I’m getting a datetime string in this specific format:
yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss
2011-07-14 11:23:00
When I try to create a JavaScript Date object from this string, it doesn’t work properly. What’s the right approach to make this datetime format compatible with JavaScript?
I’ve been trying something like this:
var parsedDate = new Date('2011-07-14 11:23:00');
This approach seems to work fine in Chrome, but when I test it in Firefox, I get an ‘Invalid Date’ result. It looks like there might be browser compatibility issues with parsing this datetime format. What’s the most reliable way to handle this across different browsers?
The space between the date and time creates issues for parsing in various browsers. To ensure compatibility, you should replace the space with a ‘T’ for a valid ISO 8601 format which is consistently handled across browsers. You can achieve this with: var parsedDate = new Date('2011-07-14 11:23:00'.replace(' ', 'T'));. This method maintains your original string format while improving cross-browser reliability. Alternatively, splitting the string for separate parameters is possible, but using replace keeps it simple and clean.
I’ve experienced this issue as well. Relying on manual string parsing often yields far more control and reliability than assuming browsers will correctly parse date formats. I suggest splitting the datetime string yourself and building the Date object as follows:
var dateStr = '2011-07-14 11:23:00';
var parts = dateStr.split(' ');
var datePart = parts[0].split('-');
var timePart = parts[1].split(':');
var parsedDate = new Date(datePart[0], datePart[1] - 1, datePart[2], timePart[0], timePart[1], timePart[2]);
This approach eliminates any inconsistencies from browser interpretation. Just keep in mind that the month parameter is zero-indexed, which means you must subtract 1 from the month value. While using the replace method can work, manual parsing provides better error handling if the datetime strings are formatted incorrectly.
for sure! firefox can be finicky about date strings. converting it to ISO format with a ‘T’ like new Date('2011-07-14T11:23:00') should fix that. splitting the string is also an option, but the first method is way easier!