How do I get the current date in JavaScript?

To get the current date and time in JavaScript, use the Date object. Here’s how to retrieve and format it:

1. Basic Current Date/Time

const currentDate = new Date();
console.log(currentDate); 
// Output: Tue Aug 24 2024 15:30:45 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)

2. Get Specific Date Components

Extract parts of the date (month is 0-indexed):

const year = currentDate.getFullYear();   // 2024
const month = currentDate.getMonth() + 1; // 8 (August is month 8, not 7!)
const day = currentDate.getDate();        // 24
const hours = currentDate.getHours();     // 15
const minutes = currentDate.getMinutes(); // 30

3. Format as a String

ISO Format (YYYY-MM-DD)

const isoDate = currentDate.toISOString().split('T')[0]; // "2024-08-24"

Custom Format (MM/DD/YYYY)

const formattedDate = 
  `${(month).toString().padStart(2, '0')}/${day.toString().padStart(2, '0')}/${year}`;
// "08/24/2024"

Locale-Specific Format

const localeDate = currentDate.toLocaleDateString('en-US'); // "8/24/2024"
const euDate = currentDate.toLocaleDateString('de-DE');     // "24.8.2024"

4. UTC Date/Time

Get the date in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time):

const utcYear = currentDate.getUTCFullYear();   // 2024
const utcMonth = currentDate.getUTCMonth() + 1; // 8
const utcDay = currentDate.getUTCDate();        // 24

5. Timestamp (Milliseconds Since Epoch)

const timestamp = Date.now(); // 1724513445000 (useful for comparisons)

Key Notes

• Month Index: Months are 0-indexed (January = 0, December = 11). Add +1 for display.
• Zero-Padding: Use .padStart(2, '0') to format values like 05 instead of 5.
• Time Zones: Use getUTC*() methods for universal time or toLocaleString() for localization.
• Date Libraries: For advanced formatting, consider libraries like:
• date-fns (lightweight)
• moment.js (legacy, but feature-rich)

Full Example

const today = new Date();
console.log(`Today is ${today.toLocaleDateString('en-US', { 
  weekday: 'long', 
  year: 'numeric', 
  month: 'long', 
  day: 'numeric' 
})}`);
// Output: "Today is Saturday, August 24, 2024"

Use these methods to handle dates in forms, logs, or dynamic UIs!