SimpleDateFormat parse() Method in Java with Examples

The parse() Method of SimpleDateFormat class is used to parse the text from a string to produce the Date. The method parses the text starting at the index given by a start position.
Syntax:

public Date parse(String the_text, ParsePosition position)

Parameters: The method takes two parameters: 

• the_text: This is of the String type and refers to the string which is to be parsed to produce the date.
• position: This is of ParsePosition object type and refers to the information of the starting index of the parse.

Return Value: The method either returns the Date parsed from the string or Null in case of an error.
Below programs illustrate the working of parse() Method of SimpleDateFormat: 
Example 1:

Java

// Java Code to illustrate parse() method

import java.text.*;
import java.util.Calendar;

public class SimpleDateFormat_Demo {
    public static void main(String[] args)
        throws InterruptedException
    {
        SimpleDateFormat SDFormat
            = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/ dd/ yy");

        try {
            Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();

            // Use of .parse() method to parse
            // Date From String
            String dt = "10/ 27/ 16";
            System.out.println("The unparsed"
                               + " string is: " + dt);

            cal.setTime(SDFormat.parse(dt));
            System.out.println("Time parsed: "
                               + cal.getTime());
        }
        catch (ParseException except) {
            except.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

Output:

The unparsed string is: 10/ 27/ 16
Time parsed: Thu Oct 27 00:00:00 UTC 2016

Example 2:

Java

// Java Code to illustrate parse() method

import java.text.*;
import java.util.Calendar;

public class SimpleDateFormat_Demo {
    public static void main(String[] args)
        throws InterruptedException
    {
        SimpleDateFormat SDFormat
            = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/ dd/ yy");

        try {
            Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();

            // Use of .parse() method to parse
            // Date From String
            String dt = "01/ 29/ 19";
            System.out.println("The unparsed"
                               + " string is: " + dt);

            cal.setTime(SDFormat.parse(dt));
            System.out.println("Time parsed: "
                               + cal.getTime());
        }
        catch (ParseException except) {
            except.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

Output:

The unparsed string is: 01/ 29/ 19
Time parsed: Tue Jan 29 00:00:00 UTC 2019