> 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-language/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.
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🇲🇲ss tt"
- long: medium followed by three-letter time zone; i.e. "MMMM d, yyyy h🇲🇲ss tt zzz"
- full: equivalent to "dddd, MMMM d, yyyy H🇲🇲ss tt zz"
- ISO8601/ISO: equivalent to "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH🇲🇲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 * [ClearTimezone](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/cleartimezone.md) * [CreateDate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createdate.md) * [CreateDateTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createdatetime.md) * [CreateODBCDate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createodbcdate.md) * [CreateODBCDateTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createodbcdatetime.md) * [CreateODBCTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createodbctime.md) * [CreateTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createtime.md) * [CreateTimeSpan](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/createtimespan.md) * [DateAdd](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dateadd.md) * [DateCompare](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datecompare.md) * [DateConvert](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dateconvert.md) * [DateDiff](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datediff.md) * [DatePart](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datepart.md) * [dateSetDay](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datesetday.md) * [dateSetHour](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datesethour.md) * [dateSetMinute](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datesetminute.md) * [dateSetMonth](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datesetmonth.md) * [dateSetSecond](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datesetsecond.md) * [dateSetYear](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datesetyear.md) * [DateTimeFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/datetimeformat.md) * [Day](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/day.md) * [DayOfWeek](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dayofweek.md) * [DayOfWeekAsString](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dayofweekasstring.md) * [DayOfWeekShortAsString](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dayofweekshortasstring.md) * [DayOfYear](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dayofyear.md) * [DaysInMonth](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/daysinmonth.md) * [DaysInYear](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/daysinyear.md) * [FirstDayOfMonth](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/firstdayofmonth.md) * [GetNumericDate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/getnumericdate.md) * [GetTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/gettime.md) * [GetTimezone](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/gettimezone.md) * [GetTimezoneInfo](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/gettimezoneinfo.md) * [Hour](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/hour.md) * [Millisecond](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/millisecond.md) * [Minute](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/minute.md) * [Month](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/month.md) * [MonthAsString](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/monthasstring.md) * [MonthShortAsString](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/monthshortasstring.md) * [Nanosecond](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/nanosecond.md) * [Now](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/now.md) * [Offset](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/offset.md) * [ParseDateTime](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/parsedatetime.md) * [Quarter](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/quarter.md) * [Second](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/second.md) * [SetTimezone](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/settimezone.md) * [TimeFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/timeformat.md) * [TimeUnits](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/timeunits.md) * [Week](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/week.md) * [Year](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/year.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 by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/temporal/dateformat.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. 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.