Date

`Date.prototype.getHours`

Returns the hour (0-23) for the specified date according to local time

Syntax

JavaScript

date.getHours()

Return Value

An integer from 0 to 23

Examples

Basic Usage

const date = new Date('2024-06-15T14:30:00');
console.log(date.getHours()); // 14

Practical Example

function greeting() {
  const hour = new Date().getHours();
  if (hour < 12) return 'Good morning';
  if (hour < 18) return 'Good afternoon';
  return 'Good evening';
}

Advanced Usage

const date = new Date();
const period = date.getHours() >= 12 ? 'PM' : 'AM';
console.log(period);

Understanding Date.prototype.getHours

The Date.prototype.getHours method in JavaScript returns the hour (0-23) for the specified date according to local time. It belongs to the Date object and is one of the most widely used methods for working with date values in modern JavaScript and TypeScript applications.

The method signature is date.getHours(). When called, it returns an integer from 0 to 23. Understanding when and how to use getHours() helps you write more expressive, readable code.

Common use cases for Date.prototype.getHours include data transformation, input validation, API response processing, and building reusable utility functions. It works well alongside related methods like date-getminutes, date-getseconds, date-sethours, enabling you to chain operations together for complex data manipulation pipelines.

Browser support for Date.prototype.getHours is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. It is also fully supported in Node.js and Deno. For older environments, transpilation with Babel or a polyfill may be needed.