date

date -- format a local time/date

Description

string date(string format, int [timestamp] );

Returns a string formatted according to the given format string using the given timestamp or the current local time if no timestamp is given.

The following characters are recognized in the format string:

Unrecognized characters in the format string will be printed as-is. The "Z" format will always return "0" when using gmdate()().

Example 1. date() example

print (date("l dS of F Y h:i:s A"));
print ("July 1, 2000 is on a " . date("l", mktime(0,0,0,7,1,2000)));
      

It is possible to use date() and mktime() together to find dates in the future or the past.

Example 2. date() and mktime() example

$tomorrow  = mktime(0,0,0,date("m")  ,date("d")+1,date("Y"));
$lastmonth = mktime(0,0,0,date("m")-1,date("d"),  date("Y"));
$nextyear  = mktime(0,0,0,date("m"),  date("d",   date("Y")+1);
      

To format dates in other languages, you should use the setlocale() and strftime() functions.

See also gmdate() and mktime().