ToDateTime

ToDateTime is a conventional function name used in various programming languages and data transformation tools for converting an input value into a date and time representation. In practice, ToDateTime is not a universal standard; its exact signature and return type depend on the language or library, but it typically yields a date-time object or value that can be used in subsequent time calculations and formatting.

Inputs accepted commonly include string representations of dates and times, numeric timestamps (such as Unix epoch seconds or milliseconds), and existing date-time objects. Strings may be in ISO 8601, RFC formats, or locale-specific forms; numeric inputs are often interpreted as UTC or local time depending on the environment, sometimes with an optional time zone parameter.

Depending on the environment, ToDateTime may be strict or lenient in parsing. Some implementations throw exceptions or produce an error when the input cannot be parsed, while others offer safe variants (such as TryToDateTime or TryParse) that return a success flag and a default value on failure.

Time zone handling is a common concern: ToDateTime can preserve, convert, or ignore time zone information, affecting the resulting value. Formatting and serialization typically follow the language’s standard date-time types.

Related concepts include parsing and parsing with a format specifier, culture/locale information, and conversions between string, epoch, and date-time types.

Examples of ecosystems with similar functionality include languages and libraries that provide Parse/ParseExact, Convert.ToDateTime, or constructors for date-time objects, as well as helper functions in data query languages.