Check if one date is before another date using the Date class

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This code example shows how to check if one date is before another date.
First we create one Date instance that gets the current time. Then we make the program wait for one second (1000 milliseconds) before we create the next Date instance.
Finally we use the before() method on the second date to check whether it is before the first date, passing the first date as parameter.

import java.util.Date;

/**
*
* @author javadb.com
*/
public class Main {

    /**
     * Checks if one date is before another date
     */
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Date firstDate = new Date();
        Date secondDate = null;

        try {
            Thread.sleep(1000);
        } catch (InterruptedException ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }

        secondDate = new Date();

        System.out.println("The second date is before the first date? " + secondDate.before(firstDate));
    }
}

The output from the above code would be:

The second date is before the first date? false

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