Hello there!👋🧔♂️ Have you ever had a bug where appointments mysteriously shift by an hour twice a year? Or maybe your scheduled tasks run at the wrong time during DST transitions? If you've worked with dates and times in applications, you've likely encountered the challenges of Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Today, we're exploring DST handling strategies in C# and Python. Whether you're building scheduling systems, international applications, or time-sensitive features, understanding how to handle DST correctly will save you from frustrating bugs and user complaints.
Overview
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a practice where clocks are set forward by one hour during warmer months to extend evening daylight. While this might seem simple, it creates significant challenges for software developers:
- Ambiguous times - When clocks "fall back," the same time occurs twice
- Missing times - When clocks "spring forward," an hour disappears
- Timezone complexity - Different regions have different DST rules
- Rule changes - Governments occasionally change DST rules
We'll explore:
- Understanding DST Challenges - Common problems and pitfalls
- C# Strategies - Using DateTime, DateTimeOffset, and TimeZoneInfo
- Python Strategies - Using datetime, pytz, and zoneinfo
- Best Practices - How to handle DST correctly
- Real-World Examples - Practical solutions
- Common Mistakes - What to avoid
Let's dive in and master DST handling!
What is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight Saving Time is the practice of setting clocks forward by one hour during spring ("spring forward") and back by one hour during fall ("fall back") to make better use of daylight.
DST Transitions
Spring Forward (DST Start):
- Clocks move forward from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM
- One hour is "lost"
- Example: 2:30 AM doesn't exist on transition day
Fall Back (DST End):
- Clocks move back from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- One hour is "gained"
- Example: 1:30 AM occurs twice on transition day
Why DST is Problematic
- Ambiguous Times - Same local time occurs twice
- Missing Times - Some times don't exist
- Varying Rules - Different regions, different dates
- Rule Changes - Governments change rules periodically
- Database Storage - How to store times correctly
Common DST Problems
Problem 1: Ambiguous Times
When clocks fall back, the same local time occurs twice. Which one do you mean?
// C# Example: Ambiguous time
var ambiguousTime = new DateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0); // 1:30 AM on DST transition day
// Is this 1:30 AM EDT or 1:30 AM EST?
# Python Example: Ambiguous time
from datetime import datetime
import pytz
tz = pytz.timezone('US/Eastern')
ambiguous_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0) # Which 1:30 AM?
Problem 2: Missing Times
When clocks spring forward, an hour disappears. What happens if you schedule something for that time?
// C# Example: Invalid time
var invalidTime = new DateTime(2024, 3, 10, 2, 30, 0); // 2:30 AM on DST transition day
// This time doesn't exist!
# Python Example: Invalid time
from datetime import datetime
import pytz
tz = pytz.timezone('US/Eastern')
invalid_time = datetime(2024, 3, 10, 2, 30, 0) # Doesn't exist!
Problem 3: Timezone Confusion
Storing times without timezone information leads to ambiguity.
// C# Example: Unclear timezone
var time = DateTime.Now; // What timezone is this?
// Stored in database as: 2024-01-15 10:30:00
// But what timezone? UTC? Local? Server timezone?
# Python Example: Naive datetime
from datetime import datetime
time = datetime.now() # No timezone info!
# What timezone is this?
C# DST Handling Strategies
Strategy 1: Use DateTimeOffset Instead of DateTime
DateTimeOffset includes timezone offset information, making it unambiguous.
using System;
// ✅ Good: Use DateTimeOffset
var appointment = new DateTimeOffset(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0,
TimeSpan.FromHours(-5)); // EST: UTC-5
// Unambiguous: This is 1:30 AM EST
// ❌ Bad: DateTime without timezone
var badAppointment = new DateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0);
// Ambiguous: Which 1:30 AM?
Benefits:
- Includes UTC offset
- Unambiguous representation
- Easy to convert to UTC
- Better for APIs and databases
Strategy 2: Use TimeZoneInfo for Conversions
TimeZoneInfo handles DST transitions correctly.
using System;
// Get timezone
var easternTime = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
// Convert UTC to Eastern Time (handles DST automatically)
var utcTime = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow;
var easternTime = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(utcTime, easternTime);
// Convert Eastern Time to UTC
var localTime = new DateTimeOffset(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0, TimeSpan.FromHours(-5));
var utcTime = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTimeToUtc(localTime.DateTime, easternTime);
Strategy 3: Handle Ambiguous Times Explicitly
When a time is ambiguous, decide how to handle it.
