Java Calendar Class Tutorial and Example

java.util.Calendar

This java tutorial focuses on the usage of the Calendar class of java.util package. We will be covering the basic usage of Calendar class until the most advanced features of this class. The Calendar class is helpful in dealing with dates in java. It is a must to learn the usage of Calendar because this is the most important class of Java in dealing with Dates. If you are still using Date as your main way of dealing with time, you might want to note that this class is already deprecated to give way to Calendar class.

Our approach is to show each example for each Calendar methods. But before digging in we will show first on how to use the Calendar class.

Calendar Class Basics

The Calendar class is an abstract class that provides methods for converting between a specific instant in time and a set of calendar fields such as YEAR, MONTH, DAY_OF_MONTH, HOUR, and so on, and for manipulating the calendar fields, such as getting the date of the next week.

The calendar class provides additional methods and fields for this class to be able to  build a concrete calendar facility outside of java.util package by implementing this class.

To create a calendar object, it is required to call it via Calendar.getInstance(). This is not the usual stuff wherein you instantiate a new object by keyword new, instead we have to do this:

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();

In order to modify the values of the Calendar object, set methods are readily available.

Calendar Compatibility

Requires JDK 1.1

 Calendar Methods

The following are the Calendar Methods: