Kotlin:
Getting the current date

How to:

Using Standard Kotlin

Kotlin does not have its own date and time API, but relies on the Java Standard Library for this functionality. Here’s how you can get the current date:

import java.time.LocalDate

fun main() {
    val today = LocalDate.now()
    println("Today's Date: $today")
}

Sample output:

Today's Date: 2023-04-05

Using java.util.Date

For operations that require both the date and time, you might prefer java.util.Date.

import java.util.Date

fun main() {
    val currentDate = Date()
    println("Current Date and Time: $currentDate")
}

Sample output:

Current Date and Time: Wed Apr 05 15:20:45 GMT 2023

Using Joda-Time Library

Before Java 8 introduced a new Date and Time API, Joda-Time was the de-facto standard for date-time operations in Java and Kotlin. Even though it’s no longer necessary for many projects, some may still use it for legacy reasons or personal preference.

Add the Joda-Time library to your project’s build.gradle file:

implementation 'joda-time:joda-time:2.10.10'

import org.joda.time.LocalDate

fun main() {
    val today = LocalDate.now()
    println("Today's Date: $today")
}

Sample output:

Today's Date: 2023-04-05

Using ThreeTenABP for Android

For Android development, using the backport of the Java Time API via the ThreeTen Android Backport Project is recommended for versions before Android API Level 26.

Add the dependency to your app’s build.gradle file:

implementation 'com.jakewharton.threetenabp:threetenabp:1.3.1'

Initialize it in your Application class:

import android.app.Application
import com.jakewharton.threetenabp.AndroidThreeTen

class MyApp : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        AndroidThreeTen.init(this)
    }
}

Then, you can use it like this:

import org.threeten.bp.LocalDate

fun main() {
    val today = LocalDate.now()
    println("Today's Date: $today")
}

Sample output:

Today's Date: 2023-04-05