Python: Convert a date to Unix timestamp

Last update on December 21 2024 07:27:41 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

Write a Python program to convert a date to a Unix timestamp.

Sample Solution:

Python Code:

# Import the datetime module
import datetime
# Import the time module
import time
# Create a datetime object representing February 25, 2016, at 23:23 (11:23 PM)
dt = datetime.datetime(2016, 2, 25, 23, 23)
# Print an empty line
print()
# Print the Unix timestamp corresponding to the datetime object 'dt'
print("Unix Timestamp: ",(time.mktime(dt.timetuple())))
# Print an empty line
print()

Output:

Unix Timestamp:  1456422780.0 

Explanation:

In the exercise above,

• The code imports the "datetime" module, which provides classes for manipulating dates and times.
• It also imports the "time" module, which provides functions for working with time-related tasks.
• It creates a "datetime" object named "dt" representing the date and time February 25, 2016, at 11:23 PM (23:23).
• It calculates the Unix timestamp corresponding to the "datetime" object "dt" using the "mktime()" function from the "time" module, which converts a "struct_time" object to a Unix timestamp.
• It prints the Unix timestamp along with a descriptive string indicating what it represents.

Flowchart:

Python Code Editor:

Contribute your code and comments through Disqus.

Previous: Write a Python program to display the date and time in a human-friendly string.
Next: Write a Python program to calculate two date difference in seconds.