How to convert timestamp string to datetime object in Python?

In this article, we will show you how to convert a timestamp string to DateTime object in Python. Below are the various methods to accomplish this task −

• Using datetime.fromtimestamp() function

• Using datetime.fromtimestamp() & strftime

• Using datetime.strptime()

• Convert timestamp to a date time object with format codes with mixed text

Using datetime.fromtimestamp() function

To obtain a date from a UNIX timestamp, use the datetime module's fromtimestamp() function. This function accepts a timestamp as input and returns the datetime object corresponding to that timestamp.

Syntax

fromtimestamp(timestamp, tz=None)

Algorithm (Steps)

Following are the Algorithm/steps to be followed to perform the desired task −

• Use the import keyword to import datetime from datetime module

• Create a variable to store the input timestamp string

• Use the datetime.fromtimestamp() function to convert the input timestamp to datetime object.

• Print resultant datetime object.

• Use the type() function (returns the data type of an object) to print the type of resultant datetime object.

Example

The following program converts the timestamp to datetime object using datetime.fromtimestamp() function −

# importing datetime from datetime module
from datetime import datetime

# input timestamp
timestamp_string = 1345612072

# Converting timestamp to DateTime object
datetime_object = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp_string)

# printing resultant datetime object
print("Resultant datetime object:",datetime_object)

# printing the type of resultant datetime object
print("Type of datetime object:",type(datetime_object))

Output

On executing, the above program will generate the following output −

Resultant datetime object: 2012-08-22 05:07:52
Type of datetime object: 

Using datetime.fromtimestamp() & strftime

Algorithm (Steps)

Following are the Algorithm/steps to be followed to perform the desired task −

• Use the datetime.fromtimestamp() function to convert the timestamp string to datetime object and format it using the strftime() method (returns a string that represents a datetime object based on the format codes).

strftime(format)

• Print the resultant DateTime object.

Example

The following program converts the timestamp to datetime object using datetime.fromtimestamp() function and format it using strftime −

# importing datetime from datetime module
from datetime import datetime

# input timestamp
timestamp_string = 1345612072

# Converting timestamp string to datetime object and formatting it
datetime_object = datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp_string).strftime('%d-%m-%y')

# printing resultant datetime object
print("Resultant datetime object:",datetime_object)

# printing the type of resultant datetime object
print("Type of datetime object:", type(datetime_object))

Output

On executing, the above program will generate the following output −

Resultant datetime object: 22-08-12
Type of datetime object: <class 'str'>

strftime function()

The strftime() function returns a formatted date and time. It accepts a format string that you can use to get the result you want. The following are the directives that it supports.

Using datetime.strptime()

Algorithm (Steps)

Following are the Algorithm/steps to be followed to perform the desired task −

• Create a variable to store the format.

• Use the datetime.strptime() function (formats a time stamp in string format into a date-time object) to convert the timestamp to datetime object by passing the input timestamp and format as arguments to it.

• Print resultant datetime object.

Example

The following program converts the timestamp to datetime object and format it using datetime.strptime() function −

# importing datetime from datetime module
from datetime import datetime

# input timestamp string
timestamp_string = '2013-06-09T11::12::40.356237'

# input format
format = '%Y-%m-%dT%H::%M::%S.%f'

# converting the timestamp string to datetime object
datetime_object = datetime.strptime(timestamp_string, format)

# printing the resultant datetime object
print(datetime_object)

# printing the type of resultant datetime object
print(type(datetime_object))

Output

On executing, the above program will generate the following output −

2013-06-09 11:12:40.356237
<class 'datetime.datetime'>

Convert timestamp to a date time object with format codes with mixed text

Example

The following program convert timestamp in the input mixed text string to a date time object and format it using datetime.strptime() function −

# importing datetime from datetime module
from datetime import datetime

# input text string
textString = "I was born on March 14th 2020 at 4 PM"

# Converting timestamp in the input mixed text string to
# datetime object and formatting it
datetime_object = datetime.strptime(textString, 'I was born on %B %dth %Y at %I %p')

# printing resultant datetime object
print("Resultant datetime object:",datetime_object)

# printing the type of resultant datetime object
print("Type of datetime object:", type(datetime_object))

Output

On executing, the above program will generate the following output −

Resultant datetime object: 2020-03-14 16:00:00
Type of datetime object: <class 'datetime.datetime'>

Conclusion

We studied several methods in this article to convert a given timestamp to a DateTime object in Python. We also learned how to convert a timestamp containing mixed text to a DateTime object.

Related Tutorials: Python Tutorial, Python Date & Time Tutorial

Vikram Chiluka

Updated on: 27-Aug-2023

20K+ Views

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