
Introduction
A calendar display in Python can be both a practical and educational tool, helping you understand date and time manipulation while offering real-world utility. Python, with its rich library ecosystem, simplifies tasks like calendar creation with modules specifically designed for this purpose.
In this article, you will learn how to display a calendar using Python. This will cover several methods, from displaying a single month to showing an entire year, using the built-in calendar
module. You'll see various examples that demonstrate how to customize the output to suit different needs.
Displaying a Month's Calendar
Display the Current Month
Import the
calendar
module.Retrieve the current year and month.
Use the
calendar.month()
function to generate the calendar for the current month.pythonimport calendar from datetime import datetime now = datetime.now() print(calendar.month(now.year, now.month))
This code snippet displays the calendar for the current month. The
datetime.now()
method helps fetch the current year and month, which are then passed tocalendar.month()
to render the calendar.
Display Any Specific Month
Set the year and month you want to display.
Generate the month’s calendar using similar steps as above.
pythonimport calendar year = 2023 month = 9 # September print(calendar.month(year, month))
Here,
calendar.month()
is used to display the calendar for September 2023. You simply change theyear
andmonth
variables to reflect the month you want to view.
Displaying a Year's Calendar
Display the Current Year
Import the
calendar
module.Retrieve the current year.
Use the
calendar.calendar()
function to print the calendar for the entire year.pythonimport calendar from datetime import datetime current_year = datetime.now().year print(calendar.calendar(current_year))
This code prints the entire calendar for the current year.
datetime.now().year
provides the current year, andcalendar.calendar()
generates the full year's calendar.
Display Any Specific Year
Specify the year you want to display.
Use
calendar.calendar()
to generate the calendar for that year.pythonimport calendar year = 2025 print(calendar.calendar(year))
Adjust
year
to generate the calendar for any specific year, in this case, 2025.
Using Calendar Options for Customization
Adjust the Week's Start Day
Use the
calendar.setfirstweekday()
method to define the starting day of the week.Generate a month's or year's calendar as shown previously.
pythonimport calendar calendar.setfirstweekday(calendar.SUNDAY) print(calendar.month(2023, 9))
By setting the first weekday to
calendar.SUNDAY
, all calendar displays will start the week on Sunday. This is customizable per your regional or personal preference.
Display a Text Calendar with Monday Starting
Create a
TextCalendar
instance.Set Monday as the starting day of the week.
Format and display the month.
pythonimport calendar tc = calendar.TextCalendar(firstweekday=calendar.MONDAY) print(tc.formatmonth(2023, 9))
This method gives more control over formatting and allows setting the first weekday directly in the
TextCalendar
instance.
Conclusion
The calendar
module in Python serves as a flexible tool for creating and displaying calendars. Whether you need a calendar for the current month, a specific year, or require customization, such as changing the week's start day, Python's standard library covers these needs with ease. By employing the techniques discussed, you can efficiently manage date-related functionalities in your applications, ensuring they cater to diverse requirements and preferences.
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