Python provides the datetime and time modules to handle dates, times, and timestamps. These operations are crucial for time-based calculations, scheduling tasks, logging events, and working with APIs.
from datetime import datetime, date, time, timedelta
import time as t
Why Date and Time Operations Are Important
- Track and log events in applications
- Schedule automated tasks
- Perform date arithmetic for business logic
- Parse and format date strings for user interfaces
Example 1: Getting Current Date and Time
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
print("Current Date and Time:", now)
print("Year:", now.year)
print("Month:", now.month)
print("Day:", now.day)
Example 2: Formatting Dates
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
formatted_date = now.strftime("%d-%m-%Y %H:%M:%S")
print("Formatted Date:", formatted_date)
%d– Day,%m– Month,%Y– Year,%H:%M:%S– Time
Example 3: Real-World Scenario – Scheduling Tasks
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
today = datetime.now()
task_date = today + timedelta(days=3)
print("Task should be completed by:", task_date.strftime("%d-%m-%Y"))
- Useful in project management, reminders, and scheduling
Example 4: Measuring Execution Time
import time
start_time = time.time()
# Some code execution
sum([i**2 for i in range(1000000)])
end_time = time.time()
print(f"Execution Time: {end_time - start_time:.2f} seconds")
- Important for performance monitoring and optimization
Example 5: Parsing Date Strings
from datetime import datetime
date_str = "2025-12-13 15:30:00"
parsed_date = datetime.strptime(date_str, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
print("Parsed Date:", parsed_date)
- Common when reading dates from files or APIs
Best Practices
✔ Use datetime for date and time arithmetic
✔ Use strftime and strptime for formatting and parsing
✔ Prefer timedelta for date differences and calculations
✔ Always handle timezone awareness in real-world applications
Conclusion
Python date and time operations allow you to manipulate and format dates efficiently, which is crucial for logging, scheduling, data analysis, and automation in real-world applications.
References
- Internal Reference: https://savanka.com/category/learn/python/
- External Reference: https://www.w3schools.com/python/