Date Formatting

Date formatting is the process of converting date and time data into a human-readable or standardized string representation, such as '2024-12-25' or 'December 25, 2024'. It involves applying patterns or rules to display dates in specific formats, often considering locale, time zones, and cultural conventions. This concept is essential for user interfaces, data serialization, and interoperability across systems.

Also known as: Date Parsing, Time Formatting, DateTime Formatting, Date String Conversion, Date Localization

Why learn Date Formatting?

Developers should learn date formatting to ensure applications display dates correctly for users in different regions, handle data exchange formats like JSON or XML, and comply with international standards such as ISO 8601. It is critical in web development, database management, and reporting tools where date consistency and clarity are required, such as in e-commerce platforms, scheduling apps, or financial software.

Learning Resources

• docs: MDN Web Docs: Date.prototype.toLocaleDateString()
• docs: Python datetime.strftime() and strptime() Format Codes
• docs: Java SimpleDateFormat Tutorial
• docs: ISO 8601 Date and Time Format
• tutorial: FreeCodeCamp: How to Format Dates in JavaScript