How do I determine if a date falls between two dates?

Java provides different ways to determine if a certain date falls within a specified range. In this article, we’ll look at examples using the old java.util.Date and java.util.Calendar classes, as well as the newer Java Date Time API.

Using `java.util.Date` and `java.util.Calendar`

Before Java 8, you’d have to use Date or Calendar to work with dates:

package org.kodejava.datetime;

import java.util.Calendar;

public class CheckDateRange {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Calendar start = Calendar.getInstance();
        start.set(2024, Calendar.JANUARY, 1);
        Calendar end = Calendar.getInstance();
        end.set(2024, Calendar.DECEMBER, 31);
        Calendar target = Calendar.getInstance();
        target.set(2024, Calendar.JUNE, 15);

        if ((target.after(start) || target.equals(start)) &&
            (target.before(end) || target.equals(end))) {
            System.out.println("The date is within the range.");
        } else {
            System.out.println("The date is not within the range.");
        }
    }
}

The disadvantage with this approach is the excessive verbosity and error-prone copy-pasting necessary for setting up the Calendar instances.

The Java 8 Way – Using `java.time.LocalDate`

Java 8 introduced the new Java Date Time API, which replaced the inconsistent Date and Calendar classes with the more intuitive LocalDate, LocalTime, LocalDateTime, and ZonedDateTime. Here’s the same task performed using LocalDate:

package org.kodejava.datetime;

import java.time.LocalDate;

public class AnotherCheckDateRange {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        LocalDate startDate = LocalDate.of(2024, 1, 1);
        LocalDate endDate = LocalDate.of(2024, 12, 31);
        LocalDate targetDate = LocalDate.of(2024, 6, 15);

        if ((!targetDate.isBefore(startDate)) && (!targetDate.isAfter(endDate))) {
            System.out.println("The date is within the range.");
        } else {
            System.out.println("The date is not within the range.");
        }
    }
}

In this code, startDate and endDate define the range of dates. The targetDate is the date you want to check.

The isBefore() method returns true if the targetDate is before the startDate, and the isAfter() method returns true if the targetDate is after the endDate. So, if targetDate is not before the startDate and not after the endDate, it means that the targetDate is between startDate and endDate (inclusive). If the targetDate is exactly the same as startDate or endDate, this condition will also return true.

This simplified API requires significantly less code and eliminates a number of potential bugs and inconsistencies.

Conclusion

The older java.util.Date and java.util.Calendar facilities for working with dates are widely considered difficult to use and error-prone. While they work for simple tasks, the newer Java Date Time API is recommended for all new applications due to its simplicity, consistency, and flexibility. It aligns with ISO standards and covers a comprehensive range of use-cases needed for date-time calculations. Migrating from older APIs to Java 8 Date Time API is likely advantageous for most projects.

Author
Recent Posts

Wayan

Founder at Kode Java

A programmer, runner and recreational diver, lives on the island of Bali, Indonesia. Programming in Java, Spring Framework, Hibernate / JPA, MySQL. To support me working on this project, buy me a cup of coffee, every little bit helps. Thank you.

Using java.util.Date and java.util.Calendar

The Java 8 Way – Using java.time.LocalDate

Conclusion

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Using `java.util.Date` and `java.util.Calendar`

The Java 8 Way – Using `java.time.LocalDate`