Convert String to Date in JavaScript

Working with dates in JavaScript is tricky especially when you have to parse a string into a valid Date object. In this blog, we will explore various techniques to convert strings to date in JavaScript.

Table of Contents:

• Methods to Parse String to a Date
  • Method 1: Using a Date Constructor
  • Method 2: Using Date.parse() Method
  • Method 3: Using Intl.DateTimeFormat()
  • Method 4: Using External Libraries
    • 1. Using Moment.js
    • 2. Using Luxon
• Handling Time Zones And Local Differences
• Best Practices For Parsing Date in JavaScript
• Conclusion

Methods to Convert String to Date

JavaScript provides a built-in Date object that can parse certain date strings automatically. However, the behavior of the Date object is inconsistent for different strings. Thus, some alternative methods are available to parse a String into a Date in JavaScript.

Method 1: Using a Date Constructor 

One of the simplest and best ways to parse a string is by using the Date() constructor.

Example:

Output:

Explanation: In this example, the Date() constructor is used which can take the date string as an argument and generate the output.

Method 2: Using Date.parse() Method

Date.parse() is another commonly used JavaScript method that is used to convert a date string into a timestamp (date and time), which represents the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970.

Example:

Output:

Explanation: In this example, you will get the date from strings using the Date.parse() method. First, Date.parse(“March 20, 2025”) converts the string into a timestamp which is the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970. Then, you can simply use the Date constructor to parse the timestamp into a Date object.

Method 3: Using Intl.DateTimeFormat()

The Intl.DateTimeFormat API is mainly used for formatting dates, but it can also be helpful in converting date strings to formatted dates. 

Example:

Output:

Explanation: In this example, we are using Intl.DateTimeFormat API for converting date strings into formatted dates. It can allow us to customization of date format based on locale.

Method 4: Using External Libraries

If you’re dealing with multiple formats or you need a better way to parse your string into a date in javascript then there are some libraries that will help you:

1. Using Moment.js

Moment.js is an external library that is used to convert the string into a date in JavaScript but, it will no longer be actively maintained and not recommended for new projects.

Example:

Explanation: In this example, you’re using moment.js this external library has .toDate() method that will help you to convert a string into a date.

2. Using Luxon

It is a new and modern alternative to the Moment.js. It provides better support for time zones and locales as compared to other libraries.

Example:

Explanation: In this example, we are using luxon instead of using Moment.js to parse a date string.

Handling Time Zones And Local Differences

Time zones can affect the behavior of javascript in interpreting date strings. For getting better results, it is good to set the time zone explicitly

Example:

Output:

Explanation: In this example, you clearly get an idea of how you can explicitly set the time zones and local differences. This code prints the same date but different times according to the different countries.

Best Practices For Parsing Date in JavaScript

To avoid common issues, make sure to follow these best practices:

• Prefer ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZ) for maintaining uniformity because everyone uses the same format.
• Avoid depending on JavaScript built-in Date object.
• Use Luxon for handling complex date formats.
• Always handle Time Zones explicitly when working with international data.

Conclusion

Parsing a date string in JavaScript isn’t always straight and simple. But, by choosing the right approach you can parse string to date in JavaScript. While the Date() constructor works well with ISO 8601 formats. but external libraries like Luxon are more flexible because it has better support for time zones and locales.

Converting a string to a date in JavaScript – FAQs