How to Convert Datetime to String in Python

The strftime() function converts a datetime object (representing the current date and time) into a string based on a specified format.

Example 1: datetime to string

Visual Representation

Visual Representation of Python Convert Datetime to String using strftime() function

from datetime import datetime

# Create a datetime object
current_date_time = datetime.now()
print(current_date_time)
print(type(current_date_time))

# Specify the format for the string
format = "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"

# Convert the datetime object to a string
datetime_string = current_date_time.strftime(format)

print(datetime_string)
print(type(datetime_string))

Output

2023-10-18 21:18:57.148694
<class 'datetime.datetime'>
2023-10-18 21:18:57
<class 'str'>

Example 2: Extracting and Formatting Individual Date and Time

Current day

Current day

Current month

Current month

Current year

Current year

 

Current time

Current Time

 

Current date and time

Current date and time

from datetime import datetime

# current date and time
current_date_time = datetime.now()

# current day
day = current_date_time.strftime("%d")
print("day:", day)

# current month
month = current_date_time.strftime("%m")
print("month:", month)

# current year
year = current_date_time.strftime("%Y")
print("year:", year)

# current time
time = current_date_time.strftime("%H:%M:%S")
print("time:", time)

# current date and time
date_time = current_date_time.strftime("%m/%d/%Y, %H:%M:%S")
print("date and time:", date_time)

Output

Output of Python program to convert datetime to string 

Table of the date and time component

Format Code Description Example Output
%Y Year with century 2023
%y Year without century 23
%m Month as a zero-padded number 10
%B Full month name October
%b Abbreviated month name Oct
%d Day of the month as a zero-padded number 18
%A Full weekday name Wednesday
%a Abbreviated weekday name Wed
%H Hour (24-hour clock) as a zero-padded number 21
%I Hour (12-hour clock) as a zero-padded number 09
%p AM or PM PM
%M Minute as a zero-padded number 18
%S Second as a zero-padded number 57
%Z Time zone name IST
%z UTC offset +0530
%c Locale’s appropriate date and time Wed Oct 18 21:18:57 2023 IST
%x Locale’s appropriate date 10/18/23
%X Locale’s appropriate time 21:18:57

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Python string to datetime

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