Explain the Python Datetime with Example.

Question

Mayank kumar Verma · Answer

Definition:
datetime module in Python is used to work with dates and times — like getting current date, formatting, or calculating time differences.
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
print("Current Date and Time:", now)
Current Date and Time: 2025-10-23 14:35:22

ICSM Computer · Answer

1. What is datetime in Python?
The datetime module in Python allows you to work with dates and times — creating, formatting, manipulating, and comparing them.
To use it:
import datetime
2. Creating Date and Time Objects
You can create specific date/time objects using datetime.date, 
datetime.time, or datetime.datetime.
Date object
from datetime import date
today = date.today()
print("Today's date:", today)
custom_date = date(2025, 10, 9)
print("Custom date:", custom_date)
Output:
Today's date: 2025-10-09
Custom date: 2025-10-09
Datetime object
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
print("Current datetime:", now)
custom_datetime = datetime(2025, 10, 9, 10, 30, 45)
print("Custom datetime:", custom_datetime)
Output:
Current datetime: 2025-10-09 10:45:22.540123
Custom datetime: 2025-10-09 10:30:45
3. Getting Components (Year, Month, etc.)
You can extract parts of the date/time:
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
print("Year:", now.year)
print("Month:", now.month)
print("Day:", now.day)
print("Hour:", now.hour)
print("Minute:", now.minute)
print("Second:", now.second)
Output:
Year: 2025
Month: 10
Day: 9
Hour: 10
Minute: 45
Second: 22
4. Date Arithmetic (Add / Subtract Time)
You can add or subtract time using timedelta.
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
today = datetime.now()
print("Today:", today)
tomorrow = today + timedelta(days=1)
yesterday = today - timedelta(days=1)
after_2_hours = today + timedelta(hours=2)
print("Tomorrow:", tomorrow)
print("Yesterday:", yesterday)
print("After 2 hours:", after_2_hours)
Output:
Today: 2025-10-09 10:45:22
Tomorrow: 2025-10-10 10:45:22
Yesterday: 2025-10-08 10:45:22
After 2 hours: 2025-10-09 12:45:22
5. Formatting Dates and Times
Use .strftime() to format datetime into strings.
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
formatted = now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
print("Formatted datetime:", formatted)
# Common patterns
print(now.strftime("%d/%m/%Y"))  # DD/MM/YYYY
print(now.strftime("%B %d, %Y"))  # Month name DD, YYYY
print(now.strftime("%I:%M %p"))  # 12-hour clock with AM/PM
Output:
Formatted datetime: 2025-10-09 10:45:22
09/10/2025
October 09, 2025
10:45 AM
6. Parsing String to Datetime
Use datetime.strptime() to convert string → datetime.
from datetime import datetime
date_str = "09/10/2025 14:30"
parsed_date = datetime.strptime(date_str, "%d/%m/%Y %H:%M")
print("Parsed datetime:", parsed_date)
Output:
Parsed datetime: 2025-10-09 14:30:00
7. Getting UTC Time and Timezones
Python’s datetime can handle UTC and time zones using timezone.
from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
utc_now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
print("UTC time:", utc_now)
# Convert UTC to IST (UTC+5:30)
ist = utc_now + timedelta(hours=5, minutes=30)
print("IST time:", ist)
Output:
UTC time: 2025-10-09 05:15:22+00:00
IST time: 2025-10-09 10:45:22+05:30
8. Comparing Dates
You can directly compare two datetime or date objects:
from datetime import date
d1 = date(2025, 10, 9)
d2 = date(2025, 12, 25)
if d1 andlt; d2:
    print("d1 is before d2")
else:
    print("d1 is after d2")
Output:
d1 is before d2
9. Example — Days Until an Event
from datetime import date
today = date.today()
event_date = date(2025, 12, 31)
remaining = event_date - today
print("Days until New Year:", remaining.days)
Output:
Days until New Year: 83
10. Example — Get Current Time in 12-Hour Format
from datetime import datetime
now = datetime.now()
print(now.strftime("Current Time: %I:%M:%S %p"))
Output:
Current Time: 10:45:22 AM
Summary
Function/Feature
Description
datetime.now()
Get current date and time
datetime.today()
Current local date
timedelta(days=1)
Time difference
strftime()
Format datetime → string
strptime()
Parse string → datetime
timezone.utc
Handle UTC time

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2 Answers

1. What is `datetime` in Python?

2. Creating Date and Time Objects

Date object

Datetime object

3. Getting Components (Year, Month, etc.)

4. Date Arithmetic (Add / Subtract Time)

5. Formatting Dates and Times

6. Parsing String to Datetime

7. Getting UTC Time and Timezones

8. Comparing Dates

9. Example — Days Until an Event

10. Example — Get Current Time in 12-Hour Format

Summary

Liked By

Function/Feature	Description
`datetime.now()`	Get current date and time
`datetime.today()`	Current local date
`timedelta(days=1)`	Time difference
`strftime()`	Format datetime → string
`strptime()`	Parse string → datetime
`timezone.utc`	Handle UTC time