Datetime Library

Datetime functions for formatting and parsing dates and times. Python-compatible.

import datetime

Available Functions

Functions

datetime.now(format?)

Returns the current local date and time as a formatted string.

Parameters:

• format (optional): Python-style format string (default: “%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S”)

Returns: String

Example:

import datetime

# Current datetime
now = datetime.now()  # "2025-11-26 11:15:54"

# Custom format
now = datetime.now("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")  # "2025-11-26 11:15:54"

datetime.utcnow(format?)

Returns the current UTC date and time as a formatted string.

Parameters:

• format (optional): Python-style format string (default: “%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S”)

Returns: String

Example:

import datetime

# Current UTC datetime
utc_now = datetime.utcnow()  # "2025-11-26 03:15:54"

# Custom format
utc_now = datetime.utcnow("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")  # "2025-11-26 03:15:54"

datetime.today(format?)

Returns today’s date as a formatted string.

Parameters:

• format (optional): Python-style format string (default: “%Y-%m-%d”)

Returns: String

Example:

import datetime

# Today's date
today = datetime.today()  # "2025-11-26"

# Custom format
today = datetime.today("%A, %B %d, %Y")  # "Wednesday, November 26, 2025"

datetime.strptime(date_string, format)

Parses a date string according to the given format and returns a Unix timestamp.

Parameters:

• date_string: String to parse
• format: Python-style format string

Returns: Float (Unix timestamp)

Example:

import datetime

timestamp = datetime.strptime("2024-01-15 10:30:45", "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
# Returns: 1705314645.0

datetime.strftime(format, timestamp)

Formats a Unix timestamp according to the given format string.

Parameters:

• format: Python-style format string
• timestamp: Unix timestamp (integer or float)

Returns: String

Example:

import datetime

formatted = datetime.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", 1705314645.0)
# Returns: "2024-01-15 18:30:45"

datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp, format?)

Creates a formatted datetime string from a Unix timestamp.

Parameters:

• timestamp: Unix timestamp (integer or float)
• format (optional): Python-style format string (default: “%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S”)

Returns: String

Example:

import datetime

dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(1705314645.0)
# Returns: "2024-01-15 18:30:45"

dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(1705314645.0, "%A, %B %d, %Y at %I:%M %p")
# Returns: "Monday, January 15, 2024 at 06:30 PM"

datetime.isoformat(timestamp?)

Returns the date and time in ISO 8601 format.

Parameters:

• timestamp (optional): Unix timestamp (integer or float). Defaults to current time.

Returns: String

Example:

import datetime

# Current time in ISO format
iso = datetime.isoformat()
# Returns: "2025-11-26T12:15:30Z"

# Specific timestamp in ISO format
iso = datetime.isoformat(1705314645.0)
# Returns: "2024-01-15T18:30:45Z"

datetime.timestamp()

Returns the current Unix timestamp.

Parameters: None

Returns: Float (Unix timestamp)

Example:

import datetime

ts = datetime.timestamp()
# Returns: 1732622130.0 (current time as Unix timestamp)

datetime.timedelta(days=0, seconds=0, microseconds=0, milliseconds=0, minutes=0, hours=0, weeks=0)

Creates a timedelta representing a duration and returns the total seconds.

Parameters (all optional, keyword-only):

• days: Number of days
• seconds: Number of seconds
• microseconds: Number of microseconds
• milliseconds: Number of milliseconds
• minutes: Number of minutes
• hours: Number of hours
• weeks: Number of weeks

Returns: Float (total duration in seconds)

Example:

import datetime

# One day in seconds
one_day = datetime.timedelta(days=1)
# Returns: 86400.0

# Two hours
two_hours = datetime.timedelta(hours=2)
# Returns: 7200.0

# Combined duration
duration = datetime.timedelta(days=1, hours=2, minutes=30)
# Returns: 95400.0

# Use with timestamps
now = datetime.timestamp()
tomorrow = now + datetime.timedelta(days=1)
next_week = now + datetime.timedelta(weeks=1)

Format Codes

Notes

• All functions return strings except timestamp() and strptime() which return floats
• Timestamps are Unix timestamps (seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC)
• Format codes follow Python’s strftime/strptime conventions
• Date arithmetic should use standard arithmetic on Unix timestamps (e.g., ts + 86400 for one day)