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Java Date and Time

Java provides extensive support for date and time manipulation through classes in the java.time package (introduced in Java 8) and the older java.util.Date and java.util.Calendar classes.

1. The java.time Package

The java.time package offers a modern and comprehensive API for date and time.

1.1 Getting the Current Date and Time

import java.time.LocalDate;
import java.time.LocalTime;
import java.time.LocalDateTime;

public class DateTimeExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        LocalDate date = LocalDate.now();
        LocalTime time = LocalTime.now();
        LocalDateTime dateTime = LocalDateTime.now();

        System.out.println("Date: " + date);
        System.out.println("Time: " + time);
        System.out.println("DateTime: " + dateTime);
    }
}

1.2 Formatting Date and Time

import java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter;

DateTimeFormatter formatter = DateTimeFormatter.ofPattern("dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss");
String formattedDateTime = dateTime.format(formatter);
System.out.println("Formatted DateTime: " + formattedDateTime);

2. The java.util.Date Class

The Date class represents a specific instant in time, with millisecond precision.

Example: Getting Current Date

import java.util.Date;

public class OldDateExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Date date = new Date();
        System.out.println("Current Date: " + date);
    }
}

3. Key Takeaways

  • Prefer the java.time package for modern date and time manipulation.
  • Use LocalDate, LocalTime, and LocalDateTime for date and time without time zones.
  • Use DateTimeFormatter for custom formatting.
  • Avoid using the outdated java.util.Date and java.util.Calendar classes.
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