Time Formatting with strftime Function in Ruby

Time Formatting with strftime Function in Ruby

To implement time formatting with the strftime function in Ruby, we need to follow the following steps:

Steps

• Step1: load the ‘time’ library in your program
   
• Step 2:  Declare time using Time.new() and store it in a variable
   
• Step3: Use the strftime function such that variable.strftime(FormatString)

Example1:

Code

# loading library
require 'time'

NinjaTime=Time.new();

puts "NinjaTime without strftime: #{NinjaTime}\n\n"
puts "NinjaTime using strftime: #{NinjaTime.strftime("%d/%m/%Y %I:%M %p")}\n\n"

You can also try this code with Online Ruby Compiler

Run Code

Output

Explanation
 

In the above code, first, we have declared Time using Time.new() and stored it in a variable, NinjaTime.

Next, we have displayed the time both with and without the strftime function. The parameters, "%d/%m/%Y %I:%M %p", in the strftime function mean:

• %d→date
• %m→month
• %Y→year
• %I→Hour of the day (01…12)
• %M→Minute of the hour
• %p→meridian indicator (AM or PM)

Ruby Strftime Function Sheet

Uses of Strftime Function in Ruby

Some of the major uses of the Strftime Function in Ruby are as follows:
 

• You can use it to format dates and times according to your need. The function helps in enhancing the user interface as it depicts the date in a clear and readable format.
   
• You can use the function to generate time stamps using Time.now. These represent a particular point in time and are used for recording and identifying the time the particular event took place, as shown in the above example.
   
• The strftime function allows formatting dates and times based on the specific region. For example, in the united states, the date is represented as ‘%m/%d/%Y’; in France, it's '%d/%m/%Y'. Therefore it is very flexible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Strftime function in Ruby?

Strftime is a built-in function in Ruby that formats dates and times into strings. It consists of one parameter, i.e., ‘format string’. The format string refers to the collection of special characters and format codes. 

How to use the Strftime function in Ruby?

To use the Strftime function in ruby, you must load the ‘time’ library in your program and declare time. In the strftime function, pass the desired format string.

What is the use of  Strftime function in Ruby?

You can use it to format dates and times according to your need. The function helps in enhancing the user interface as it depicts the date in a clear and readable format. You can also use the function to generate time stamps.

 What is the format for strftime 24 hour time?

Strftime and strptime are the two functions in Ruby that help in formatting date strings. They consist of format directives that are used according to the specific string format.

What is Time class in Ruby?

‘Time’ is a built-in class in Ruby that depicts the date and time.This class allows us to customize and work with real-time data. The time class consists of the method ‘strftime’ used for converting the time object into a string by accepting format string as its parameter.

Conclusion

In this article, we have learned about Time Formatting with strftime Function in Ruby with examples and code; we have also discussed its significant uses. To learn further, refer to the following links:

• Introduction to Ruby
• Methods in Ruby
• Expressions and Operators in Ruby
   

You can read more such descriptive articles on our platform, Coding Ninjas Studio. You will find straightforward explanations of almost every topic on the platform. So take your coding journey to the next level using Coding Ninjas.
 

Happy coding!