Date toInstant() Method in Java with Examples

The toInstant() method of Date class in Java is used to convert a Date object to an Instant object. An Instant is created during the conversion which is used to represent the same point on the timeline as this Date.

Syntax:

public Instant toInstant()

Parameters: The method does not take any parameters.

Return Value: The method returns an Instant representing the same point on the timeline as this Date.

Below programs illustrate the use of toInstant() method in Java:
Example 1:

// Java code to demonstrate
// toInstant() method of Date class

import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.time.Instant;

public class GfG {
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Creating a Calendar object
        Calendar c1 = Calendar.getInstance();

        // Set Month
        // MONTH starts with 0 i.e. ( 0 - Jan)
        c1.set(Calendar.MONTH, 00);

        // Set Date
        c1.set(Calendar.DATE, 30);

        // Set Year
        c1.set(Calendar.YEAR, 2019);

        // Creating a date object
        // with specified time.
        Date dateOne = c1.getTime();

        Instant inst = dateOne.toInstant();

        System.out.println(
            "Original Date: "
            + dateOne.toString());
        System.out.println(
            "Instant: " + inst);
    }
}

Output:

Original Date: Wed Jan 30 06:01:46 UTC 2019
Instant: 2019-01-30T06:01:46.730Z

Example 2:

// Java code to demonstrate
// clone() method of Date class

import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.time.Instant;

public class GfG {
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Creating a Calendar object
        Calendar c1 = Calendar.getInstance();

        // Set Month
        // MONTH starts with 0 i.e. ( 0 - Jan)
        c1.set(Calendar.MONTH, 06);

        // Set Date
        c1.set(Calendar.DATE, 12);

        // Set Year
        c1.set(Calendar.YEAR, 1996);

        // Creating a date object
        // with specified time.
        Date dateOne = c1.getTime();

        Instant inst = dateOne.toInstant();

        System.out.println(
            "Original Date: "
            + dateOne.toString());
        System.out.println(
            "Instant: " + inst);
    }
}

Output:

Original Date: Fri Jul 12 06:01:49 UTC 1996
Instant: 1996-07-12T06:01:49.766Z

Reference: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/util/Date.html#toInstant–