Which is Better JavaScript Date Manipulation Libraries?
moment vs dayjs
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What's JavaScript Date Manipulation Libraries?
Date manipulation libraries are essential tools in JavaScript development, providing developers with the ability to parse, validate, manipulate, and display dates and times in a more manageable way than using native JavaScript Date objects alone. These libraries facilitate operations such as formatting dates, calculating differences between dates, and handling time zones, which can be complex and error-prone when done manually. Both Day.js and Moment.js serve similar purposes but differ significantly in design philosophy, performance, and size, making them suitable for different use cases in web development.
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moment
22,658,795
47,987
4.35 MB
260
a year ago
MIT
dayjs
21,701,142
47,012
670 kB
1,032
3 months ago
MIT
Feature Comparison: moment vs dayjs
Size and Performance
moment: Moment.js is larger (around 16KB minified and gzipped), which can impact performance, especially in applications where bundle size is a concern. While it offers extensive functionality, the trade-off is a larger footprint that may not be suitable for all projects.
dayjs: Day.js is significantly smaller in size (about 2KB minified and gzipped), making it a great choice for performance-sensitive applications. Its lightweight nature means faster load times and lower bandwidth usage, which is crucial for mobile applications and sites with many users.
API Design
moment: Moment.js provides a rich API with a wide range of features, including parsing, formatting, and manipulating dates. However, its API can be considered more complex due to the extensive options available, which may lead to a steeper learning curve for new users.
dayjs: Day.js has a modern and intuitive API that is designed to be chainable and easy to use. It mimics the Moment.js API, making it easy for developers familiar with Moment.js to transition. Its simplicity allows for quick date manipulations without much overhead.
Mutability
moment: Moment.js is mutable, allowing for in-place modifications of date objects. While this can be convenient, it can also lead to unintended side effects if not managed carefully, especially in larger applications where state management is critical.
dayjs: Day.js is immutable, meaning that any operations performed on a Day.js object return a new instance rather than modifying the original object. This immutability helps prevent side effects and makes the code easier to reason about, especially in functional programming contexts.
Localization and Time Zones
moment: Moment.js has built-in support for localization and time zones, making it a robust choice for applications that require extensive internationalization features. Its comprehensive handling of time zones and formats makes it suitable for applications with complex date and time requirements.
dayjs: Day.js supports localization through plugins, allowing developers to add only the locales they need, which keeps the bundle size small. However, its time zone support is limited compared to Moment.js, requiring additional plugins for full functionality.
Community and Maintenance
moment: Moment.js has a large and established community, but it is in maintenance mode, meaning that no new features are being added, and the focus is primarily on fixing bugs. This may be a consideration for long-term projects that require ongoing support and updates.
dayjs: Day.js has a growing community and is actively maintained, with a focus on performance and simplicity. Its modern approach and smaller size have attracted a lot of attention, making it a popular choice for new projects.
How to Choose: moment vs dayjs
moment: Choose Moment.js if you require a comprehensive solution with extensive features, including localization and time zone support. It is suitable for applications that need robust date manipulation capabilities and where bundle size is less of a concern.
dayjs: Choose Day.js if you need a lightweight library with a modern API that is easy to use and integrates well with existing projects. It is ideal for applications where performance and bundle size are critical, and it offers a similar API to Moment.js, making it easy to switch.
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.
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.