using System;
public DateTimeOffset ResolveAmbiguousTime(
DateTime localTime,
TimeZoneInfo timezone)
{
// Check if time is ambiguous
if (timezone.IsAmbiguousTime(localTime))
{
// Option 1: Use the first occurrence (DST)
var ambiguousTimes = timezone.GetAmbiguousTimeOffsets(localTime);
return new DateTimeOffset(localTime, ambiguousTimes[0]);
// Option 2: Use the second occurrence (Standard Time)
// return new DateTimeOffset(localTime, ambiguousTimes[1]);
// Option 3: Throw exception and require user to specify
// throw new AmbiguousTimeException("Time is ambiguous");
}
return new DateTimeOffset(localTime, timezone.GetUtcOffset(localTime));
}
// Usage
var ambiguousTime = new DateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0);
var easternTime = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
var resolved = ResolveAmbiguousTime(ambiguousTime, easternTime);
Strategy 4: Handle Invalid Times
When a time doesn't exist, adjust it.
using System;
public DateTimeOffset ResolveInvalidTime(
DateTime localTime,
TimeZoneInfo timezone)
{
// Check if time is invalid
if (timezone.IsInvalidTime(localTime))
{
// Option 1: Add one hour (move to valid time)
var adjustedTime = localTime.AddHours(1);
return new DateTimeOffset(adjustedTime, timezone.GetUtcOffset(adjustedTime));
// Option 2: Subtract one hour
// var adjustedTime = localTime.AddHours(-1);
// return new DateTimeOffset(adjustedTime, timezone.GetUtcOffset(adjustedTime));
// Option 3: Throw exception
// throw new InvalidTimeException("Time doesn't exist due to DST");
}
return new DateTimeOffset(localTime, timezone.GetUtcOffset(localTime));
}
// Usage
var invalidTime = new DateTime(2024, 3, 10, 2, 30, 0); // Doesn't exist
var easternTime = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
var resolved = ResolveInvalidTime(invalidTime, easternTime);
Strategy 5: Store UTC in Database
Always store times in UTC, convert for display.
using System;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
public class AppointmentService
{
// Store in UTC
public void CreateAppointment(DateTimeOffset localTime, string timezoneId)
{
// Convert to UTC for storage
var utcTime = localTime.ToUniversalTime();
// Store UTC in database
using (var connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString))
{
var command = new SqlCommand(
"INSERT INTO Appointments (ScheduledTime, TimezoneId) VALUES (@time, @tz)",
connection);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("@time", utcTime.DateTime);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("@tz", timezoneId);
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
}
}
// Retrieve and convert to local time
public DateTimeOffset GetAppointment(int id, string userTimezoneId)
{
DateTime utcTime;
string storedTimezoneId;
// Retrieve UTC from database
using (var connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString))
{
var command = new SqlCommand(
"SELECT ScheduledTime, TimezoneId FROM Appointments WHERE Id = @id",
connection);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("@id", id);
// ... execute and read
}
// Convert UTC to user's timezone
var utcDateTimeOffset = new DateTimeOffset(utcTime, TimeSpan.Zero);
var userTimezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById(userTimezoneId);
return TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(utcDateTimeOffset, userTimezone);
}
}
Strategy 6: Use NodaTime (Third-Party Library)
For more advanced timezone handling, consider NodaTime.
using NodaTime;
// More robust timezone handling
var zone = DateTimeZoneProviders.Tzdb["America/New_York"];
var localDateTime = new LocalDateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0);
var zonedDateTime = localDateTime.InZoneLeniently(zone); // Handles ambiguous/invalid times
// Convert to UTC
var instant = zonedDateTime.ToInstant();
Python DST Handling Strategies
Strategy 1: Use Aware Datetime Objects
Always use timezone-aware datetime objects, never naive ones.
from datetime import datetime
import pytz
# ✅ Good: Timezone-aware datetime
utc = pytz.UTC
eastern = pytz.timezone('US/Eastern')
# Create aware datetime
aware_time = eastern.localize(datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0))
# Now it's clear which 1:30 AM
# ❌ Bad: Naive datetime
naive_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0)
# Ambiguous!
Strategy 2: Use zoneinfo (Python 3.9+)
The zoneinfo module is built-in and uses system timezone data.
from datetime import datetime
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
# Create timezone-aware datetime
eastern = ZoneInfo("America/New_York")
aware_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0, tzinfo=eastern)
# Convert to UTC
utc_time = aware_time.astimezone(ZoneInfo("UTC"))
# Convert UTC to another timezone
pacific = ZoneInfo("America/Los_Angeles")
pacific_time = utc_time.astimezone(pacific)
Strategy 3: Use pytz for Legacy Support
For Python < 3.9 or when you need pytz-specific features.
from datetime import datetime
import pytz
# Get timezone
eastern = pytz.timezone('US/Eastern')
# Localize naive datetime (handles DST)
naive_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0)
aware_time = eastern.localize(naive_time, is_dst=None) # Raises exception if ambiguous
# Convert to UTC
utc_time = aware_time.astimezone(pytz.UTC)
# Convert UTC to local timezone
local_time = utc_time.astimezone(eastern)
Strategy 4: Handle Ambiguous Times
Explicitly handle ambiguous times.
from datetime import datetime
import pytz
def resolve_ambiguous_time(local_time, timezone):
"""
Resolve ambiguous time during DST transition.
