpleDateFormat to format second value

SimpleDateFormat to format TimeZone

SimpleDateFormat to format year

SimpleDateFormat to combine formatting flags

TimeZone

TimeZone ID and display name

TimeZone daylight saving

Calendar class

Calendar date time getter

Calendar set hour,minute,second

Calendar calculation

Calendar comparison

Calendar properties

GregorianCalendar