📅 Python Tutorial — Datetime Module

Introduction 🌟

The datetime module in Python provides classes for working with dates, times, and timestamps. It is widely used in applications like logs, billing, scheduling systems, automation, and time-based calculations.

Note

💡 Main classes: date, time, datetime, timedelta
💡 Supports formatting, parsing, arithmetic, timezone handling

1. Importing datetime 🧱

import_datetime.py

import datetime

2. Working with date 📆

Create a Date Object

date_object.py

import datetime

d = datetime.date(2025, 1, 20)
print(d)

Get Current Date

current_date.py

today = datetime.date.today()
print(today)

Access Year, Month, Day

date_components.py

d = datetime.date.today()
print(d.year)
print(d.month)
print(d.day)

3. Working with time ⏰

Create a Time Object

time_object.py

t = datetime.time(10, 30, 45)
print(t)

Access Time Components

time_components.py

t = datetime.time(10, 30, 45, 200000)
print(t.hour, t.minute, t.second, t.microsecond)

4. Working with datetime (Date + Time) 🕰️

Create a datetime object

datetime_object.py

dt = datetime.datetime(2025, 1, 20, 10, 30, 0)
print(dt)

Current Date & Time

now.py

now = datetime.datetime.now()
print(now)

Current UTC Time

utcnow.py

utc = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
print(utc)

5. Formatting Dates & Times — strftime() 📝

strftime_example.py

now = datetime.datetime.now()
print(now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"))
print(now.strftime("%d/%m/%Y"))
print(now.strftime("%I:%M %p"))
print(now.strftime("%A, %B %d, %Y"))
Format CodeMeaning
%YYear (2025)
%mMonth (01-12)
%dDay (01-31)
%HHour (00-23)
%IHour (01-12)
%MMinutes
%SSeconds
%pAM/PM
%AWeekday name
%BMonth name

6. Parsing Strings into Dates — strptime() 📥

strptime_example.py

dt = datetime.datetime.strptime("20-01-2025", "%d-%m-%Y")
print(dt)

✔ Useful for reading dates from user input, APIs, files

7. Timedelta — Date Arithmetic ➕➖

timedelta_example.py

from datetime import datetime, timedelta

today = datetime.now()
tomorrow = today + timedelta(days=1)
past = today - timedelta(days=30)

print("Tomorrow:", tomorrow)
print("30 days ago:", past)

Difference Between Two Dates

date_difference.py

d1 = datetime(2025, 1, 1)
d2 = datetime(2025, 2, 1)

delta = d2 - d1
print(delta.days)

8. Working with Timezones — timezone ⏳

timezone_example.py

from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta

utc_time = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
ist_time = utc_time.astimezone(timezone(timedelta(hours=5, minutes=30)))

print("UTC:", utc_time)
print("IST:", ist_time)

✔ Converts UTC → any timezone
✔ Useful for global applications

9. Getting Unix Timestamp ⏱️

timestamp_example.py

ts = datetime.datetime.now().timestamp()
print(ts)

10. Create datetime from timestamp 🕰️

from_timestamp.py

dt = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(1700000000)
print(dt)

11. Replace Parts of a datetime 🛠️

replace_example.py

now = datetime.datetime.now()
new_dt = now.replace(year=2030, month=12, day=25)
print(new_dt)

12. Get Weekday Information 📆

weekday_example.py

import datetime

today = datetime.date.today()
print(today.weekday())  # 0 = Monday
print(today.isoweekday())  # 1 = Monday

Best Practices 💡

  • ✔ Use datetime for timestamps
  • ✔ Use strftime & strptime for formatting & parsing
  • ✔ Always work in UTC internally
  • ✔ Convert to local timezone only when needed

Conclusion 🎉

>>“Datetime gives Python the power to work with real-world time — elegantly and accurately.” ✨

You now fully understand Datetime in Python! Want the next topic? Try Timezones, Calendar Module, Timers, or Date Arithmetic Projects. Just tell me! 😊