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Date & Time ​

class Cake\I18n\DateTime

If you need TimeHelper functionalities outside of a View, use the DateTime class:

php
use Cake\I18n\DateTime;

class UsersController extends AppController
{
    public function initialize(): void
    {
        parent::initialize();
        $this->loadComponent('Authentication.Authentication');
    }

    public function afterLogin()
    {
        $identity = $this->Authentication->getIdentity();
        $time = new DateTime($identity->date_of_birth);
        if ($time->isToday()) {
            // Greet user with a happy birthday message
            $this->Flash->success(__('Happy birthday to you...'));
        }
    }
}

Under the hood, CakePHP uses Chronos to power its DateTime utility. Anything you can do with Chronos and PHP's DateTimeImmutable, you can do with DateTime.

For more details on Chronos please see the API documentation.

Creating DateTime Instances ​

DateTime are immutable objects as immutability prevents accidental changes to data, and avoids order based dependency issues.

There are a few ways to create DateTime instances:

php
use Cake\I18n\DateTime;

// Create from a string datetime.
$time = DateTime::createFromFormat(
    'Y-m-d H:i:s',
    '2021-01-31 22:11:30',
    'America/New_York'
);

// Create from a timestamp and set timezone
$time = DateTime::createFromTimestamp(1612149090, 'America/New_York');

// Get the current time.
$time = DateTime::now();

// Or just use 'new'
$time = new DateTime('2021-01-31 22:11:30', 'America/New_York');

$time = new DateTime('2 hours ago');

The DateTime class constructor can take any parameter that the internal DateTimeImmutable PHP class can. When passing a number or numeric string, it will be interpreted as a UNIX timestamp.

In test cases, you can mock out now() using setTestNow():

php
// Fixate time.
$time = new DateTime('2021-01-31 22:11:30');
DateTime::setTestNow($time);

// Outputs '2021-01-31 22:11:30'
$now = DateTime::now();
echo $now->i18nFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss');

// Outputs '2021-01-31 22:11:30'
$now = DateTime::parse('now');
echo $now->i18nFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss');

Manipulation ​

Remember, DateTime instance always return a new instance from setters instead of modifying itself:

php
$time = DateTime::now();

// Create and reassign a new instance
$newTime = $time->year(2013)
    ->month(10)
    ->day(31);
// Outputs '2013-10-31 22:11:30'
echo $newTime->i18nFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss');

You can also use the methods provided by PHP's built-in DateTime class:

php
$time = $time->setDate(2013, 10, 31);

Failing to reassign the new DateTime instances will result in the original, unmodified instance being used:

php
$time->year(2013)
    ->month(10)
    ->day(31);
// Outputs '2021-01-31 22:11:30'
echo $time->i18nFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss');

You can create another instance with modified dates, through subtraction and addition of their components:

php
$time = DateTime::create(2021, 1, 31, 22, 11, 30);
$newTime = $time->subDays(5)
    ->addHours(-2)
    ->addMonth(1);
// Outputs '2/26/21, 8:11 PM'
echo $newTime;

// Using strtotime strings.
$newTime = $time->modify('+1 month -5 days -2 hours');
// Outputs '2/26/21, 8:11 PM'
echo $newTime;

You can get the internal components of a date by accessing its properties:

php
$time = DateTime::create(2021, 1, 31, 22, 11, 30);
echo $time->year; // 2021
echo $time->month; // 1
echo $time->day; // 31
echo $time->timezoneName; // America/New_York

Formatting ​

This method sets the default format used when converting an object to json:

php
DateTime::setJsonEncodeFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss');  // For any immutable DateTime
Date::setJsonEncodeFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss');  // For any mutable Date

$time = DateTime::parse('2021-01-31 22:11:30');
echo json_encode($time);   // Outputs '2021-01-31 22:11:30'

Date::setJsonEncodeFormat(static function($time) {
    return $time->format(DATE_ATOM);
});

NOTE

This method must be called statically.

NOTE

Be aware that this is not a PHP Datetime string format! You need to use a ICU date formatting string as specified in the following resource: https://unicode-org.github.io/icu/userguide/format_parse/datetime/#datetime-format-syntax.

