How to Parse the Date Format '2011-08-12T20:17:46.384Z' in Java?

Understanding the Date Format: 2011-08-12T20:17:46.384Z

The provided date format, "2011-08-12T20:17:46.384Z," poses a challenge when attempting to parse it using Java 1.4's DateFormat.getDateInstance().parse(dateStr). This issue stems from the unfamiliar character "T" within the string.

Breaking Down the Date Format

To parse this date format correctly, it's crucial to understand its components:

• "2011-08-12": This portion represents the date in "yyyy-MM-dd" format.
• "T": This character separates the date from the time.
• "20:17:46.384": This portion represents the time in "HH:mm:ss.SSS" format.
• "Z": This character indicates that the time is in "Zulu time" or UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

Using SimpleDateFormat for Parsing

To parse this date format using SimpleDateFormat, you can employ the following code:

SimpleDateFormat format = new SimpleDateFormat(
    "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSS'Z'", Locale.US);
format.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"));

By using this format, you can accurately parse the date string and obtain the corresponding Date object.

Alternative Parsing Options

Besides SimpleDateFormat, you can also leverage Joda Time for parsing this date format. Using the ISODateTimeFormat.dateTime() method provides a convenient way to parse dates in ISO 8601 format, which encompasses the provided date string.

It's important to note that the "T" character is commonly used as a separator between the date and time components in ISO 8601 format. Additionally, the "Z" character signifies a zero hour offset, indicating UTC or Zulu time. Therefore, when encountering this date format in the future, you can confidently use the abovementioned parsing methods to extract the corresponding Date object effectively.

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