Introduction

JavaScript's Date object is notoriously difficult to work with correctly. This comprehensive guide covers the most common pitfalls developers encounter and provides practical solutions.

Pitfall #1: Month Indexing Confusion

JavaScript months are zero-indexed (0-11), while days are one-indexed (1-31).

The Problem

// This creates January 1st, not February 1st!
const date = new Date(2024, 1, 1);
console.log(date); // 2024-02-01 (February!)

The Solution

// Be explicit about month indexing
const MONTHS = {
  JANUARY: 0,
  FEBRUARY: 1,
  MARCH: 2,
  // ... etc
};

const date = new Date(2024, MONTHS.JANUARY, 1);

Best Practices

1. Always validate date inputs
2. Be explicit about timezones
3. Remember JavaScript months are 0-indexed
4. Avoid mutating date objects
5. Use modern date libraries for complex operations