⏰ Working with Date and Time in Python | Lesson 16

⏰ Working with Date and Time in Python

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Dates and times are everywhere—from birthday reminders to scheduling apps. Python provides powerful tools to work with dates, times, and durations easily. Let’s learn how to handle date and time like a pro! 📅⏳

1. The datetime Module 🛠️

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Python’s built-in datetime module helps you create, manipulate, and format date and time.

2. Current Date and Time 🕒

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from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print("Current date and time:", now)

Output looks like:

Current date and time: 2025-08-19 08:30:00.123456

3. Getting Date or Time Separately 📆⏰

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print("Date:", now.date())
print("Time:", now.time())

4. Creating Specific Date or Time 🎯

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from datetime import date, time

d = date(2025, 12, 25)
t = time(14, 30, 0)  # 2:30 PM

print("Date:", d)
print("Time:", t)

5. Formatting Date and Time (strftime) 🖋️

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Convert date/time to readable strings using format codes:

Example:

formatted = now.strftime("%d-%m-%Y %H:%M:%S")
print("Formatted:", formatted)

Output:

Formatted: 19-08-2025 08:30:00

6. Parsing Strings to Date (strptime) 🔄

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Convert a date string back to a datetime object.

date_str = "25-12-2025"
date_obj = datetime.strptime(date_str, "%d-%m-%Y")
print("Parsed date:", date_obj)

7. Date Arithmetic with timedelta ➕

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Add or subtract days, seconds, or weeks using timedelta:

from datetime import timedelta

tomorrow = now + timedelta(days=1)
print("Tomorrow:", tomorrow)

one_week_ago = now - timedelta(weeks=1)
print("One week ago:", one_week_ago)

Practice Questions with Solutions 🏆

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1. Print the current date in YYYY/MM/DD format.
2. Calculate the date 10 days from today.
3. Convert "2025-01-01 12:00:00" string into a datetime object and print it.

Mini Project: Countdown Timer ⏳

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Calculate the number of days remaining until a user’s next birthday.

from datetime import datetime

birthday_str = input("Enter your birthday (DD-MM): ")
birthday = datetime.strptime(birthday_str, "%d-%m")

now = datetime.now()
this_year_birthday = birthday.replace(year=now.year)

if this_year_birthday < now:
    this_year_birthday = this_year_birthday.replace(year=now.year + 1)

days_left = (this_year_birthday - now).days
print(f"Days until your birthday: {days_left}")

Checklist for This Chapter ✅

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• Imported and used datetime module
• Got current date and time
• Formatted dates using strftime
• Parsed strings to dates with strptime
• Done date arithmetic using timedelta

You’re now ready to build apps that work with dates and times—like calendars, reminders, and timers! Keep experimenting! 🎉