---
title: Date Field
label: Date
order: 60
desc: The Date field type stores a Date in the database. Learn how to use and customize the Date field, see examples and options.
keywords: date, fields, config, configuration, documentation, Content Management System, cms, headless, javascript, node, react, express
---

<Banner >
  The Date field type saves a Date in the database and provides the Admin panel with a customizable time picker interface.
</Banner>

This field uses [`react-datepicker`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-datepicker) for the Admin panel component.

### Config

| Option           | Description |
| ---------------- | ----------- |
| **`name`** *         | To be used as the property name when stored and retrieved from the database.  |
| **`label`**          | Used as a field label in the Admin panel and to name the generated GraphQL type. |
| **`index`**          | Build a [MongoDB index](https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/indexes/) for this field to produce faster queries. Set this field to `true` if your users will perform queries on this field's data often. |
| **`validate`**       | Provide a custom validation function that will be executed on both the Admin panel and the backend. [More](/docs/fields/overview#validation) |
| **`saveToJWT`**      | If this field is top-level and nested in a config supporting [Authentication](/docs/authentication/config), include its data in the user JWT. |
| **`hooks`**          | Provide field-based hooks to control logic for this field. [More](/docs/fields/overview#field-level-hooks) |
| **`access`**         | Provide field-based access control to denote what users can see and do with this field's data. [More](/docs/fields/overview#field-level-access-control) |
| **`hidden`**         | Restrict this field's visibility from all APIs entirely. Will still be saved to the database, but will not appear in any API or the Admin panel. |
| **`defaultValue`**   | Provide data to be used for this field's default value. |
| **`localized`**      | Enable localization for this field. Requires [localization to be enabled](/docs/configuration/localization) in the Base config. |
| **`required`**       | Require this field to have a value. |
| **`admin`**          | Admin-specific configuration. See below for [more detail](#admin). |

*\* An asterisk denotes that a property is required.*

### Admin config

In addition to the default [field admin config](/docs/fields/overview#admin-config), you can customize all of the options that `react-datepicker` provisions for via the `date` property.

Common use cases for customizing the `date` property are to restrict your field to only show time or day input—but lots more can be done.

[Check out the `react-datepicker` docs](https://github.com/Hacker0x01/react-datepicker/blob/master/docs/datepicker.md) for more info.

### Example

`collections/ExampleCollection.js`
```js
{
  slug: 'example-collection',
  fields: [
    {
      name: 'time', // required
      type: 'date', // required
      label: 'Event Start Time',
      defaultValue: '1988-11-05T8:00:00.000+05:00',
      admin: {
        date: {
          // All `react-datepicker` options are supported
          pickerAppearance: 'timeOnly',
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

```