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How to compare two dates in Python

How to compare two dates in Python.

Here is a detailed step-by-step tutorial on how to compare two dates in Python.

Step 1: Import the necessary modules​

To compare dates in Python, you'll need to import the datetime module. This module provides classes for manipulating dates and times. 

import datetime

Step 2: Create date objects​

Next, you'll need to create two date objects that you want to compare. You can create a date object using the datetime.date() constructor. Pass the year, month, and day as arguments to the constructor.

date1 = datetime.date(2021, 5, 15)
date2 = datetime.date(2022, 1, 1)

Step 3: Compare the dates​

Once you have the date objects, you can compare them using various comparison operators such as <, >, <=, >=, ==, and !=. These operators return a Boolean value (True or False) indicating the result of the comparison.

Here are some examples of how to compare dates:

Example 1: Compare if one date is earlier than the other​

is_date1_before_date2 = date1 < date2
print(is_date1_before_date2)  # Output: True

Example 2: Compare if one date is later than the other​

is_date1_after_date2 = date1 > date2
print(is_date1_after_date2)  # Output: False

Example 3: Compare if one date is equal to the other​

is_date1_equal_to_date2 = date1 == date2
print(is_date1_equal_to_date2)  # Output: False

Example 4: Compare if one date is not equal to the other​

is_date1_not_equal_to_date2 = date1 != date2
print(is_date1_not_equal_to_date2)  # Output: True

Step 4: Compare date components​

In addition to comparing entire dates, you can also compare individual components of the dates, such as year, month, or day. This can be useful if you want to check if two dates have the same year or month.

Here are some examples of comparing date components:

Example 1: Compare if two dates have the same year​

is_same_year = date1.year == date2.year
print(is_same_year)  # Output: False

Example 2: Compare if two dates have the same month​

is_same_month = date1.month == date2.month
print(is_same_month)  # Output: False

Example 3: Compare if two dates have the same day​

is_same_day = date1.day == date2.day
print(is_same_day)  # Output: False

That's it! You now know how to compare two dates in Python. Feel free to use these examples as a starting point for your own date comparisons.