Introduction

When developing applications with Dart and Flutter, handling dates and times is a common task. Formatting date and time can be tricky, but Dart provides several ways to do it. In this article, we will explore how to format date and time in Dart/Flutter.

Understanding DateTime Class

The DateTime class in Dart is used to represent a point in time. It has various properties and methods that can be used to manipulate dates and times. To format a DateTime object, we can use the toString() method or other formatting methods provided by the intl package.

Formatting Date and Time

To format date and time in Dart/Flutter, we can use the intl package. First, we need to add the intl package to our pubspec.yaml file. Then, we can use the DateFormat class to format our DateTime object.

“`dart

import ‘package:intl/intl.dart’;

void main() {

DateTime now = DateTime.now();

String formattedDate = DateFormat(‘yyyy-MM-dd’).format(now);

String formattedTime = DateFormat(‘HH:mm:ss’).format(now);

print(‘Formated Date: $formattedDate’);

print(‘Formated Time: $formattedTime’);

}

“`

Common Date and Time Formats

Here are some common date and time formats used in Dart/Flutter:

‘yyyy-MM-dd’ for date in the format of year-month-day
‘HH:mm:ss’ for time in the format of hour-minute-second
‘EEEE, MMMM d, yyyy’ for date in the format of day of week, month, day, year
‘hh:mm a’ for time in the format of hour-minute AM/PM

Custom Date and Time Formats

If we need to use a custom date and time format, we can pass our own format string to the DateFormat constructor.

“`dart

String customFormattedDate = DateFormat(‘EEEE, MMMM d, yyyy’).format(now);

String customFormattedTime = DateFormat(‘hh:mm a’).format(now);

print(‘Custom Formated Date: $customFormattedDate’);

print(‘Custom Formated Time: $customFormattedTime’);

“`

Conclusion

Formatting date and time in Dart/Flutter is straightforward using the intl package. By using the DateFormat class, we can format our DateTime objects in various ways. Remember to add the intl package to your pubspec.yaml file to use the DateFormat class.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I add the intl package to my Flutter project?

You can add the intl package to your Flutter project by adding it to your pubspec.yaml file under dependencies.

2. What is the difference between DateTime and DateFormat?

DateTime is a class used to represent a point in time, while DateFormat is a class used to format DateTime objects.

3. How do I format date and time in 12-hour format?

You can format date and time in 12-hour format by using the ‘hh:mm a’ format string.

4. Can I use custom date and time formats?

Yes, you can use custom date and time formats by passing your own format string to the DateFormat constructor.

5. Is the intl package compatible with all Flutter versions?

The intl package is compatible with most Flutter versions, but make sure to check the package’s documentation for any compatibility issues with your specific version.