---
title: "parse(_:)"
framework: foundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "foundation/date/formatstyle/parse(_:)"
---

# parse(_:)

Parses a string into a date.

## Declaration

```swift
func parse(_ value: String) throws -> Date
```

## Parameters

- `value`: The string to parse.

## Return Value

Return Value An instance of Date parsed from the input string.

## Discussion

Discussion The parse(_:) instance method attempts to parse a provided string into an instance of date using the source date format style. The function throws an error if it can’t parse the input string into a date instance. The date format style guides parsing the date instance from an input string, as the example below illustrates. let birthdayFormatStyle = Date.FormatStyle()     .year(.defaultDigits)     .month(.abbreviated)     .day(.twoDigits)     .hour(.defaultDigits(amPM: .abbreviated))     .minute(.twoDigits)     .timeZone(.identifier(.long))     .era(.abbreviated)     .weekday(.abbreviated)

let yourBirthdayString = "Mon, Feb 17, 1997 AD, 1:27 AM America/Chicago"

// Create a date instance from a string representation of a date. let yourBirthday = try? birthdayFormatStyle.parse(yourBirthdayString) // Feb 17, 1997 at 1:27 AM

## See Also

### Parsing Dates

- [parseStrategy](foundation/date/formatstyle/parsestrategy.md)
- [Date.ParseStrategy](foundation/date/parsestrategy.md)