Returns the first occurrence (DST) by default.
"""
tz = pytz.timezone(timezone)
try:
# Try to localize (will raise exception if ambiguous)
return tz.localize(local_time, is_dst=None)
except pytz.AmbiguousTimeError:
# Time is ambiguous, choose first occurrence (DST)
return tz.localize(local_time, is_dst=True)
# Or choose second occurrence (Standard Time):
# return tz.localize(local_time, is_dst=False)
# Usage
ambiguous_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0)
resolved = resolve_ambiguous_time(ambiguous_time, 'US/Eastern')
Strategy 5: Handle Invalid Times
Handle times that don't exist during DST transition.
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import pytz
def resolve_invalid_time(local_time, timezone):
"""
Resolve invalid time during DST transition.
Adjusts to next valid time.
"""
tz = pytz.timezone(timezone)
try:
return tz.localize(local_time, is_dst=None)
except pytz.NonExistentTimeError:
# Time doesn't exist, add one hour
adjusted_time = local_time + timedelta(hours=1)
return tz.localize(adjusted_time, is_dst=None)
# Usage
invalid_time = datetime(2024, 3, 10, 2, 30, 0) # Doesn't exist
resolved = resolve_invalid_time(invalid_time, 'US/Eastern')
Strategy 6: Store UTC in Database
Always store UTC, convert for display.
from datetime import datetime
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
import sqlite3
class AppointmentService:
def create_appointment(self, local_time, timezone_id):
"""Store appointment in UTC."""
# Convert to UTC
tz = ZoneInfo(timezone_id)
utc_time = local_time.astimezone(ZoneInfo("UTC"))
# Store UTC in database
conn = sqlite3.connect('appointments.db')
cursor = conn.cursor()
cursor.execute(
"INSERT INTO appointments (scheduled_time_utc, timezone_id) VALUES (?, ?)",
(utc_time.isoformat(), timezone_id)
)
conn.commit()
conn.close()
def get_appointment(self, appointment_id, user_timezone_id):
"""Retrieve appointment and convert to user's timezone."""
conn = sqlite3.connect('appointments.db')
cursor = conn.cursor()
cursor.execute(
"SELECT scheduled_time_utc, timezone_id FROM appointments WHERE id = ?",
(appointment_id,)
)
row = cursor.fetchone()
conn.close()
if row:
utc_time_str, stored_timezone_id = row
# Parse UTC time
utc_time = datetime.fromisoformat(utc_time_str.replace('Z', '+00:00'))
# Convert to user's timezone
user_tz = ZoneInfo(user_timezone_id)
local_time = utc_time.astimezone(user_tz)
return local_time
return None
Strategy 7: Use dateutil for Flexible Parsing
The dateutil library provides flexible date/time parsing.
from dateutil import parser, tz
# Parse string with timezone
time_str = "2024-11-03 01:30:00 EST"
parsed_time = parser.parse(time_str)
# Get timezone
eastern = tz.gettz('US/Eastern')
aware_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0, tzinfo=eastern)
# Convert to UTC
utc_time = aware_time.astimezone(tz.UTC)
Best Practices
1. Always Use UTC for Storage
✅ Store times in UTC - Single source of truth
✅ Convert for display - Convert to user's timezone when displaying
✅ Store timezone separately - Keep timezone ID with UTC time
// C# Best Practice
public class Appointment
{
public DateTimeOffset ScheduledTimeUtc { get; set; } // UTC
public string TimezoneId { get; set; } // "America/New_York"
public DateTimeOffset GetLocalTime(string userTimezoneId)
{
var userTimezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById(userTimezoneId);
return TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(ScheduledTimeUtc, userTimezone);
}
}
# Python Best Practice
from dataclasses import dataclass
from datetime import datetime
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
@dataclass
class Appointment:
scheduled_time_utc: datetime # UTC
timezone_id: str # "America/New_York"
def get_local_time(self, user_timezone_id: str) -> datetime:
"""Convert to user's timezone."""
