Which is Better JavaScript Date Manipulation Libraries?
date-fns vs dayjs vs moment
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What's JavaScript Date Manipulation Libraries?

Date manipulation libraries in JavaScript provide developers with tools to work with dates and times more effectively. They simplify tasks such as formatting, parsing, and manipulating dates, which can be complex due to the intricacies of time zones, daylight saving time, and different date formats. These libraries help streamline date-related operations, improve code readability, and enhance overall productivity in web development.

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date-fns22,825,86034,65422.6 MB74624 days agoMIT
dayjs21,540,36546,809670 kB1,0122 months agoMIT
moment21,306,33547,9704.35 MB2559 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: date-fns vs dayjs vs moment

Size and Performance

  • date-fns: date-fns is designed to be modular, allowing you to import only the functions you need. This results in smaller bundle sizes and better performance, especially in applications where minimizing load times is critical.
  • dayjs: Day.js is extremely lightweight, only 2KB in size, and is optimized for performance. It offers a fast API for date manipulation without the overhead of larger libraries, making it ideal for performance-sensitive applications.
  • moment: Moment.js is larger in size (around 16KB) and can lead to increased load times. While it provides extensive functionality, its size can be a drawback for applications that prioritize performance.

API Design

  • date-fns: date-fns adopts a functional programming style, encouraging the use of pure functions that do not mutate the original date objects. This design promotes immutability and makes it easier to reason about code, as each function returns a new date instance without side effects.
  • dayjs: Day.js mimics the Moment.js API, making it easy for developers familiar with Moment to transition. It provides a simple and intuitive interface for date manipulation while maintaining immutability, ensuring that original date objects remain unchanged after operations.
  • moment: Moment.js offers a rich and comprehensive API that allows for extensive date manipulation. However, it is mutable by default, which can lead to unexpected side effects if not handled carefully. Developers need to be mindful of mutability when using Moment.

Localization

  • date-fns: date-fns supports localization through its modular approach, allowing developers to include only the locales they need. This makes it easier to manage and reduces the overall bundle size while still providing robust localization features.
  • dayjs: Day.js includes built-in support for localization, making it easy to format dates according to different locales. It is straightforward to implement and provides a consistent experience across various regions.
  • moment: Moment.js has extensive localization support, covering a wide range of languages and formats. It is well-suited for applications that require comprehensive internationalization features, though it can increase the bundle size significantly.

Maintenance and Community Support

  • date-fns: date-fns is actively maintained and has a growing community. Its modular design encourages contributions and allows for easy updates, ensuring that it remains relevant and up-to-date with modern JavaScript practices.
  • dayjs: Day.js is also actively maintained and has gained popularity due to its simplicity and performance. The community is growing, and it is becoming a preferred choice for developers looking for lightweight solutions.
  • moment: Moment.js is widely used and has a large community, but it is in maintenance mode. While it is still supported, new features are not being actively developed, which may lead to concerns about its long-term viability for new projects.

Learning Curve

  • date-fns: date-fns has a relatively gentle learning curve, especially for developers familiar with functional programming concepts. Its modular approach allows developers to start with only the functions they need, making it easier to grasp the library's capabilities.
  • dayjs: Day.js is designed to be user-friendly, especially for those who have experience with Moment.js. Its API is straightforward, making it easy to learn and integrate into projects quickly.
  • moment: Moment.js has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive API and mutable nature. While it offers powerful features, new users may find it challenging to navigate its complexities.
How to Choose: date-fns vs dayjs vs moment
  • date-fns: Choose date-fns if you prefer a modular approach that allows you to import only the functions you need, resulting in smaller bundle sizes. It is ideal for projects that require a lightweight solution and offers a functional programming style.
  • dayjs: Choose Day.js if you want a lightweight alternative to Moment.js with a similar API. It is designed to be fast and efficient, making it suitable for performance-critical applications where size and speed are a concern.
  • moment: Choose Moment.js if you need a comprehensive solution with extensive features and a rich ecosystem. It is well-suited for applications that require advanced date manipulation capabilities, though it is larger in size compared to the other options.
Similar Npm Packages to date-fns

date-fns is a popular JavaScript library for manipulating and formatting dates. It provides a comprehensive set of functions that allow developers to work with dates in a functional programming style. With its modular approach, you can import only the functions you need, making it lightweight and efficient. date-fns is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a great choice for both small and large projects.

While date-fns is a powerful option for date manipulation, there are several alternatives in the JavaScript ecosystem that also provide date handling capabilities. Here are a few notable alternatives:

  • datejs is a JavaScript library that provides a comprehensive set of date manipulation functions. It offers a simple and intuitive API for parsing, formatting, and manipulating dates. datejs is particularly useful for developers who need to work with various date formats and perform complex date calculations. However, it may not be as lightweight as some other libraries, making it more suitable for projects where extensive date manipulation is required.

  • dayjs is a minimalist JavaScript library that offers a simple and fast alternative to Moment.js. It has a similar API to Moment.js, making it easy to switch for those familiar with it. dayjs is designed to be small in size and provides a wide range of date manipulation functions. If you're looking for a lightweight library with a familiar API, dayjs is an excellent choice.

  • luxon is a powerful library for working with dates and times in JavaScript. It is built on the modern JavaScript Date API and provides a rich set of features for date manipulation, formatting, and time zone handling. luxon is particularly useful for applications that require robust time zone support and internationalization. If your project involves complex date and time requirements, luxon is a strong contender.

  • moment is one of the most well-known date manipulation libraries in the JavaScript ecosystem. It provides a comprehensive set of features for parsing, validating, manipulating, and formatting dates. However, it has become less favored in recent years due to its larger size and performance concerns compared to newer libraries. While moment is still widely used, developers are increasingly turning to lighter alternatives like date-fns and dayjs.

