Python arrow module

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Python arrow module enables date-time manipulations. It helps create instances and manipulate the timestamp accordingly.

It shows a user-friendly approach to deal with the date-time conversions.

Features:

  • Arrow module is supported by Python 2.7 and higher versions.
  • Time-zone aware
  • Parses the string automatically
  • Full level implementation

Installing the arrow module:

pip install arrow

Pip Arrow Install Command
pip-arrow Install Command

Access the current timings of particular timezone

Example: To print the current timings of UTC, IST, and local timezone.

import arrow
utc = arrow.utcnow()
print('UTC Time =', utc)

ist = arrow.now('Asia/Calcutta')
print('IST Time =', ist)
print('tzinfo =', ist.tzinfo)

local_time = arrow.now()
print('Local Time =', local_time)

Output:

Output Timezone Conversion
Output- Timezone Conversion

Conversion of timezone

Python arrow module provides to() function to convert time-zones.

import arrow

ist = arrow.now('Asia/Calcutta')
print('IST Time =', ist)


pst = ist.to('US/Pacific')
print('PST Time =', pst)

Output:

Output Timezone Conversion 1
Output-Timezone Conversion

How to get the date from timestamp?

import arrow
local = arrow.now()
print('Current Local Time =', local)
print('Current Local Timestamp =', local.timestamp)
date = arrow.get(local.timestamp)
print('Date from Timestamp =', date)

Output:

Output Date From Timezone
Output-Date From Timezone

Formatting Date using arrow module

The format method is used to manipulate and format the given date according to the user’s choice.

Example 1: To format date in YYYY-MM-DD format

import arrow
local = arrow.now()

result = local.format('YYYY-MM-DD')
print(result)

Output:

2020-01-02

Example 2: To format date in YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss format 

import arrow
local = arrow.now()

result = local.format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss')
print(result)

Output:

2020-01-02 14:12:11

Parsing of Date to String

import arrow
date = arrow.get('2013-05-05 12:30:45', 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss')
print(date)

Output:

2013-05-05T12:30:45+00:00

How to instantiate date from passed arguments?

import arrow

date = arrow.get(2020, 1, 2)
print(date)

Output:

2020-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Performing manipulations on date and time

The replace() and shift() methods are used to avail the future and past dates in accordance with the current date.

Example:

import arrow
utc = arrow.utcnow()
print('Current UTC= ', utc)
utc_updated1 = utc.replace(year=2017, month=9)
print('Updated UTC= ', utc_updated1)
utc_updated2 = utc.shift(years=-4, weeks=3)
print('Updated UTC= ', utc_updated2)

Output:

Output Manipulation On Date Time
Output-Manipulation On Date Time

Representation of Date-Time in Human-Friendly format

The humanize() method enables us to provide a human-friendly representation of the date/time in accordance with the current date/time.

humanize() method enables a user to know the amount of time elapsed since the given time.

Example:

import arrow
local = arrow.now()
print(local)
result = local.humanize()
print("Time elapsed: ")
print(result)

Output:

2020-01-02T14:34:40.447432+05:30
Time elapsed:
just now

Conclusion

Thus, in this article, we have understood the functionalities presented by the arrow module. It’s a simple module to work with the date and time having timezone support.

References