dateform

dateform is a command-line utility designed for formatting dates and times. It allows users to convert timestamps into human-readable strings and vice-versa. The primary function of dateform is to parse various date and time input formats and output them according to a specified format string. This makes it useful for scripting, log analysis, and data manipulation tasks where consistent date and time representation is crucial.

The utility supports a wide range of format specifiers, similar to those found in the `strftime` function in C and other programming languages. These specifiers represent components like the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, as well as more complex representations such as day of the week or time zone. Users can combine these specifiers to create custom output formats tailored to their specific needs.

Beyond simple formatting, dateform can also perform basic date and time arithmetic. This capability enables users to calculate future or past dates and times relative to a given input. For instance, one could use dateform to determine the date one week from today or the date one month ago. The tool is typically available on Unix-like operating systems and can be integrated into shell scripts for automated processing of time-sensitive data. Its simplicity and flexibility make it a valuable tool for anyone working with dates and times on the command line.