Date Formatting using printf in Java

Date and time formatting can be done very easily using printf method. You use a two-letter format, starting with t and ending in one of the letters of the table given below. For example:

import java.util.Date;
public class DateDemo {
public static void main(String args[]) {
// Instantiate a Date object
Date date = new Date();
// display time and date using toString()
String str = String.format("Current Date/Time : %tc", date );
System.out.printf(str);
}
}

This would produce following result:
Current Date/Time : Sat Dec 15 16:37:57 MST 2012

It would be a bit silly if you had to supply the date multiple times to format each part. For that reason, a format string can indicate the index of the argument to be formatted.
The index must immediately follow the %, and it must be terminated by a $. For example:

import java.util.Date;
public class DateDemo {
public static void main(String args[]) {
// Instantiate a Date object
Date date = new Date();
// display time and date using toString()
System.out.printf("%1$s %2$tB %2$td, %2$tY",
"Due date:", date);
}
}

This would produce following result:
Due date: February 09, 2004

Alternatively, you can use the < flag. It indicates that the same argument as in the preceding format specification should be used again. For example:

import java.util.Date;
public class DateDemo {
public static void main(String args[]) {
// Instantiate a Date object
Date date = new Date();
// display formatted date
System.out.printf("%s %tB %<te, %<tY", "Due date:", date);
}
}

This would produce following result:
Due date: February 09, 2004