Java 8 Difference Between Two Dates

Java examples to calculate the difference between two dates in Java 8. First we will learn to calculate the difference using Jodatime API which was available even before Java 8 release. If you are still not using Java 8, then JodaTime should be your first choice.

Later 3 methods are using new date time API features available since Java 8.

1. JodaTime – Difference between two dates [Before Java 8]

Maven

<dependency>
    <groupId>joda-time</groupId>
    <artifactId>joda-time</artifactId>
    <version>2.10</version>
</dependency>

Example

As you all prefer readability, I will suggest to use Jodatime library (which actually inspired Java 8 date/time APIs). e.g.

public void difference_between_two_dates_duration_Joda()
 {
     DateTime dateOfBirth = new DateTime(1988, 7, 4, 0, 0, GregorianChronology.getInstance());
     DateTime currentDate = new DateTime();
     Days diffInDays = Days.daysBetween(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
     Hours diffInHours = Hours.hoursBetween(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
     Minutes diffInMinutes = Minutes.minutesBetween(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
     Seconds seconds = Seconds.secondsBetween(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
 }

2. Java 8 – Difference between two dates

Java Dates have always been lacking enough support to express date and time periods in effective way. Java 8 made first attempt to upgrade this date/time API. If you are using java 8 in your project, then definitely use either of below given ways to calculate date/time differences between two dates.

2.1. java.time.Period example to know the difference in days/months/years

Java program to get difference between two dates in days using Period class.

LocalDate endofCentury = LocalDate.of(2014, 01, 01);
LocalDate now = LocalDate.now();

Period diff = Period.between(endofCentury, now);

System.out.printf("Difference is %d years, %d months and %d days old", 
					diff.getYears(), diff.getMonths(), diff.getDays());

2.2. java.time.temporal.ChronoUnit example to know the difference in days/months/years

Java program to get difference between two dates in months using ChronoUnit class.

public void difference_between_two_dates_java8()
{
     LocalDate dateOfBirth = LocalDate.of(1980, Month.JULY, 4);
     LocalDate currentDate = LocalDate.now();
     long diffInDays = ChronoUnit.DAYS.between(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
     long diffInMonths = ChronoUnit.MONTHS.between(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
     long diffInYears = ChronoUnit.YEARS.between(dateOfBirth, currentDate);
}

You can use ChronoUnit to know the difference in smaller time units e.g. milliseconds, minutes etc. But in that case, you will have to use LocalDateTime in place of LocalDate as used in first example.

public void difference_between_two_dates_duration()
 {
     LocalDateTime dateTime = LocalDateTime.of(1988, 7, 4, 0, 0);
     LocalDateTime dateTime2 = LocalDateTime.now();
     long diffInNano = ChronoUnit.NANOS.between(dateTime, dateTime2);
     long diffInSeconds = ChronoUnit.SECONDS.between(dateTime, dateTime2);
     long diffInMilli = ChronoUnit.MILLIS.between(dateTime, dateTime2);
     long diffInMinutes = ChronoUnit.MINUTES.between(dateTime, dateTime2);
     long diffInHours = ChronoUnit.HOURS.between(dateTime, dateTime2);
 }

2.3. java.time.Duration example to know the difference in millis/seconds/minutes etc

Java program to get difference between two dates in millis using Duration class.

public void difference_between_two_dates_duration()
 {
     LocalDateTime dateTime = LocalDateTime.of(1988, 7, 4, 0, 0);
     LocalDateTime dateTime2 = LocalDateTime.now();
    int diffInNano = java.time.Duration.between(dateTime, dateTime2).getNano();
     long diffInSeconds = java.time.Duration.between(dateTime, dateTime2).getSeconds();
     long diffInMilli = java.time.Duration.between(dateTime, dateTime2).toMillis();
     long diffInMinutes = java.time.Duration.between(dateTime, dateTime2).toMinutes();
     long diffInHours = java.time.Duration.between(dateTime, dateTime2).toHours();
 }

Above all 3 ways have enough readability as well as flexibility to know the difference between date in multiple time units. Feel free to use above programs to usecase such as calculate number of days between two dates in java.

Happy Learning !!