Adding hours to JavaScript Date object?

Question

It amazes me that JavaScript\'s Date object does not implement an add function of any kind.

I simply want a function that can do this:

var now = Date         


        

Answer 1

Date.prototype.addHours= function(h){
    this.setHours(this.getHours()+h);
    return this;
}

Test:

alert(new Date().addHours(4));

Answer 2

The version suggested by kennebec will fail when changing to or from DST, since it is the hour number that is set.

this.setUTCHours(this.getUTCHours()+h);

will add h hours to this independent of time system peculiarities. Jason Harwig's method works as well.

Answer 3

JavaScript itself has terrible Date/Time API's. Nonetheless, you can do this in pure JavaScript:

Date.prototype.addHours = function(h) {
  this.setTime(this.getTime() + (h*60*60*1000));
  return this;
}

Answer 4

It is probably better to make the addHours method immutable by returning a copy of the Date object rather than mutating its parameter.

Date.prototype.addHours= function(h){
    var copiedDate = new Date(this.getTime());
    copiedDate.setHours(copiedDate.getHours()+h);
    return copiedDate;
}

This way you can chain a bunch of method calls without worrying about state.

Answer 5

If you would like to do it in a more functional way (immutability) I would return a new date object instead of modifying the existing and I wouldn't alter the prototype but create a standalone function. Here is the example:

//JS
function addHoursToDate(date, hours) {
  return new Date(new Date(date).setHours(date.getHours() + hours));
}

//TS
function addHoursToDate(date: Date, hours: number): Date {
  return new Date(new Date(date).setHours(date.getHours() + hours));
}

let myDate = new Date();

console.log(myDate)
console.log(addHoursToDate(myDate,2))

Answer 6

The below code is to add 4 hours to date(example today's date)

var today = new Date();
today.setHours(today.getHours() + 4);

It will not cause error if you try to add 4 to 23 (see the docs):

If a parameter you specify is outside of the expected range, setHours() attempts to update the date information in the Date object accordingly