utc_tz = ZoneInfo("UTC")
user_tz = ZoneInfo(user_timezone_id)
utc_aware = self.scheduled_time_utc.replace(tzinfo=utc_tz)
return utc_aware.astimezone(user_tz)
2. Never Use Server Local Time
❌ Don't rely on server timezone - Servers can be in different timezones
❌ Don't use DateTime.Now - Use UTC instead
❌ Don't assume timezone - Always specify timezone explicitly
// ❌ Bad: Server local time
var badTime = DateTime.Now;
// ✅ Good: UTC
var goodTime = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow;
# ❌ Bad: Server local time
bad_time = datetime.now()
# ✅ Good: UTC
from datetime import datetime, timezone
good_time = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
3. Handle DST Transitions Explicitly
✅ Check for ambiguous times - Use IsAmbiguousTime / AmbiguousTimeError
✅ Check for invalid times - Use IsInvalidTime / NonExistentTimeError
✅ Define resolution strategy - Decide how to handle edge cases
4. Use Timezone Identifiers, Not Offsets
✅ Use IANA timezone IDs - "America/New_York" not "EST"
✅ Avoid hardcoded offsets - Offsets change with DST
✅ Use standard identifiers - IANA timezone database
// ❌ Bad: Hardcoded offset
var badTime = new DateTimeOffset(2024, 1, 15, 10, 0, 0, TimeSpan.FromHours(-5));
// ✅ Good: Timezone ID
var timezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
var goodTime = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(DateTimeOffset.UtcNow, timezone);
# ❌ Bad: Hardcoded offset
from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
bad_time = datetime(2024, 1, 15, 10, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone(timedelta(hours=-5)))
# ✅ Good: Timezone ID
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
good_time = datetime(2024, 1, 15, 10, 0, 0, tzinfo=ZoneInfo("America/New_York"))
5. Test DST Transitions
✅ Test spring forward - Verify handling of missing hour
✅ Test fall back - Verify handling of ambiguous times
✅ Test edge cases - Test at transition boundaries
// C# Test Example
[Test]
public void TestDSTTransition_FallBack()
{
var timezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
var ambiguousTime = new DateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0);
Assert.IsTrue(timezone.IsAmbiguousTime(ambiguousTime));
var resolved = ResolveAmbiguousTime(ambiguousTime, timezone);
Assert.IsNotNull(resolved);
}
# Python Test Example
import pytest
from datetime import datetime
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
def test_dst_transition_fall_back():
"""Test handling of ambiguous time during fall back."""
tz = ZoneInfo("America/New_York")
ambiguous_time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0)
# Should handle ambiguous time
resolved = resolve_ambiguous_time(ambiguous_time, "America/New_York")
assert resolved is not None
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Appointment Scheduling System
C# Implementation:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
public class AppointmentScheduler
{
public Appointment ScheduleAppointment(
DateTimeOffset localTime,
string timezoneId,
string description)
{
// Validate timezone
var timezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById(timezoneId);
// Check for ambiguous time
if (timezone.IsAmbiguousTime(localTime.DateTime))
{
throw new AmbiguousTimeException(
$"Time {localTime} is ambiguous in timezone {timezoneId}. " +
"Please specify DST preference.");
}
// Check for invalid time
if (timezone.IsInvalidTime(localTime.DateTime))
{
throw new InvalidTimeException(
$"Time {localTime} doesn't exist in timezone {timezoneId} due to DST.");
}
// Convert to UTC for storage
var utcTime = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTimeToUtc(localTime.DateTime, timezone);
return new Appointment
{
ScheduledTimeUtc = new DateTimeOffset(utcTime, TimeSpan.Zero),
TimezoneId = timezoneId,
Description = description
};
}
public DateTimeOffset GetAppointmentLocalTime(Appointment appointment, string userTimezoneId)
{
var userTimezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById(userTimezoneId);
return TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(appointment.ScheduledTimeUtc, userTimezone);
}
}
Python Implementation:
from datetime import datetime
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import Optional
@dataclass
class Appointment:
scheduled_time_utc: datetime
timezone_id: str
description: str
class AppointmentScheduler:
def schedule_appointment(
self,
local_time: datetime,
timezone_id: str,
description: str
) -> Appointment:
"""Schedule appointment, handling DST correctly."""
tz = ZoneInfo(timezone_id)
# Make timezone-aware
if local_time.tzinfo is None:
# Check for ambiguous/invalid times
try:
aware_time = tz.localize(local_time, is_dst=None)
except Exception as e:
raise ValueError(f"Invalid time: {e}")
else:
aware_time = local_time.astimezone(tz)
# Convert to UTC
utc_time = aware_time.astimezone(ZoneInfo("UTC"))
return Appointment(
scheduled_time_utc=utc_time.replace(tzinfo=None), # Store as naive UTC
timezone_id=timezone_id,
description=description
)
def get_appointment_local_time(
self,
appointment: Appointment,
user_timezone_id: str
) -> datetime:
"""Get appointment time in user's timezone."""