To see how date-fns compares with datejs, dayjs, luxon, and moment, check out the comparison: Comparing date-fns vs datejs vs dayjs vs luxon vs moment.

Similar Npm Packages to dayjs

dayjs is a lightweight JavaScript library for parsing, validating, manipulating, and formatting dates. It is designed to be a modern alternative to Moment.js, providing a similar API while being significantly smaller in size. Day.js is particularly useful for developers looking for a simple and efficient way to handle dates without the overhead of larger libraries. Its immutable data structures and plugin system allow for extensibility and flexibility, making it a popular choice for date manipulation in web applications.

However, there are several alternatives to Day.js that also provide robust date handling capabilities:

  • date-fns is a popular date utility library that offers a comprehensive set of functions for date manipulation. Unlike Day.js, which provides an object-oriented approach, date-fns takes a functional programming approach, allowing developers to import only the functions they need. This modular design results in a smaller bundle size and better performance. If you prefer a functional style and want to avoid the overhead of a full library, date-fns is an excellent choice.

  • js-joda is a date and time library that is inspired by the Java 8 Date and Time API. It provides a comprehensive set of features for working with dates and times, including support for time zones and durations. js-joda is particularly useful for applications that require precise date and time calculations or need to handle complex date scenarios. If you are familiar with the Java Date and Time API, js-joda may feel more intuitive.

  • luxon is a powerful library for working with dates and times in JavaScript. Created by one of the Moment.js developers, Luxon provides a rich set of features, including time zone support, localization, and formatting. It is built on the modern JavaScript Date API and offers an easy-to-use API for manipulating dates and times. If you need advanced features like time zone handling and localization, Luxon is a great option.

  • moment is one of the most well-known date libraries in the JavaScript ecosystem. While it has been widely used for many years, it is larger in size compared to newer libraries like Day.js and date-fns. Moment.js provides a comprehensive set of features for date manipulation, but due to its size and performance concerns, it is recommended to consider lighter alternatives for new projects.

To see how Day.js compares with date-fns, js-joda, Luxon, and Moment, check out the comparison: Comparing date-fns vs dayjs vs js-joda vs luxon vs moment.

Similar Npm Packages to moment

moment is a widely used JavaScript library for parsing, validating, manipulating, and formatting dates and times. It provides a simple and intuitive API for handling date-related operations, making it a popular choice among developers. However, as the JavaScript ecosystem evolves, several alternatives have emerged that offer similar functionality with different approaches. Here are a few notable alternatives:

  • date-fns is a modern JavaScript date utility library that provides a comprehensive set of functions for manipulating dates. Unlike moment, which is a monolithic library, date-fns is modular, allowing developers to import only the functions they need. This results in smaller bundle sizes and improved performance. If you prefer a functional programming style and want to keep your application lightweight, date-fns is an excellent choice.
  • date-fns-tz is an extension of date-fns that adds support for time zone manipulation. It allows developers to work with dates in different time zones, making it a great option for applications that require internationalization or need to handle users from various regions. If you are already using date-fns and need time zone support, date-fns-tz seamlessly integrates with it.
  • dayjs is a lightweight alternative to moment that offers a similar API but with a much smaller footprint. It is designed to be fast and efficient, making it a good choice for projects where performance is a concern. dayjs is also modular, allowing developers to extend its functionality with plugins as needed. If you are looking for a moment-like experience without the overhead, dayjs is worth considering.
  • js-joda is a date and time library that is inspired by the Java 8 Date and Time API. It provides an immutable date and time model, making it suitable for applications that require a more robust handling of dates and times. If you are familiar with Java's date and time API or need a library that emphasizes immutability and type safety, js-joda is a solid option.
  • luxon is a powerful library for working with dates and times in JavaScript. It is built on the modern Intl API and provides a rich set of features, including time zone support, localization, and formatting. luxon is ideal for applications that need to handle complex date and time operations while maintaining a clean and easy-to-use API.

To explore how moment compares with these alternatives, check out the comparison: Comparing date-fns vs date-fns-tz vs dayjs vs js-joda vs luxon vs moment.

README for date-fns

🔥️ NEW: date-fns v4.0 with first-class time zone support is out!

date-fns

date-fns provides the most comprehensive, yet simple and consistent toolset for manipulating JavaScript dates in a browser & Node.js

👉 Documentation

👉 Blog

It's like Lodash for dates

  • It has 200+ functions for all occasions.
  • Modular: Pick what you need. Works with webpack, Browserify, or Rollup and also supports tree-shaking.
  • Native dates: Uses existing native type. It doesn't extend core objects for safety's sake.
  • Immutable & Pure: Built using pure functions and always returns a new date instance.
  • TypeScript: The library is 100% TypeScript with brand-new handcrafted types.
  • I18n: Dozens of locales. Include only what you need.
  • and many more benefits
import { compareAsc, format } from "date-fns";

format(new Date(2014, 1, 11), "yyyy-MM-dd");
//=> '2014-02-11'

const dates = [
  new Date(1995, 6, 2),
  new Date(1987, 1, 11),
  new Date(1989, 6, 10),
];
dates.sort(compareAsc);
//=> [
//   Wed Feb 11 1987 00:00:00,
//   Mon Jul 10 1989 00:00:00,
//   Sun Jul 02 1995 00:00:00
// ]

The library is available as an npm package. To install the package run:

npm install date-fns --save

Docs

See date-fns.org for more details, API, and other docs.


License

MIT © Sasha Koss

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