Python datetime.tzinfo Class

1. the tzinfo Class in Python
2. Syntax of Python tzinfo Class
3. Example Codes: Use Different Methods of datetime.timezone Class in Python

The datetime module offers several methods and classes to work with dates and times, such as date, timedelta, datetime, tzinfo, and timezone. These classes are enriched with numerous functions and attributes that make working with them flawless.

This article will discuss the tzinfo class in detail.

the tzinfo Class in Python

The tzinfo is an abstract class available in the os module that contains four methods, namely, utcoffset(dt), dst(dt), tzname(dt), and fromutc(dt). The objects of the class inheriting the abstract tzinfo class can be used in datetime and time class objects to create timezone aware datetime and time instances.

In a timezone-aware object, values are altered based on its time zone. Note that datetime and time objects need some methods implemented in the timezone object.

The os module has a concrete class timezone that inherits the tzinfo class and implements all these methods. Hence, it can be used to create timezone-aware datetime and time objects and note that one can create a class that extends the tzinfo class and represents timezones.

Syntax of Python tzinfo Class

os.tzinfo

Parameters

Since it is an abstract class, it doesn’t accept any parameters.

Returns

Since it is an abstract class, it doesn’t return anything. Additionally, one has to extend this class and implement all the abstract methods to use this class.

Methods

Example Codes: Use Different Methods of datetime.timezone Class in Python

The datetime.timezone class is a concrete class that inherits the tzinfo class.

import datetime

dt = datetime.datetime(2022, 9, 10, 1, 21, 32, 676435)
tm = datetime.timezone(datetime.timedelta(hours=2), name="CET")
dt = dt.astimezone(tm)
print("CET:", dt)
print("UTC Offset:", tm.utcoffset(None))
print("Name of the Timezone:", tm.tzname(None))
print("DST: ", tm.dst(None))
print("From UTC:", tm.fromutc(dt))

Output:

CET: 2022-09-10 03:21:32.676435+02:00
UTC Offset: 2:00:00
Name of the Timezone: CET
DST: None
From UTC: 2022-09-10 05:21:32.676435+02:00

The code above first creates a datetime object and declares a timezone using the timezone class. We declare the CET, which is UTC+02:00.

Next, using the astimezone() available on a datetime object, we create a timezone-aware datetime object. We use all four methods that the tzinfo abstract class contains and were implemented in the timezone class.

Since there are no details about the daylight cycle, the dst() method returns None.