Changed in version 4.1.0

The callable parameter type was added.

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::i18nFormat($format = null, $timezone = null, $locale = null)

A very common thing to do with Time instances is to print out formatted dates. CakePHP makes this a snap:

php
$time = DateTime::parse('2021-01-31 22:11:30');

// Prints a localized datetime stamp. Outputs '1/31/21, 10:11 PM'
echo $time;

// Outputs '1/31/21, 10:11 PM' for the en-US locale
echo $time->i18nFormat();

// Use the full date and time format. Outputs 'Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 10:11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL);

// Use full date but short time format. Outputs 'Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 10:11 PM'
echo $time->i18nFormat([\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, \IntlDateFormatter::SHORT]);

// Outputs '2021-Jan-31 22:11:30'
echo $time->i18nFormat('yyyy-MMM-dd HH:mm:ss');

It is possible to specify the desired format for the string to be displayed. You can either pass IntlDateFormatter constants as the first argument of this function, or pass a full ICU date formatting string as specified in the following resource: https://unicode-org.github.io/icu/userguide/format_parse/datetime/#datetime-format-syntax.

You can also format dates with non-gregorian calendars:

php
// On ICU version 66.1
$time = DateTime::create(2021, 1, 31, 22, 11, 30);

// Outputs 'Sunday, Bahman 12, 1399 AP at 10:11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, null, 'en-IR@calendar=persian');

// Outputs 'Sunday, January 31, 3 Reiwa at 10:11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, null, 'en-JP@calendar=japanese');

// Outputs 'Sunday, Twelfth Month 19, 2020(geng-zi) at 10:11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, null, 'en-CN@calendar=chinese');

// Outputs 'Sunday, Jumada II 18, 1442 AH at 10:11:30 PM Eastern Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, null, 'en-SA@calendar=islamic');

The following calendar types are supported:

  • japanese
  • buddhist
  • chinese
  • persian
  • indian
  • islamic
  • hebrew
  • coptic
  • ethiopic

NOTE

For constant strings i.e. IntlDateFormatter::FULL Intl uses ICU library that feeds its data from CLDR (https://cldr.unicode.org/) which version may vary depending on PHP installation and give different results.

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::nice()

Print out a predefined 'nice' format:

php
$time = DateTime::parse('2021-01-31 22:11:30', new \DateTimeZone('America/New_York'));

// Outputs 'Jan 31, 2021, 10:11 PM' in en-US
echo $time->nice();

You can alter the timezone in which the date is displayed without altering the DateTime object itself. This is useful when you store dates in one timezone, but want to display them in a user's own timezone:

php
// Outputs 'Monday, February 1, 2021 at 4:11:30 AM Central European Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, 'Europe/Paris');

// Outputs 'Monday, February 1, 2021 at 12:11:30 PM Japan Standard Time'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, 'Asia/Tokyo');

// Timezone is unchanged. Outputs 'America/New_York'
echo $time->timezoneName;

Leaving the first parameter as null will use the default formatting string:

php
// Outputs '2/1/21, 4:11 AM'
echo $time->i18nFormat(null, 'Europe/Paris');

Finally, it is possible to use a different locale for displaying a date:

php
// Outputs 'lundi 1 février 2021 à 04:11:30 heure normale d’Europe centrale'
echo $time->i18nFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::FULL, 'Europe/Paris', 'fr-FR');

// Outputs '1 févr. 2021 à 04:11'
echo $time->nice('Europe/Paris', 'fr-FR');

Setting the Default Locale and Format String ​

The default locale in which dates are displayed when using nicei18nFormat is taken from the directive intl.default_locale. You can, however, modify this default at runtime:

php
DateTime::setDefaultLocale('es-ES');
Date::setDefaultLocale('es-ES');

// Outputs '31 ene. 2021 22:11'
echo $time->nice();

From now on, datetimes will be displayed in the Spanish preferred format unless a different locale is specified directly in the formatting method.

