bash get datetime code example

Example 1: datetime echo shell script

$(date '+%d/%m/%Y %H:%M:%S')

Example 2: bash get current date

# syntax
$(date)

# example (when running the command of "date")
echo $(date)

# OUTPUT: Mon May 11 13:20:57 SAST 2020
# To return a specific FORMAT, search "bash get date format"

Example 3: shell script current time

date +'FORMAT'
 
### mm/dd/yyyy ###
date +'%m/%d/%Y'
 
## Time in 12 hr format ###
date +'%r'
 
## backup dir format ##
backup_dir=$(date +'%m/%d/%Y')
echo "Backup dir for today: /nas04/backups/${backup_dir}"

Example 4: shell script current time

#!/bin/bash
now="$(date)"
printf "Current date and time %s\n" "$now"
 
now="$(date +'%d/%m/%Y')"
printf "Current date in dd/mm/yyyy format %s\n" "$now"
 
echo "Starting backup at $now, please wait..."
# command to backup scripts goes here
# ...