util.date class methods in Java with Examples

08 Sep, 2021
Following are some important date class methods :
.toString() : java.util.Date.tostring() method is a java.util.Date class method.It displays the Current date and time.Here Date object is converted to a string and represented as: day mon dd hh:mm:ss zz yyyy day : day of the weekmon : monthdd : day of the monthhh : hourmm : minutess : secondzz : time zoneyyyy : year upto 4 decimal placesSyntax:
public String toString()
Return:
a string representation of the given date.
.setTime() : java.util.Date.setTime() method is a java.util.Date class method. Sets this Date object to represent a point in time that is time milliseconds after January 1, 1970 00:00:00 GMT.Syntax:
public void setTime(long time)
Parameters:
time : the number of milliseconds.
.hashCode() : java.util.Date.hashCode() method is a java.util.Date class method. Returns a hash code value for the Date object. The result is exclusive OR of the two halves of the primitive long value returned by the getTime() method.Syntax:
public int hashCode()
Return:
a hash code value for the Date object.
Java Code to illustrate the use of .toString(), setTime(), hashCode() methods.// Java Program explaining util.date class methods//// use of .toString(), setTime(), hashCode() methodsimport java.util.*;  // class having access to Date class methods  public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        Date mydate = new Date();          // Displaying the current date and time        System.out.println("System date : "+ mydate.toString() );          // Is used to set time by milliseconds. Adds 15680         // milliseconds to January 1, 1970 to get new time.        mydate.setTime(15680);          System.out.println("Time after setting:  " + mydate.toString());          int d = mydate.hashCode();        System.out.println("Amount (in ms) by which time" +                            " is shifted :  " + d);    }}Output of Java code:System date : Tue Nov 01 02:37:18 IST 2016
Time after setting:  Thu Jan 01 05:30:15 IST 1970
Amount (in milliseconds)  by which time is shifted :  15680
.after() : java.util.Date.after() method tests if current date is after the given date.Syntax:
public boolean after(Date d)
Parameters:
d : date
Return:
true if and only if the instant represented by this Date object is strictly later
than the instant represented by 'when'; else false
Exception:
NullPointerException - if Date object is null.
.clone() : java.util.Date.clone() method returns the duplicate of passed Date object.Syntax:
public Object clone()
Return:
a clone of this instance.
.before() : java.util.Date.after() method tests if current date is before the given date.Syntax:
public boolean before(Date d)
Parameters:
d : date
Return:
true if and only if the instant represented by this Date object is strictly earlier
than the instant represented by 'when'; else false
Exception:
NullPointerException - if when is null.
Java Code to illustrate the use of after(), clone(), before() methods.// JAVA program explaining Date class methods// after(), clone(), before()import java.util.Date;public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        // create 2 dates        Date date1 = new Date(2016, 11, 18);        Date date2 = new Date(1997, 10, 27);          // Use of after() to check date2 is after date1        boolean a = date2.after(date1);        System.out.println("Is date2 is after date1 : " + a);          // Use of after() to check date2 is after date1        a = date1.after(date2);        System.out.println("Is date1 is after date2 : " + a);        System.out.println("");          // Use of clone() method        Object date3 = date1.clone();        System.out.println("Cloned date3 :" + date3.toString());        System.out.println("");          // Use of before() to check date2 is after date1        boolean b = date2.before(date1);        System.out.println("Is date2 is before date1 : " + a);    }}Output :Is date2 is after date1 : false
Is date1 is after date2 : true

Cloned date3 :Mon Dec 18 00:00:00 IST 3916

Is date2 is before date1 : true
.compareTo() : java.util.Date.compareTo() method compares two dates and results in -1, 0 or 1 based on the comparison.Syntax:
public int compareTo(Date argDate)
Parameters:
argDate : another date to compare with
Result:
0  : if the argumented date = given date.
-1 : if the argumented date > given date.
1  : if the argumented date < given date.
.equals() : java.util.Date.equals() method checks whether two dates are equal or not based on their millisecond difference.Syntax:
public boolean equals(Object argDate)
Parameters:
argDate : another date to compare with
Result:
true if both the date are equal; else false.
.getTime() : java.util.Date.getTime() method results in count of milliseconds of the argumented date, referencing January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.Syntax:
public long getTime()
Result:
milliseconds of the argumented date, referencing January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.
Java Code to illustrate the use of compareTo(), getTime(), equals() methods.// Java program explaining Date class methods// compareTo(), getTime(), equals()import java.util.*;public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        Date d1 = new Date(97, 10, 27);        Date d2 = new Date(97, 6, 12);          // Use of compareto() method        int comparison = d1.compareTo(d2);    // d1 > d2        int comparison2 = d2.compareTo(d1);   // d2 > d1        int comparison3 = d1.compareTo(d1);   // d1 = d1          System.out.println("d1 > d2 : " + comparison);        System.out.println("d1 < d2 : " + comparison2);        System.out.println("d1 = d1 : " + comparison3);        System.out.println("");          // Use of equal() method        boolean r1 = d1.equals(d2);        System.out.println("Result of equal() r1 : " + r1);          boolean r2 = d1.equals(d1);        System.out.println("Result of equal() r2 : " + r2);        System.out.println("");            // Use of getTime() method        long count1 = d1.getTime();        long count2 = d1.getTime();        System.out.println("Milliseconds of d1 : " + count1);        System.out.println("Milliseconds of d2 : " + count2);    }}Output :d1 > d2 : 1
d1 < d2 : -1
d1 = d1 : 0

