Python arrow
last modified January 29, 2024
In this article we show how to work with date and time in Python with arrow module.
Python arrow
Arrow is a Python module for working with date and time. Comparing to the built-in date and time tools, it makes much easier to create, manipulate, format and convert dates, times, and timestamps.
Installing arrow
The arrow module is installed with the following command:
$ sudo pip3 install arrow
We use the pip3 command to install arrow module.
UTC time
There is a pragmatic need for one global time. One global time helps to avoid confusion about time zones and daylight saving time. The UTC (Universal Coordinated time) is the primary time standard. UTC is used in aviation, weather forecasts, flight plans, air traffic control clearances, and maps. Unlike local time, UTC does not change with a change of seasons.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
utc = arrow.utcnow()
print(utc)
print(utc.to('local'))
The UTC time is created with the utcnow function.
print(utc.to('local'))
With the to method, we convert the UTC time to local time.
Local time
Local time is a time in a particular region or time zone.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
now = arrow.now()
print(now)
print(now.to('UTC'))
The local time is created with the now function. The
to method is used to convert the local time into the UTC time.
Parsing time
The get method is used to parse time.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
d1 = arrow.get('2012-06-05 16:20:03', 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss')
print(d1)
d2 = arrow.get(1504384602)
print(d2)
The example parses time from a date and time string and a timestamp.
$ ./parse_time.py 2012-06-05T16:20:03+00:00 2017-09-02T20:36:42+00:00
Unix time
The Unix time is the number of seconds since the Unix epoch. The
timestamp attribute returns the value of time in seconds since 0
hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds, January 1, 1970, Coordinated Universal Time.
#!/usr/bin/python import arrow utc = arrow.utcnow() print(utc) unix_time = utc.timestamp print(unix_time) date = arrow.Arrow.fromtimestamp(unix_time) print(date)
The example prints the local time and the Unix time. Then it converts the Unix time back to the date object.
date = arrow.Arrow.fromtimestamp(unix_time)
With the fromtimestamp method, we convert the Unix time back to the
arrow date object.
2017-09-02T21:57:11.483795+02:00 1504382231 2017-09-02T21:57:11+02:00
It is also possible to format a date to a Unix time.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
utc = arrow.utcnow()
print(utc.format('X'))
By passing the 'X' specifier to the format method,
we print the current local date as the Unix time.
$ ./format2unix.py 1504383196
Formatting date and time
Date and time can be formatted with the format method.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
now = arrow.now()
year = now.format('YYYY')
print("Year: {0}".format(year))
date = now.format('YYYY-MM-DD')
print("Date: {0}".format(date))
date_time = now.format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss')
print("Date and time: {0}".format(date_time))
date_time_zone = now.format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss ZZ')
print("Date and time and zone: {0}".format(date_time_zone))
The example shows local date and time in various formats utilizing
format method.
$ ./formatting.py Year: 2017 Date: 2017-09-02 Date and time: 2017-09-02 22:00:32 Date and time and zone: 2017-09-02 22:00:32 +02:00
Converting to regional time
With the to method, we can convert
the date and time to a regional time.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
utc = arrow.utcnow()
print(utc.to('US/Pacific').format('HH:mm:ss'))
print(utc.to('Europe/Bratislava').format('HH:mm:ss'))
print(utc.to('Europe/Moscow').format('HH:mm:ss'))
The example creates a UTC time and converts it to three regional times.
$ ./converting.py 13:24:06 22:24:06 23:24:06
This is the ouput.
Getting weekday
The weekday of a date can be found with the weekday
or the format method.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
d1 = arrow.get('1948-12-13')
print(d1.weekday())
print(d1.format('dddd'))
The code example gets the weekday of '1948-12-13'.
$ ./weekday.py 0 Monday
On 12th of December 1948, it was Monday.
Shifting time
The shift method is used to shift time.
#!/usr/bin/python import arrow now = arrow.now() print(now.shift(hours=5).time()) print(now.shift(days=5).date()) print(now.shift(years=-8).date())
The example computes the current local time and shifts it three times.
print(now.shift(hours=5).time())
We shift the time forward by five hours.
print(now.shift(days=5).date())
We shift the date by five days forward.
print(now.shift(years=-8).date())
Here, we shift the date by eight years backward.
$ ./shifting.py 03:44:23.100887 2017-09-07 2009-09-02
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks during summer months so that evening daylight lasts longer. The time is adjusted forward one hour in the beginning of spring and adjusted backward in the autumn to standard time.
#!/usr/bin/python
import arrow
now = arrow.now()
print(now.format("YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss ZZ"))
print(now.dst())
The example shows daylight saving time with dst.
$ ./daylightsaving.py 2017-09-02 22:46:37 +02:00 1:00:00
The output shows that the local time was adjusted by one hour.
Humanizing date and time
On social web sites we can often see terms such as 'an hour ago' or '5 min ago',
which provide quick information for humans about when the post was created or
modified. Arrow contains a humanize method to create such terms.
#!/usr/bin/python import arrow now = arrow.now() d1 = now.shift(minutes=-15).humanize() print(d1) d2 = now.shift(hours=5).humanize() print(d2)
The example humanizes two dates.
$ ./humanizing.py 15 minutes ago in 4 hours
Source
In this article we have worked with date and time in Python with the arrow module.
Author
List all Python tutorials.