Proposal: `parseDateString` Universal Filter

Author: zachleatCreated Aug 19, 2026Updated Sep 16, 2026

Content dates are automatically parsed from date strings stored in the date property anywhere in the data cascade: https://www.11ty.dev/docs/dates/

However, it might be nice to have access to that same date parser in template-land.

I propose a new Universal Filter called parseDateString that facilitates this. No new dependencies are needed.

Usage would be:

njk
{{ "2018-01-01" | parseDateString }}

outputs Sun Dec 31 2017 18:00:00 GMT-0600 (Central Standard Time)

Related: https://www.zachleat.com/web/adventures-in-date-parsing/