How to Compare Dates in JavaScript

How to Compare Dates in JavaScript

3 min read · 457 words · Shared August 21, 2021 by

Article Summary: How to compare 2 or more dates in JavaScript using the getTime method. getTime definition and usage.

Introduction

Back in the day when JavaScript was introduced, it didn’t have any specific date data type. But later, the date data type was introduced in JavaScript and that’s when developers started to look around for ways to compare dates in JavaScript.

If you are also looking for ways to compare different dates, you are at the right place. Besides that, even if you were just exploring the topic, it is recommended to go through this guide because at some point in your programming career as you will need to compare dates.

In this guide, I’m going to explain the simplest and most functional method to compare dates in JavaScript.

Simplest Method to Compare Dates

In order to compare dates, you have to convert the data type values to numerical values. You can do that using the built in method getTime().

getTime Method Definition

getTime() returns the number of milliseconds since midnight, January 1, 1970, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

getTime Usage

Once you have successfully converted the dates values to numeric values, you can use the comparison operator such as >, <, etc.

Refer the script below for better understanding:

var date1 = new Date(2021 - 08 - 21);
var date2 = new Date(2020 - 09 - 21);

if (date1.getTime() > date2.getTime())
    console.log("First date is greater than Second Date");

else if (date1.getTime() < date2.getTime())
    console.log("First date is lesser than Second date");

else
    console.log("Both the dates are same");
Output
First date is greater than Second Date

Refer the script below for more understanding:

var date1 = new Date(2021, 08, 21, 12, 15, 20); // Year, Month, Day, Hour, Minute, Second
var date2 = new Date(2020, 09, 21, 11, 23, 18); // September 21, 2020, 11:23:18 AM

if (date1.getTime() > date2.getTime())
    console.log("First date is greater than Second date");

else if (date1.getTime() < date2.getTime())
    console.log("Second Date is greater than First date");

else
    console.log("Both the dates are same");
Output
First date is greater than Second date

Final Notes

In this guide, you have learned how to compare dates in JavaScript. Now, let's quickly recap everything that we have read so far.

  1. First, you need to convert the dates to numeric values.
  2. Secondly, you have to use the basic comparison operators to compare the numeric dates.

Based on the comparison, you can print the desirable output, or use the values however you want!

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Related Tags

    #javascript

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On This Page

Introduction

Simplest Method to Compare Dates

getTime Method Definition

getTime Usage

Final Notes

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