JavaScript Date getHours() Method

The Javascript date.getHours() method is used to return the hours from a given Date object according to the local time (a value ranging from 0 to 23).

Syntax:

DateObject.getHours()

Parameters:

• This method does not accept any parameter. 

Return values:

• It returns the Hours for the given Date object. Hours is an integer value ranging from 0 to 23.

Example 1: Below is an example of the Date getHours() method. 

// Here a date has been assigned
// while creating Date object
let A = new Date('October 15, 1996 05:35:32');

// hour from above is being
// extracted using getHours()
let B = A.getHours();

// Printing hour.
console.log(B);

Output: 

5

Example 2: If hours are not given, it returns zero (0). It is an exceptional case. 

// Creating a Date object
let A = new Date('October 12, 1996');

// extracting hours from the date object
let B = A.getHours();

// Printing hour.
console.log(B);

Output: 

0

Example 3: Here the date of the month must lie between 1 to 31 because no date can have a month greater than 31. That is why it returns NaN i.e, Not a Number if the month in the Date object is greater than 31. Hours will not have existed when the date of the month is given as 33 i.e, greater than 31. 

// Creating a Date object
let A = new Date('October 35, 1996 12:35:32');

let B = A.getHours();

// Printing hour.
console.log(B);

Output: 

NaN

Example 4: If nothing as a parameter is given, it returns the present hours. 

// Creating a Date object
let A = new Date();

let B = A.getHours();

// Printing present hour.
console.log(B);

Output: 

15

We have a complete list of Javascript Javascript Date methods, to check those please go through theJavascript Date Object Complete Referencearticle.

Supported Browsers:

The browsers supported by the JavaScript Date getHours() method are listed below: 

• Google Chrome
• Edge
• Firefox
• Opera
• Safari

What does the getHours() method do?

The getHours() method returns the hour for the specified date according to local time. The returned value is an integer between 0 and 23, where 0 represents midnight and 23 represents 11 PM.

Can getHours() be used for time comparisons?

Yes, getHours() can be used to compare the hours of different Date objects. By comparing the integer values returned by getHours(), you can determine which time is earlier or later within a day.

Is getHours() affected by time zones?

Yes, getHours() returns the hour based on the local time zone of the environment where the code is executed.

How do you convert the hour from 24-hour format to 12-hour format using getHours()?

To convert the hour from 24-hour format to 12-hour format, you can use simple arithmetic. For example, if the hour is greater than 12, subtract 12 and add an "PM" suffix; if it's 0, set it to 12 and add an "AM" suffix.

What are some common use cases for the getHours() method?

Common use cases for the getHours() method include logging the current hour, performing operations based on the time of day, and scheduling tasks that need to run at specific hours.