# Python strftime() **In this article, you will learn to convert date, time and datetime objects to its equivalent string (with the help of examples)** The `strftime()` method returns a string representing date and time using [date](https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/datetime#date), [time](https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/datetime#time) or [datetime](https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/datetime#datetime) object. ### Example 1: datetime to string using strftime() The program below converts a `datetime` object containing current date and time to different string formats. ``` from datetime import datetime now = datetime.now() # current date and time year = now.strftime("%Y") print("year:", year) month = now.strftime("%m") print("month:", month) day = now.strftime("%d") print("day:", day) time = now.strftime("%H:%M:%S") print("time:", time) date_time = now.strftime("%m/%d/%Y, %H:%M:%S") print("date and time:",date_time) ``` When you run the program, the output will something like be: ``` year: 2018 month: 12 day: 24 time: 04:59:31 date and time: 12/24/2018, 04:59:31 ``` Here, year, day, time and date\_time are strings, whereas now is a `datetime` object. ### How strftime() works? In the above program, `%Y`, `%m`, `%d` etc. are format codes. The `strftime()` method takes one or more format codes as an argument and returns a formatted string based on it. 1. We imported `datetime` class from the `datetime` module. It's because the object of `datetime` class can access `strftime()` method.\ \ ![Import datetime module in Python](https://cdn.programiz.com/sites/tutorial2program/files/import-datetime.jpg)\ \ 2. The `datetime` object containing current date and time is stored in now variable.\ \ ![datetime object containing current date and time](https://cdn.programiz.com/sites/tutorial2program/files/current-date-time.jpg)\ \ 3. The `strftime()` method can be used to create formatted strings.\ \ ![Python strftime() example](https://cdn.programiz.com/sites/tutorial2program/files/python-strftime-format-1.jpg)\ \ 4. The string you pass to the `strftime()` method may contain more than one format codes.\ \ ![Python strftime() example](https://cdn.programiz.com/sites/tutorial2program/files/python-strftime-format-2.jpg)\ ### Example 2: Creating string from a timestamp ``` from datetime import datetime timestamp = 1528797322 date_time = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp) print("Date time object:", date_time) d = date_time.strftime("%m/%d/%Y, %H:%M:%S") print("Output 2:", d) d = date_time.strftime("%d %b, %Y") print("Output 3:", d) d = date_time.strftime("%d %B, %Y") print("Output 4:", d) d = date_time.strftime("%I%p") print("Output 5:", d) ``` When you run the program, the output will be: ``` Date time object: 2018-06-12 09:55:22 Output 2: 06/12/2018, 09:55:22 Output 3: 12 Jun, 2018 Output 4: 12 June, 2018 Output 5: 09AM ``` ### Format Code List The table below shows all the codes that you can pass to the `strftime()` method. | **Directive** | **Meaning** | **Example** | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------ | | `%a` | Abbreviated weekday name. | Sun, Mon, ... | | `%A` | Full weekday name. | Sunday, Monday, ... | | `%w` | Weekday as a decimal number. | 0, 1, ..., 6 | | `%d` | Day of the month as a zero-padded decimal. | 01, 02, ..., 31 | | `%-d` | Day of the month as a decimal number. | 1, 2, ..., 30 | | `%b` | Abbreviated month name. | Jan, Feb, ..., Dec | | `%B` | Full month name. | January, February, ... | | `%m` | Month as a zero-padded decimal number. | 01, 02, ..., 12 | | `%-m` | Month as a decimal number. | 1, 2, ..., 12 | | `%y` | Year without century as a zero-padded decimal number. | 00, 01, ..., 99 | | `%-y` | Year without century as a decimal number. | 0, 1, ..., 99 | | `%Y` | Year with century as a decimal number. | 2013, 2019 etc. | | `%H` | Hour (24-hour clock) as a zero-padded decimal number. | 00, 01, ..., 23 | | `%-H` | Hour (24-hour clock) as a decimal number. | 0, 1, ..., 23 | | `%I` | Hour (12-hour clock) as a zero-padded decimal number. | 01, 02, ..., 12 | | `%-I` | Hour (12-hour clock) as a decimal number. | 1, 2, ... 12 | | `%p` | Locale’s AM or PM. | AM, PM | | `%M` | Minute as a zero-padded decimal number. | 00, 01, ..., 59 | | `%-M` | Minute as a decimal number. | 0, 1, ..., 59 | | `%S` | Second as a zero-padded decimal number. | 00, 01, ..., 59 | | `%-S` | Second as a decimal number. | 0, 1, ..., 59 | | `%f` | Microsecond as a decimal number, zero-padded on the left. | 000000 - 999999 | | `%z` | UTC offset in the form +HHMM or -HHMM. | | | `%Z` | Time zone name. | | | `%j` | Day of the year as a zero-padded decimal number. | 001, 002, ..., 366 | | `%-j` | Day of the year as a decimal number. | 1, 2, ..., 366 | | `%U` | Week number of the year (Sunday as the first day of the week). All days in a new year preceding the first Sunday are considered to be in week 0. | 00, 01, ..., 53 | | `%W` | Week number of the year (Monday as the first day of the week). All days in a new year preceding the first Monday are considered to be in week 0. | 00, 01, ..., 53 | | `%c` | Locale’s appropriate date and time representation. | Mon Sep 30 07:06:05 2013 | | `%x` | Locale’s appropriate date representation. | 09/30/13 | | `%X` | Locale’s appropriate time representation. | 07:06:05 | | `%%` | A literal '%' character. | % | ### Example 3: Locale's appropriate date and time ``` from datetime import datetime timestamp = 1528797322 date_time = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp) d = date_time.strftime("%c") print("Output 1:", d) d = date_time.strftime("%x") print("Output 2:", d) d = date_time.strftime("%X") print("Output 3:", d) ``` When you run the program, the output will be: ``` Output 1: Tue Jun 12 09:55:22 2018 Output 2: 06/12/18 Output 3: 09:55:22 ``` Format codes `%c`, `%x` and `%X` are used for locale's appropriate date and time representation. We also recommend you to check [Python strptime()](https://www.programiz.com/python-programming/datetime/strptime). The `strptime()` method creates a `datetime` object from a string.