How to Successfully Parse a Date String into a Date Object in Java?

How can I convert the following date string into a Date object in Java? String target = "Thu Sep 28 20:29:30 JST 2000"; DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("E MM dd kk:mm:ss z yyyy"); Date result = df.parse(target); However, I am encountering a ParseException that states: "Unparseable date -'Thu Sep 28 20:29:30 JST 2000'".

String target = "Thu Sep 28 20:29:30 JST 2000";
DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("E MM dd kk:mm:ss z yyyy");
Date result = df.parse(target);

In Java, parsing date strings into Date objects can often lead to exceptions if the format specified does not match the provided date string. This guide explains how to correctly parse a date string and discusses common errors including the 'Unparseable date' exception.

String target = "Thu Sep 28 20:29:30 JST 2000";
DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("E MMM dd HH:mm:ss z yyyy");
Date result = df.parse(target); // This should work without throwing an exception.

Causes

• The date format specified in the SimpleDateFormat does not correctly match the input date string, especially concerning the month and hours.
• There could be a discrepancy in recognizing the timezone, such as "JST" in this example.

Solutions

• Ensure that the date format string provided to SimpleDateFormat exactly matches the structure of the date string.
• Use 'hh' for 12-hour clock representation instead of 'kk' for 24-hour clock if your hour is in AM/PM format. This affects parsing when the hour is below 10.
• Validate that the timezone is correctly parsed and recognized by the Java runtime.

Mistake: Using the wrong date format specifiers, e.g., using 'kk' instead of 'HH' for hour parsing.

Solution: Change from 'kk' to 'HH' for a 24-hour format.

Mistake: Overlooking case sensitivity in month specifiers such as 'MM' instead of 'MMM'.

Solution: Use 'MMM' for abbreviated month names (e.g., Sep).