How to Convert a UTC Date String and Remove the 'T' and 'Z' Characters in Java?

How do I convert a UTC date string and strip the 'T' and 'Z' characters in Java?

String input = "2023-10-10T14:30:00Z";

To convert a UTC date string to a more readable format in Java while removing the unnecessary 'T' and 'Z' characters, you can utilize the `java.time` package introduced in Java 8. This allows for effective handling and manipulation of date and time values.

import java.time.Instant;
import java.time.ZoneId;
import java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter;

public class DateConverter {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String input = "2023-10-10T14:30:00Z";
        Instant instant = Instant.parse(input);
        DateTimeFormatter formatter = DateTimeFormatter.ofPattern("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss").withZone(ZoneId.of("UTC"));
        String formattedDate = formatter.format(instant);
        System.out.println(formattedDate);
    }
}
// Output: 2023-10-10 14:30:00

Causes

• The input date string is formatted in ISO 8601 format which uses 'T' to separate the date and time, and 'Z' to indicate UTC time.
• Different applications may require date formats to be more human-readable, hence the need for transformation.

Solutions

• Use `Instant` to parse the date string, then convert it to a specific time zone format if necessary.
• Replace or remove the characters using string manipulation methods.
• Format the date to a preferred pattern using `DateTimeFormatter`.
• Combine these techniques for a complete solution.

Mistake: Forgetting to handle the time zone, resulting in incorrect time conversion.

Solution: Always specify the time zone when formatting the date.

Mistake: Using outdated `Date` and `SimpleDateFormat` classes which can lead to threading issues.

Solution: Utilize `java.time` classes like `Instant` and `DateTimeFormatter` for better date handling.