Get Current Date and Time

Get current date and time in various formats

JavaScriptBeginner
JavaScript
// Method 1: Current date and time
const now = new Date();
console.log('Current date:', now);

// Method 2: Get individual components
const date = new Date();
console.log('Year:', date.getFullYear());
console.log('Month:', date.getMonth() + 1); // 0-11, so add 1
console.log('Date:', date.getDate());
console.log('Day:', date.getDay()); // 0-6 (Sunday-Saturday)
console.log('Hours:', date.getHours());
console.log('Minutes:', date.getMinutes());
console.log('Seconds:', date.getSeconds());
console.log('Milliseconds:', date.getMilliseconds());

// Method 3: ISO string
const isoString = new Date().toISOString();
console.log('ISO String:', isoString);

// Method 4: Locale string
const localeString = new Date().toLocaleString();
console.log('Locale String:', localeString);

const localeDateString = new Date().toLocaleDateString();
console.log('Locale Date:', localeDateString);

const localeTimeString = new Date().toLocaleTimeString();
console.log('Locale Time:', localeTimeString);

// Method 5: UTC methods
const utcDate = new Date();
console.log('UTC Year:', utcDate.getUTCFullYear());
console.log('UTC Month:', utcDate.getUTCMonth() + 1);
console.log('UTC Date:', utcDate.getUTCDate());
console.log('UTC Hours:', utcDate.getUTCHours());

// Method 6: Timestamp
const timestamp = Date.now();
console.log('Timestamp:', timestamp);

const timestampFromDate = new Date().getTime();
console.log('Timestamp from Date:', timestampFromDate);

// Method 7: Date string
const dateString = new Date().toString();
console.log('Date String:', dateString);

// Method 8: Custom format
function formatDate(date) {
    const year = date.getFullYear();
    const month = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0');
    const day = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0');
    const hours = String(date.getHours()).padStart(2, '0');
    const minutes = String(date.getMinutes()).padStart(2, '0');
    const seconds = String(date.getSeconds()).padStart(2, '0');
    
    return `${year}-${month}-${day} ${hours}:${minutes}:${seconds}`;
}

console.log('Formatted:', formatDate(new Date()));

// Method 9: Timezone offset
const offset = new Date().getTimezoneOffset();
console.log('Timezone Offset (minutes):', offset);

// Method 10: Date.now() vs new Date()
console.log('Date.now():', Date.now()); // Number
console.log('new Date():', new Date()); // Date object

Output

Current date: 2024-01-15T10:30:45.123Z
Year: 2024
Month: 1
Date: 15
Day: 1
Hours: 10
Minutes: 30
Seconds: 45
Milliseconds: 123
ISO String: 2024-01-15T10:30:45.123Z
Locale String: 1/15/2024, 10:30:45 AM
Locale Date: 1/15/2024
Locale Time: 10:30:45 AM
UTC Year: 2024
UTC Month: 1
UTC Date: 15
UTC Hours: 10
Timestamp: 1705315845123
Timestamp from Date: 1705315845123
Date String: Mon Jan 15 2024 10:30:45 GMT+0000 (UTC)
Formatted: 2024-01-15 10:30:45
Timezone Offset (minutes): 0
Date.now(): 1705315845123
new Date(): 2024-01-15T10:30:45.123Z

Date objects represent dates and times.

Date Creation

  • new Date(): Current date/time
  • new Date(timestamp): From timestamp
  • new Date(year, month, day): Specific date
  • Date.now(): Current timestamp

Date Methods

  • getFullYear/getMonth/getDate
  • getHours/getMinutes/getSeconds
  • getTime: Timestamp
  • toISOString: ISO format

Locale Methods

  • toLocaleString: Local format
  • toLocaleDateString: Date only
  • toLocaleTimeString: Time only

UTC Methods

  • getUTCFullYear/getUTCMonth
  • getUTCHours/getUTCMinutes
  • Work with UTC timezone

Important Notes

  • Month is 0-indexed (0-11)
  • Day of week: 0=Sunday, 6=Saturday
  • getTime() returns milliseconds