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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Choose the parser based on the input format and the object you need: use date.fromisoformat() for a supported ISO date, datetime.fromisoformat() for a supported ISO timestamp, and strptime() when the input follows a known custom layout. The result is a Python date or datetime object you can compare, sort, validate, or use in date arithmetic.
Choose a parser and result type
A date represents a calendar date without a time. A datetime represents a date and time, and can also carry timezone information. Choose the output type that matches what the string actually means; converting a date-only value to a datetime does not add meaningful time-zone information.
| Input and desired result | Method | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Supported ISO date, date only | date.fromisoformat(value) |
Returns a date; only documented ISO forms are accepted. |
| Supported ISO timestamp | datetime.fromisoformat(value) |
Returns a datetime and retains supported time and timezone fields. |
| Known custom layout, date only | date.strptime(value, format) |
The format must describe the input; a mismatch raises ValueError. |
| Known custom layout, date and time | datetime.strptime(value, format) |
The format must describe the input; format-code support can vary by platform. |
Parse an ISO date string
For an ISO date such as 2024-07-15, use date.fromisoformat():
from datetime import date
parsed_date = date.fromisoformat("2024-07-15")
print(parsed_date) # 2024-07-15
print(type(parsed_date)) # <class 'datetime.date'>The method also accepts documented forms such as compact dates (YYYYMMDD) and ISO week dates. It does not accept every representation that might be called ISO: reduced-precision dates such as YYYY-MM or YYYY, extended signed six-digit years, and ordinal dates such as YYYY-OOO are excluded by the Python reference. See the Python 3.14.7 datetime documentation for the accepted forms.
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Parse an ISO timestamp, including a timezone
Use datetime.fromisoformat() when the string includes a time. For example, this timestamp has a UTC offset:
from datetime import datetime
parsed_datetime = datetime.fromisoformat("2024-07-15T09:30:00+00:00")
print(parsed_datetime)
print(parsed_datetime.tzinfo)Supported inputs can include the Z UTC designator or a numeric offset; when present in a supported form, the timezone information is preserved in the resulting datetime. Do not assume the method accepts every ISO 8601 variant: check the documentation against the actual input shape, especially if data comes from another system.
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Parse a known custom format with `strptime()`
When the input uses a known layout rather than a supported ISO form, describe that layout with format directives. For example, parse a day/month/year string as a date-time object like this:
from datetime import datetime
parsed_datetime = datetime.strptime("15/07/2024", "%d/%m/%Y")
print(parsed_datetime)Use date.strptime(value, format) for a date-only result, or datetime.strptime(value, format) when you need a date and time. The format must match the input; a mismatch raises ValueError. Python relies on the platform C library for strptime() format codes, so code availability and behavior may differ across platforms. The supported directives are listed in the Python datetime reference.
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Handle invalid or ambiguous input
A parser cannot determine what an ambiguous string is supposed to mean. For example, 03/04/2024 could mean March 4 or April 3, depending on the source convention. Define the expected layout from the data contract or source system, then use an explicit format rather than guessing from appearance.
Parsing can fail when a value is malformed or does not match its declared format. Catch ValueError at the boundary where untrusted input enters your program, and decide whether to reject, report, or otherwise handle that record:
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from datetime import datetime
value = "31/02/2024"
try:
parsed = datetime.strptime(value, "%d/%m/%Y")
except ValueError as error:
print(f"Invalid date: {error}")Account for Python version and partial dates
`fromisoformat()` support changed in Python 3.11
The Python 3.14.7 documentation notes that date.fromisoformat() expanded beyond its earlier YYYY-MM-DD-only behavior in Python 3.11. datetime.fromisoformat() also broadened in Python 3.11 beyond forms that could be produced by isoformat(). If your code must run on older Python versions, restrict inputs to the forms supported by those versions.
Month/day strings without a year need special care
A month/day string such as 02/29 has no year to establish whether the date exists. The default year used by strptime() is not a leap year, so parsing February 29 without supplying a year can fail. If the data omits the year, choose and supply an explicit year appropriate to your handling; the Python documentation demonstrates a leap year such as 1984.
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Python 3.13 added a deprecation warning for datetime.strptime() formats that specify a day without a year. The documentation says these forms may raise an error in Python 3.15. Include a year in the parsed input or provide one explicitly to avoid relying on this partial-date behavior.
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