Likewise, it is possible to alter the default formatting string to be used for i18nFormat:

php
DateTime::setToStringFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::SHORT); // For any DateTime
Date::setToStringFormat(\IntlDateFormatter::SHORT); // For any Date

// The same method exists on Date, and DateTime
DateTime::setToStringFormat([
    \IntlDateFormatter::FULL,
    \IntlDateFormatter::SHORT
]);
// Outputs 'Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 10:11 PM'
echo $time;

// The same method exists on Date and DateTime
DateTime::setToStringFormat("EEEE, MMMM dd, yyyy 'at' KK:mm:ss a");
// Outputs 'Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 10:11:30 PM'
echo $time;

It is recommended to always use the constants instead of directly passing a date format string.

NOTE

Be aware that this is not a PHP Datetime string format! You need to use a ICU date formatting string as specified in the following resource: https://unicode-org.github.io/icu/userguide/format_parse/datetime/#datetime-format-syntax.

Formatting Relative Times ​

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::timeAgoInWords(array $options = [])

Often it is useful to print times relative to the present:

php
$time = new DateTime('Jan 31, 2021');
// On June 12, 2021, this would output '4 months, 1 week, 6 days ago'
echo $time->timeAgoInWords(
    ['format' => 'MMM d, YYY', 'end' => '+1 year']
);

The end option lets you define at which point after which relative times should be formatted using the format option. The accuracy option lets us control what level of detail should be used for each interval range:

php
// Outputs '4 months ago'
echo $time->timeAgoInWords([
    'accuracy' => ['month' => 'month'],
    'end' => '1 year'
]);

By setting accuracy to a string, you can specify what is the maximum level of detail you want output:

php
$time = new DateTime('+23 hours');
// Outputs 'in about a day'
echo $time->timeAgoInWords([
    'accuracy' => 'day'
]);

Conversion ​

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::toQuarter()

Once created, you can convert DateTime instances into timestamps or quarter values:

php
$time = new DateTime('2021-01-31');
echo $time->toQuarter();  // Outputs '1'
echo $time->toUnixString();  // Outputs '1612069200'

Comparing With the Present ​

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::isYesterday()

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::isThisWeek()

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::isThisMonth()

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::isThisYear()

You can compare a DateTime instance with the present in a variety of ways:

php
$time = new DateTime('+3 days');

debug($time->isYesterday());
debug($time->isThisWeek());
debug($time->isThisMonth());
debug($time->isThisYear());

Each of the above methods will return true/false based on whether or not the DateTime instance matches the present.

Comparing With Intervals ​

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::isWithinNext($interval)

You can see if a DateTime instance falls within a given range using wasWithinLast() and isWithinNext():

php
$time = new DateTime('+3 days');

// Within 2 days. Outputs 'false'
debug($time->isWithinNext('2 days'));

// Within 2 next weeks. Outputs 'true'
debug($time->isWithinNext('2 weeks'));

method Cake\I18n\DateTime::wasWithinLast($interval)

You can also compare a DateTime instance within a range in the past:

php
$time = new DateTime('-72 hours');

// Within past 2 days. Outputs 'false'
debug($time->wasWithinLast('2 days'));

// Within past 3 days. Outputs 'true'
debug($time->wasWithinLast('3 days'));

// Within past 2 weeks. Outputs 'true'
debug($time->wasWithinLast('2 weeks'));

Date ​

class Cake\I18n\Date

The immutable Date class in CakePHP represents calendar dates unaffected by time and timezones. The Date class wraps the Cake\Chronos\ChronosDate class.

NOTE

Unlike the DateTime class, Date does not extends the DateTimeInterface. So you cannot cannot directly compare a Date instance with a DateTime instance. But you can do comparisons like $dateTime->toNative() > $date->toNative().

Time ​

class Cake\I18n\Time

The Time class represents clock times independent of date or time zones Similar to the DateTime and `Date classes, the Time class is also immutable. It wraps the Cake\Chronos\ChronosTime class.

Accepting Localized Request Data ​

When creating text inputs that manipulate dates, you'll probably want to accept and parse localized datetime strings. See the Parsing Localized Dates.

Supported Timezones ​

CakePHP supports all valid PHP timezones. For a list of supported timezones, see this page.

Released under the MIT License.

Copyright © Cake Software Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.