Prasath M

 

Date and Time Module in Python 

Python provides built-in modules to work with date and time. The most commonly used modules are:

• datetime module – used to work with dates and times.

• time module – used for time-related functions such as delays and timestamps.

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1. datetime Module

The datetime module helps to get the current date, time, and perform date calculations.

Importing the module

import datetime

Example: Display Current Date and Time

import datetime

now = datetime.datetime.now()
print("Current Date and Time:", now)

Output (example):

Current Date and Time: 2026-03-09 10:30:15.234567

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Example: Display Only Current Date

from datetime import date

today = date.today()
print("Today's Date:", today)

Output:

Today's Date: 2026-03-09

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Example: Formatting Date and Time

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
formatted = now.strftime("%d-%m-%Y %H:%M:%S")
print("Formatted Date and Time:", formatted)

Output:

Formatted Date and Time: 09-03-2026 10:35:20

Common Format Codes:

Code	Meaning
%d	Day
%m	Month
%Y	Year
%H	Hour
%M	Minute
%S	Second

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2. time Module

The time module is used for time operations and program delays.

Importing the module

import time

Example: Display Current Time

import time

print("Current Time:", time.ctime())

Output:

Current Time: Mon Mar 9 10:40:25 2026

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Example: Pause Execution using sleep()

import time

print("Start")
time.sleep(3)
print("End after 3 seconds")

This program pauses for 3 seconds before printing the next line.

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Summary Table

Module	Function	Purpose
datetime	datetime.now()	Current date and time
datetime	date.today()	Current date
datetime	strftime()	Format date and time
time	ctime()	Display current time
time	sleep()	Pause program execution

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Conclusion:
The datetime and time modules help Python programs handle dates, times, formatting, and delays, which are useful in applications like scheduling, logging, and timers.