How to Parse Date with Time Zone Using Java SimpleDateFormat and a Colon Separator?

How can I use Java's SimpleDateFormat to correctly parse dates that include a time zone with a colon separator?

private static final SimpleDateFormat[] FORMATS = {
    new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssXXX"), // ISO8601 with ':' in the timezone
    new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ"), // ISO8601 long RFC822 zone
    // ... other formats
};

When dealing with date strings in Java that include a time zone in ISO8601 format, particularly with a colon separator, it is essential to utilize the correct parsing pattern. The Java `SimpleDateFormat` class does not support the `:` in the time zone by default without specific formatting.

// Include an appropriate format that can handle the colon-separated timezone offset
private static final SimpleDateFormat formatted = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssXXX");
try {
    Date date = formatted.parse("2010-03-01T00:00:00-08:00");
    System.out.println(date);
} catch (ParseException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

Causes

• The date format `2010-03-01T00:00:00-08:00` uses a colon in the time zone, which is not handled by the patterns currently in your code.
• The existing format patterns might not correctly interpret the time zone due to missing configurations.

Solutions

• Update your parsing format to include `XXX`, which correctly handles the colon as part of the time zone offset.
• Instead of using a generic pattern, use `SimpleDateFormat(
• );` which can parse the extended format with the colon.

Mistake: Not updating the format string to match the input string with a colon in the time zone.

Solution: Use SimpleDateFormat with `XXX` to accommodate the colon in the time zone.

Mistake: Assuming that traditional `Z` patterns will work with colon adjustments.

Solution: Ensure you switch to `XXX` when you include colon-separated time zone offsets.