How to Convert a Pandas Series of Datetime to String in Python
Pandas Series is a one-dimensional array that can hold any data type along with labels. Suppose you have a pandas series of datetime objects. We can convert a datatime object to its string equivalent using the strftime() function and some format codes. But to convert the datetime objects of a pandas series, the approach to be followed is a bit different. This article will talk about how we can carry out such a conversion.
Convert a Pandas Series of datetime Objects to Their String Equivalents
Refer to the following code. It first creates a pandas Series of datetime objects and then converts them to a pandas series of string objects.
import pandas as pd
dates = pd.to_datetime(
pd.Series(["01/01/2021", "02/02/2021", "03/03/2021", "04/04/2021", "05/05/2021"]),
format="%d/%m/%Y",
)
print("Before conversion")
print(dates)
print("After conversion")
dates = dates.dt.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
print(dates)
Output:
Before conversion
0 2021-01-01
1 2021-02-02
2 2021-03-03
3 2021-04-04
4 2021-05-05
dtype: datetime64[ns]
After conversion
0 2021-01-01
1 2021-02-02
2 2021-03-03
3 2021-04-04
4 2021-05-05
dtype: object
Note the dtype value of output. The former one shows that the series is of datetime objects, and the latter indicates that the series is of string objects.
We can also use the lambda function to convert the data type of the objects. Refer to the following code for the same. The lambda function utilizes the strftime() function to perform the conversion.
import pandas as pd
dates = pd.to_datetime(
pd.Series(["01/01/2021", "02/02/2021", "03/03/2021", "04/04/2021", "05/05/2021"]),
format="%d/%m/%Y",
)
print("Before conversion")
print(dates)
print("After conversion")
dates = dates.apply(lambda x: x.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"))
print(dates)
Output:
Before conversion
0 2021-01-01
1 2021-02-02
2 2021-03-03
3 2021-04-04
4 2021-05-05
dtype: datetime64[ns]
After conversion
0 2021-01-01
1 2021-02-02
2 2021-03-03
3 2021-04-04
4 2021-05-05
dtype: object
Vaibhav is an artificial intelligence and cloud computing stan. He likes to build end-to-end full-stack web and mobile applications. Besides computer science and technology, he loves playing cricket and badminton, going on bike rides, and doodling.