Java tutorial
//package com.java2s; import java.text.ParseException; import java.text.SimpleDateFormat; import java.util.Calendar; import java.util.Date; import java.util.Locale; public class Main { public static long betweenYear(String t1, String t2, String... patterns) { return betweenTime(Calendar.YEAR, t1, t2, patterns); } private static long betweenTime(int what, String t1, String t2, String... patterns) { if (patterns.length == 0) { throw new RuntimeException("must give me a pattern"); } Date d1 = getDate(t1, patterns[0]); Date d2 = getDate(t2, patterns.length > 1 ? patterns[1] : patterns[0]); if (d1 != null && d2 != null) { Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance(); calendar.setTime(d1); int i1 = calendar.get(what); calendar.setTime(d2); int i2 = calendar.get(what); return i1 - i2; } return Long.MIN_VALUE; } public static Date getDate(String t, String pattern) { SimpleDateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(pattern, Locale.getDefault()); try { Date date = dateFormat.parse(t); Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance(); calendar.clear(); calendar.setTime(date); return date; } catch (ParseException e) { return null; } } }