The java.text.DateFormat is an abstract class that is used to format and parse dates for any locale. It allows us to format date to text and parse text to date. DateFormat class provides many functionalities to obtain, format, parse default date/time.
DateFormat class extends Format class that means it is a subclass of Format class. Since DateFormat class is an abstract class, therefore, it can be used for date/time formatting subclasses, which format and parses dates or times in a language-independent manner.
Class Signature:
public abstract class DateFormat extends Format
Constructor
DateFormat(): The DateFormat() is the constructor of the DateFormat class that is called when an instance of an object of DateFormat class is created.
Note: DateFormat is an abstract class therefore cannot be instantiated
Fields in DateFormat
| S.NO. | Field | Data Type |
|---|
| 1. | AM_PM_FIELD | static int |
| 2. | calendar | protected Calendar |
| 3. | DATE_FIELD | static int |
| 4. | DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD | static int |
| 5. | DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD | static int |
| 6. | DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD | static int |
| 7. | DEFAULT | static int |
| 8. | ERA_FIELD | static int |
| 9. | FULL | static int |
| 10. | HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD | static int |
| 11. | HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD | static int |
| 12. | HOUR0_FIELD | static int |
| 13. | HOUR1_FIELD | static int |
| 14. | LONG | static int |
| 15. | MEDIUM | static int |
| 16. | MILLISECOND_FIELD | static int |
| 17. | MINUTE_FIELD | static int |
| 18. | MONTH_FIELD | static int |
| 19. | numberFormat | protected NumberFormat |
| 20. | SECOND_FIELD | static int |
| 21. | SHORT | static int |
| 22. | TIMEZONE_FIELD | static int |
| 23. | WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD | static int |
| 24. | WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD | static int |
| 25. | YEAR_FIELD | static int |
Methods of DateFormat Class
| S.No. | Method | Description | Return Type |
|---|
| 1. | format(Date date) | This method formats a Date into a date/time string | String |
| 2. | format(Date date, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition position) | This method formats a Date into a date/time string. | StringBuffer |
| 3, | getCalendar() | This method returns the calendar associated with this date/time formatter | Calendar |
| 4. | getDateInstance() | This method returns the date formatter with the default formatting style for the default locale | static DateFormat |
| 5. | getDateInstance(int style) | This method returns the date formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale. | static DateFormat |
| 6. | getDateTimeInstance() | This method returns the date/time formatter with the default formatting style for the default locale. | static DateFormat |
| 7. | getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle, int timeStyle) | This method returns the date/time formatter with the given date and time formatting styles for the default locale | static DateFormat |
| 8. | getInstance() | This method returns the default date/time formatter that uses the SHORT style for both the date and the time. | static DateFormat |
| 9. | getTimeInstance() | This method returns the time formatter with the default formatting style for the default locale. | static DateFormat |
| 10. | getTimeInstance(int style) | This method returns the time formatter with the given formatting style for the default locale. | static DateFormat |
| 11. | getTimeInstance(int style, Locale aLocale) | This method returns the time formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale. | static DateFormat |
| 12. | getNumberFormat() | This method returns the number formatted, which this date/time formatter uses to format and parse a time. | NumberFormat |
| 13. | parse(String source) | This method parses text from the beginning of the given string to produce a date. | Date |
| 14. | parse(String source, ParsePosition pos) | This method parses a date/time string according to the given parse position. | Date |
| 15. | parseObject(String source, ParsePosition pos) | This method parses text from a string to produce a Date. | Object |
| 16. | setCalendar(Calendar calendar) | This method sets the calendar to be used by this date format. | void |
| 17. | setLenient(boolean lenient) | This method specifies whether or not date/time parsing is to be lenient. | void |
| 18. | setTimeZone(TimeZone zone) | This method sets the time zone for the calendar of this DateFormat object. | void |
| 19. | getTimeZone() | This method returns the time zone | TimeZone |
Example: Java Program for better understanding of DateFormat class
Java // import java.text package for using DateFormat class import java.text.*; import java.util.*; class GFG { public static void main(String[] args) { // create instance of Date class Date date = new Date(); // to format a date for our timezone System.out.println( "Local Date and Time is : " + DateFormat.getInstance().format(date)); // to format a date for different locale System.out.println( "Date of Canada region : " + DateFormat .getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.CANADA) .format(date)); System.out.println( "Time of Canada region : " + DateFormat .getTimeInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.CANADA) .format(date)); System.out.println( "Date of Italy region : " + DateFormat .getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.ITALY) .format(date)); System.out.println( "Time of Italy region : " + DateFormat .getTimeInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.ITALY) .format(date)); // to get the time zone System.out.println( "Time zone is : " + DateFormat.getInstance().getTimeZone()); System.out.println( "Local Date and Time using getDateInstance() : " + DateFormat.getDateInstance().format(date)); System.out.println( "Local Date and Time using getTimeInstance() : " + DateFormat.getTimeInstance().format(date)); System.out.println( "Local Date and Time using getDateTimeInstance() : " + DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance().format( date)); System.out.println( "Local Date and Time using getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG) : " + DateFormat.getTimeInstance(DateFormat.LONG) .format(date)); System.out.println( "Local Date and Time using getDateInstance(DateFormat.MEDIUM) : " + DateFormat.getTimeInstance(DateFormat.MEDIUM) .format(date)); System.out.println( "Local Date and Time using getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT) : " + DateFormat.getTimeInstance(DateFormat.SHORT) .format(date)); } } OutputLocal Date and Time is : 11/28/21, 7:17 PM Date of Canada region : November 28, 2021 Time of Canada region : 7:17:40 p.m. UTC Date of Italy region : 28 novembre 2021 Time of Italy region : 19:17:40 UTC Time zone is : sun.util.calendar.ZoneInfo[id="Etc/UTC",offset=0,dstSavings=0,useDaylight=false,transitions=0,lastRule=null] Local Date and Time using getDateInstance() : Nov 28, 2021 Local Date and Time using getTimeInstance() : 7:17:40 PM Local Date and Time using getDateTimeInstance() : Nov 28, 2021, 7:17:40 PM Local Date and Time using getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG) : 7:17:40 PM UTC Local Date and Time using getDateInstance(DateFormat.MEDIUM) : 7:17:40 PM Local Date and Time using getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT) : 7:17 PM