Dates and Times in R
Convert string data into Date or POSIXct objects and learn to format dates for analysis.
Dates and Times in R is a free R Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 3. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the R Academy learning path, one of 3 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
1
Introduction to Dates and Times in R
Working with dates and times is crucial in data analysis. R provides several functions to handle dates and times efficiently.
2
Creating Dates
Use the as.Date() function to create date objects.
date <- as.Date('2025-03-10')
print(date)3
Extracting Date Components
You can extract year, month, and day using format().
format(date, '%Y')
format(date, '%m')
format(date, '%d')4
Performing Date Arithmetic
You can add or subtract days from a date.
new_date <- date + 10
print(new_date)5
Working with Date-Time
The POSIXct class stores both date and time.
datetime <- as.POSIXct('2025-03-10 14:30:00')
print(datetime)6
Formatting Date-Time
Use format() to change date-time display.
format(datetime, '%B %d, %Y %H:%M')7
Calculating Time Differences
You can calculate differences between two dates or times.
diff <- difftime(as.POSIXct('2025-03-15'), as.POSIXct('2025-03-10'), units='days')
print(diff)8
9
Using Lubridate for Dates
The lubridate package simplifies date operations.
library(lubridate)
date <- ymd('2025-03-10')
print(date)10
Summary
In this lesson, you learned:
- How to create and manipulate dates in R.
- How to perform date arithmetic.
- How to use
lubridatefor easier date handling.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Dates and Times in R” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Dates and Times in R” is free to read here on the web, and the R Academy course includes 3 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the R Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Dates and Times in R”?
Convert string data into Date or POSIXct objects and learn to format dates for analysis. You practise R Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start R Academy?
No prior experience is required. R Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 3, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Dates and Times in R” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this R Academy lesson?
Yes. Every R Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- String Manipulation
- Regular Expressions
- Dates and Times in R