> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dateformat.md). # DateFormat Formats a datetime, date or time ## Method Signature ``` DateFormat(date=[any], mask=[string], timezone=[string], locale=[string]) ``` ### Arguments | Argument | Type | Required | Description | Default | | ---------- | -------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | | `date` | `any` | `true` | The date string or object | | | `mask` | `string` | `false` |

Optional format mask, or common mask. If an explicit mask is used, it should use the mask characters specified in the
java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter
class. In compatibility mode the legacy CFML mask characters are also supported.
If a common mask is used, the following are supported:
- short: equivalent to "M/d/y h:mm tt"
- medium: equivalent to "MMM d, yyyy h:mm:ss tt"
- long: medium followed by three-letter time zone; i.e. "MMMM d, yyyy h:mm:ss tt zzz"
- full: equivalent to "dddd, MMMM d, yyyy H:mm:ss tt zz"
- ISO8601/ISO: equivalent to "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssXXX"
- epoch: Total seconds of a given date (Example:1567517664)
- epochms: Total milliseconds of a given date (Example:1567517664000)

| | | `timezone` | `string` | `false` | Optional specific timezone to apply to the date ( if not present in the date string ) | | | `locale` | `string` | `false` | Optional ISO locale string which will be used to localize the resulting date/time string | | ## Examples ## Related * [createDate](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createdate.md) * [DateCompare](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datecompare.md) * [DateTimeFormat](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datetimeformat.md) * [DayOfWeekAsString](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dayofweekasstring.md) * [DayOfWeekShortAsString](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dayofweekshortasstring.md) * [GetHTTPTimestring](broken://pages/12EdXbOXMzAtSTemXnbo) * [LSDateFormat](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lsdateformat.md) * [LSDateTimeFormat](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lsdatetimeformat.md) * [LSDayOfWeek](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lsdayofweek.md) * [LSIsDate](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lsisdate.md) * [LSParseDateTime](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lsparsedatetime.md) * [LSTimeFormat](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lstimeformat.md) * [LSWeek](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/lsweek.md) * [MonthAsString](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/monthasstring.md) * [MonthShortAsString](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/monthshortasstring.md) * [ParseDateTime](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/parsedatetime.md) * [TimeFormat](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/timeformat.md) * [ToLegacyDate](/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/tolegacydate.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-framework/modularity/compat-cfml/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dateformat.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.