Result of equal() r1 : false
Result of equal() r2 : true

Milliseconds of d1 : 880569000000
Milliseconds of d2 : 880569000000
This article is contributed by Mohit Gupta. If you like GeeksforGeeks and would like to contribute, you can also write an article using write.geeksforgeeks.org or mail your article to review-team@geeksforgeeks.org. See your article appearing on the GeeksforGeeks main page and help other Geeks.Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above.My Personal Notes
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.toString() : java.util.Date.tostring() method is a java.util.Date class method.It displays the Current date and time.Here Date object is converted to a string and represented as: day mon dd hh:mm:ss zz yyyy day : day of the weekmon : monthdd : day of the monthhh : hourmm : minutess : secondzz : time zoneyyyy : year upto 4 decimal placesSyntax:
public String toString()
Return:
a string representation of the given date.

 day mon dd hh:mm:ss zz yyyy 
day : day of the weekmon : monthdd : day of the monthhh : hourmm : minutess : secondzz : time zoneyyyy : year upto 4 decimal places
Syntax:
public String toString()
Return:
a string representation of the given date.

.setTime() : java.util.Date.setTime() method is a java.util.Date class method. Sets this Date object to represent a point in time that is time milliseconds after January 1, 1970 00:00:00 GMT.Syntax:
public void setTime(long time)
Parameters:
time : the number of milliseconds.

Syntax:
public void setTime(long time)
Parameters:
time : the number of milliseconds.

.hashCode() : java.util.Date.hashCode() method is a java.util.Date class method. Returns a hash code value for the Date object. The result is exclusive OR of the two halves of the primitive long value returned by the getTime() method.Syntax:
public int hashCode()
Return:
a hash code value for the Date object.
Java Code to illustrate the use of .toString(), setTime(), hashCode() methods.// Java Program explaining util.date class methods//// use of .toString(), setTime(), hashCode() methodsimport java.util.*;  // class having access to Date class methods  public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        Date mydate = new Date();          // Displaying the current date and time        System.out.println("System date : "+ mydate.toString() );          // Is used to set time by milliseconds. Adds 15680         // milliseconds to January 1, 1970 to get new time.        mydate.setTime(15680);          System.out.println("Time after setting:  " + mydate.toString());          int d = mydate.hashCode();        System.out.println("Amount (in ms) by which time" +                            " is shifted :  " + d);    }}Output of Java code:System date : Tue Nov 01 02:37:18 IST 2016
Time after setting:  Thu Jan 01 05:30:15 IST 1970
Amount (in milliseconds)  by which time is shifted :  15680

Syntax:
public int hashCode()
Return:
a hash code value for the Date object.

Java Code to illustrate the use of .toString(), setTime(), hashCode() methods.
// Java Program explaining util.date class methods//// use of .toString(), setTime(), hashCode() methodsimport java.util.*;  // class having access to Date class methods  public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        Date mydate = new Date();          // Displaying the current date and time        System.out.println("System date : "+ mydate.toString() );          // Is used to set time by milliseconds. Adds 15680         // milliseconds to January 1, 1970 to get new time.        mydate.setTime(15680);          System.out.println("Time after setting:  " + mydate.toString());          int d = mydate.hashCode();        System.out.println("Amount (in ms) by which time" +                            " is shifted :  " + d);    }}
Output of Java code:
System date : Tue Nov 01 02:37:18 IST 2016
Time after setting:  Thu Jan 01 05:30:15 IST 1970
Amount (in milliseconds)  by which time is shifted :  15680

.after() : java.util.Date.after() method tests if current date is after the given date.Syntax:
public boolean after(Date d)
Parameters:
d : date
Return:
true if and only if the instant represented by this Date object is strictly later
than the instant represented by 'when'; else false
Exception:
NullPointerException - if Date object is null.

