Java compareTo() Method

public int compareTo(Date dt)

The compareTo() method is used to compare two dates for ordering.

Package: java.util

Java Platform: Java SE 8

Syntax:

compareTo(Date dt)

Parameters:

Return Value:

• The return value will be 0 if two dates are equal.
• The return value will be less than 0 if one date is before another date.
• The return value will be greater than 0 if one date is after another date.

Return Value Type: int

Throws:
NullPointerException - if anotherDate is null.

Pictorial Presentation of Jave Date compareto() method:

Example: Java Date.compareTo(Date anotherDate) Method

import java.util.Date;
 
public class Main {
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
 
        Date dt1 = new Date(2018, 3, 12);
        Date dt2 = new Date(2018, 5, 21);
        Date dt3 = new Date(2018, 3, 12);
 
        int output = dt1.compareTo(dt2);
        System.out.println("If date1 is after date2: " + output);
 
        output = dt2.compareTo(dt3);
        System.out.println("If date2 is before date3: " + output);
 
        output = dt1.compareTo(dt3);
        System.out.println("If date1 equal to date3: " + output);
  
    }
} 

Output:

If date1 is after date2: -1
If date2 is before date3: 1
If date1 equal to date3: 0

Java Code Editor:

Previous:clone Method
Next:equals Method