# generaltranslation: General Translation Core SDK: formatDateTime
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/core/functions/formatting/format-date-time.mdx
---
title: formatDateTime
description: Standalone function to format dates and times according to locale conventions
---

## Overview

The standalone `formatDateTime` function formats dates and times according to locale-specific conventions without requiring a GT instance.
It provides the same functionality as the GT class method but can be used independently.

```typescript
import { formatDateTime } from 'generaltranslation';

const formatted = formatDateTime(new Date(), {
  locales: 'de-DE',
  dateStyle: 'medium',
  timeStyle: 'short'
});
// Returns: "26.09.2025, 17:33"
```

## Reference

### Parameters

| Name | Type | Description |
|------|------|-------------|
| `date` | `Date` | The date object to format |
| `options` | `DateTimeFormatOptions & { locales?: string \| string[] }` | Formatting configuration with optional locales |

### DateTimeFormatOptions

| Name | Type | Description |
|------|------|-------------|
| `locales?` | `string \| string[]` | Locales for formatting (defaults to system locale) |
| `dateStyle?` | `'full' \| 'long' \| 'medium' \| 'short'` | Overall date formatting style |
| `timeStyle?` | `'full' \| 'long' \| 'medium' \| 'short'` | Overall time formatting style |
| `weekday?` | `'long' \| 'short' \| 'narrow'` | Weekday representation |
| `year?` | `'numeric' \| '2-digit'` | Year representation |
| `month?` | `'numeric' \| '2-digit' \| 'long' \| 'short' \| 'narrow'` | Month representation |
| `day?` | `'numeric' \| '2-digit'` | Day representation |
| `hour?` | `'numeric' \| '2-digit'` | Hour representation |
| `minute?` | `'numeric' \| '2-digit'` | Minute representation |
| `second?` | `'numeric' \| '2-digit'` | Second representation |
| `timeZone?` | `string` | IANA time zone identifier |
| `hour12?` | `boolean` | Whether to use 12-hour time format |

### Returns

`string` - The formatted date and time according to locale conventions.

---

## Example

### Basic usage

```typescript copy
import { formatDateTime } from 'generaltranslation';

// Basic formatting with explicit locale
console.log(formatDateTime(date, { locales: 'en-US' }));
// Output: "3/14/2024"

// German formatting
console.log(formatDateTime(date, { locales: 'de-DE' }));
// Output: "14.3.2024"

// Multiple locale fallbacks
console.log(formatDateTime(date, { 
  locales: ['ja-JP', 'en-US'] 
}));
// Output: "2024/3/14" (Japanese format)
```

### Date and time styles

```typescript copy
const date = new Date('2024-03-14T14:30:45Z');

// Full date style
console.log(formatDateTime(date, {
  locales: 'en-US',
  dateStyle: 'full'
}));
// Output: "Thursday, March 14, 2024"

// Long date with short time
console.log(formatDateTime(date, {
  locales: 'fr-FR',
  dateStyle: 'long',
  timeStyle: 'short'
}));
// Output: "14 mars 2024 à 07:30"

// Short format across locales
const locales = ['en-US', 'de-DE', 'ja-JP'];
locales.forEach(locale => {
  console.log(`${locale}: ${formatDateTime(date, {
    locales: locale,
    dateStyle: 'short',
    timeStyle: 'short'
  })}`);
});
// Output:
// en-US: 3/14/24, 7:30 AM
// de-DE: 14.03.24, 07:30
// ja-JP: 2024/03/14 7:30
```

### Time zone handling

```typescript copy
const date = new Date('2024-03-14T14:30:45Z');

// Format for different time zones
const timeZones = [
  'America/New_York',
  'Europe/London', 
  'Asia/Tokyo'
];

timeZones.forEach(timeZone => {
  const formatted = formatDateTime(date, {
    locales: 'en-US',
    timeZone,
    dateStyle: 'medium',
    timeStyle: 'medium'
  });
  console.log(`${timeZone}: ${formatted}`);
});
// Output varies based on daylight saving time
```

---

## Notes

* The `locales` parameter is optional and defaults to the system locale if not provided
* Uses the same underlying `Intl.DateTimeFormat` as the GT class method
* Results are cached internally for performance with repeated locale/options combinations
* All standard `Intl.DateTimeFormat` options are supported
* Time zones are handled correctly when specified
* Different locales have different default date/time formats and 12-hour vs 24-hour preferences

## Next steps

* Check out [`Intl.DateTimeFormat` documentation](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Intl/DateTimeFormat) for more options
* See [`formatNum`](/docs/core/functions/formatting/format-num) for standalone number formatting
* See [`formatMessage`](/docs/core/functions/formatting/format-message) for standalone message formatting
* See GT class [`formatDateTime`](/docs/core/class/methods/formatting/format-date-time) for instance-based usage