Syntax:
public boolean after(Date d)
Parameters:
d : date
Return:
true if and only if the instant represented by this Date object is strictly later
than the instant represented by 'when'; else false
Exception:
NullPointerException - if Date object is null.

.clone() : java.util.Date.clone() method returns the duplicate of passed Date object.Syntax:
public Object clone()
Return:
a clone of this instance.

Syntax:
public Object clone()
Return:
a clone of this instance.

.before() : java.util.Date.after() method tests if current date is before the given date.Syntax:
public boolean before(Date d)
Parameters:
d : date
Return:
true if and only if the instant represented by this Date object is strictly earlier
than the instant represented by 'when'; else false
Exception:
NullPointerException - if when is null.

Syntax:
public boolean before(Date d)
Parameters:
d : date
Return:
true if and only if the instant represented by this Date object is strictly earlier
than the instant represented by 'when'; else false
Exception:
NullPointerException - if when is null.

Java Code to illustrate the use of after(), clone(), before() methods.
// JAVA program explaining Date class methods// after(), clone(), before()import java.util.Date;public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        // create 2 dates        Date date1 = new Date(2016, 11, 18);        Date date2 = new Date(1997, 10, 27);          // Use of after() to check date2 is after date1        boolean a = date2.after(date1);        System.out.println("Is date2 is after date1 : " + a);          // Use of after() to check date2 is after date1        a = date1.after(date2);        System.out.println("Is date1 is after date2 : " + a);        System.out.println("");          // Use of clone() method        Object date3 = date1.clone();        System.out.println("Cloned date3 :" + date3.toString());        System.out.println("");          // Use of before() to check date2 is after date1        boolean b = date2.before(date1);        System.out.println("Is date2 is before date1 : " + a);    }}
Output :
Is date2 is after date1 : false
Is date1 is after date2 : true

Cloned date3 :Mon Dec 18 00:00:00 IST 3916

Is date2 is before date1 : true

.compareTo() : java.util.Date.compareTo() method compares two dates and results in -1, 0 or 1 based on the comparison.Syntax:
public int compareTo(Date argDate)
Parameters:
argDate : another date to compare with
Result:
0  : if the argumented date = given date.
-1 : if the argumented date > given date.
1  : if the argumented date < given date.

Syntax:
public int compareTo(Date argDate)
Parameters:
argDate : another date to compare with
Result:
0  : if the argumented date = given date.
-1 : if the argumented date > given date.
1  : if the argumented date < given date.

.equals() : java.util.Date.equals() method checks whether two dates are equal or not based on their millisecond difference.Syntax:
public boolean equals(Object argDate)
Parameters:
argDate : another date to compare with
Result:
true if both the date are equal; else false.

Syntax:
public boolean equals(Object argDate)
Parameters:
argDate : another date to compare with
Result:
true if both the date are equal; else false.

.getTime() : java.util.Date.getTime() method results in count of milliseconds of the argumented date, referencing January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.Syntax:
public long getTime()
Result:
milliseconds of the argumented date, referencing January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.

Syntax:
public long getTime()
Result:
milliseconds of the argumented date, referencing January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.

Java Code to illustrate the use of compareTo(), getTime(), equals() methods.
// Java program explaining Date class methods// compareTo(), getTime(), equals()import java.util.*;public class NewClass{    public static void main(String[] args)    {        Date d1 = new Date(97, 10, 27);        Date d2 = new Date(97, 6, 12);          // Use of compareto() method        int comparison = d1.compareTo(d2);    // d1 > d2        int comparison2 = d2.compareTo(d1);   // d2 > d1        int comparison3 = d1.compareTo(d1);   // d1 = d1          System.out.println("d1 > d2 : " + comparison);        System.out.println("d1 < d2 : " + comparison2);        System.out.println("d1 = d1 : " + comparison3);        System.out.println("");          // Use of equal() method        boolean r1 = d1.equals(d2);        System.out.println("Result of equal() r1 : " + r1);          boolean r2 = d1.equals(d1);        System.out.println("Result of equal() r2 : " + r2);        System.out.println("");            // Use of getTime() method        long count1 = d1.getTime();        long count2 = d1.getTime();        System.out.println("Milliseconds of d1 : " + count1);        System.out.println("Milliseconds of d2 : " + count2);    }}
Output :
d1 > d2 : 1
d1 < d2 : -1
d1 = d1 : 0

Result of equal() r1 : false
Result of equal() r2 : true

Milliseconds of d1 : 880569000000
Milliseconds of d2 : 880569000000

This article is contributed by Mohit Gupta. If you like GeeksforGeeks and would like to contribute, you can also write an article using write.geeksforgeeks.org or mail your article to review-team@geeksforgeeks.org. See your article appearing on the GeeksforGeeks main page and help other Geeks.
Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above.
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