# Reconstruct UTC datetime
utc_tz = ZoneInfo("UTC")
utc_time = appointment.scheduled_time_utc.replace(tzinfo=utc_tz)
# Convert to user's timezone
user_tz = ZoneInfo(user_timezone_id)
return utc_time.astimezone(user_tz)
Example 2: Recurring Events
C# Implementation:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
public class RecurringEventService
{
public List<DateTimeOffset> GenerateOccurrences(
DateTimeOffset startTime,
string timezoneId,
TimeSpan interval,
int count)
{
var occurrences = new List<DateTimeOffset>();
var timezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById(timezoneId);
var currentTime = startTime;
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
// Add interval
currentTime = currentTime.Add(interval);
// Convert to local timezone (handles DST automatically)
var localTime = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(currentTime, timezone);
occurrences.Add(localTime);
}
return occurrences;
}
}
Python Implementation:
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
from typing import List
class RecurringEventService:
def generate_occurrences(
self,
start_time: datetime,
timezone_id: str,
interval: timedelta,
count: int
) -> List[datetime]:
"""Generate recurring event occurrences, handling DST."""
tz = ZoneInfo(timezone_id)
occurrences = []
current_time = start_time
for _ in range(count):
# Add interval
current_time = current_time + interval
# Ensure timezone-aware
if current_time.tzinfo is None:
current_time = tz.localize(current_time)
else:
current_time = current_time.astimezone(tz)
occurrences.append(current_time)
return occurrences
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Using Naive Datetimes
❌ Don't use naive datetimes - Always include timezone information
// ❌ Bad
var time = new DateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0);
// ✅ Good
var time = new DateTimeOffset(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0, TimeSpan.FromHours(-5));
# ❌ Bad
time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0)
# ✅ Good
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
time = datetime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0, tzinfo=ZoneInfo("America/New_York"))
Mistake 2: Hardcoding Timezone Offsets
❌ Don't hardcode offsets - They change with DST
// ❌ Bad: Hardcoded offset
var time = new DateTimeOffset(2024, 1, 15, 10, 0, 0, TimeSpan.FromHours(-5));
// ✅ Good: Use timezone ID
var timezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
var time = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(DateTimeOffset.UtcNow, timezone);
Mistake 3: Ignoring DST Transitions
❌ Don't ignore ambiguous/invalid times - Handle them explicitly
// ❌ Bad: Ignoring potential issues
var time = new DateTime(2024, 11, 3, 1, 30, 0);
var timezone = TimeZoneInfo.FindSystemTimeZoneById("Eastern Standard Time");
var converted = TimeZoneInfo.ConvertTime(time, timezone); // Might be wrong!
// ✅ Good: Check and handle
if (timezone.IsAmbiguousTime(time))
{
// Handle ambiguous time
}
Mistake 4: Storing Local Time in Database
❌ Don't store local time - Always store UTC
// ❌ Bad: Storing local time
var localTime = DateTime.Now;
// Stored in DB: 2024-01-15 10:30:00 (what timezone?)
// ✅ Good: Store UTC
var utcTime = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow;
// Stored in DB: 2024-01-15 15:30:00 UTC (unambiguous)
Conclusion
Daylight Saving Time handling is a complex but essential skill for developers working with dates and times. The key is to understand the challenges and use the right tools and strategies.
Key Takeaways:
- Always use UTC for storage - Single source of truth, no ambiguity
- Use timezone-aware types - DateTimeOffset in C#, aware datetime in Python
- Handle DST transitions - Check for ambiguous and invalid times
- Use timezone IDs, not offsets - "America/New_York" not "-5"
- Test DST transitions - Verify your code handles edge cases
- Never assume timezone - Always specify timezone explicitly
C# Recommendations:
- Use
DateTimeOffsetinstead ofDateTime - Use
TimeZoneInfofor timezone operations - Store UTC in database
- Consider NodaTime for advanced scenarios
Python Recommendations:
- Use
zoneinfo(Python 3.9+) orpytz(older versions) - Always use timezone-aware datetime objects
- Store UTC in database
- Use IANA timezone identifiers
Remember: DST is tricky, but with the right strategies and tools, you can handle it correctly. Take the time to understand your use case, choose the right approach, and test thoroughly. Your users (and future you) will thank you!
Stay timezone-aware, and happy coding! 🚀⏰
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