Frappe Utility Functions
Quick Reference: Python
| Need |
Function |
Returns |
| Current date |
nowdate() / today() |
datetime.date |
| Current datetime |
now_datetime() |
datetime.datetime |
| Parse date string |
getdate(str) |
datetime.date |
| Parse datetime string |
get_datetime(str) |
datetime.datetime |
| Add days |
add_days(date, n) |
datetime.date |
| Add months |
add_months(date, n) |
datetime.date |
| Date difference |
date_diff(end, start) |
int (days) |
| Format for user |
format_date(dt) |
str (user locale) |
| Relative time |
pretty_date(dt) |
str ("2 hours ago") |
| Safe float |
flt(val, precision) |
float |
| Safe int |
cint(val) |
int |
| Safe string |
cstr(val) |
str |
| Safe bool |
sbool(val) |
bool |
| Safe division |
safe_div(a, b) |
float [v15+] |
| Money format |
fmt_money(amt, currency) |
str |
| Money in words |
money_in_words(amt, cur) |
str |
| Strip HTML |
strip_html(text) |
str |
| List to prose |
comma_and(items) |
str ("a, b, and c") |
| Validate email |
validate_email_address(e) |
str or "" |
| Validate URL |
validate_url(url) |
bool |
| Parse JSON |
parse_json(s) |
Any |
| Files path |
get_files_path(is_private) |
str |
| Site path |
get_site_path(*parts) |
str |
| Unique list |
unique(seq) |
list |
| Hash |
generate_hash(s, length) |
str |
ALL imports: from frappe.utils import nowdate, flt, ... in controllers/whitelisted methods.
In Server Scripts: Use frappe.utils.nowdate() directly — NO import statements allowed.
Decision Tree: "Which function do I use?"
Need a date/time value?
├─ Current date → nowdate() or today()
├─ Current datetime → now_datetime()
├─ Parse a string → getdate() or get_datetime()
├─ Add/subtract time → add_days(), add_months(), add_to_date()
├─ Difference → date_diff() (days), month_diff(), time_diff_in_seconds()
├─ Period boundary → get_first_day(), get_last_day(), get_quarter_start()
└─ Display to user → format_date(), format_datetime(), pretty_date()
Need a number?
├─ Convert safely → flt(), cint(), cstr(), sbool()
├─ Round → rounded() (banker's rounding)
├─ Safe divide → safe_div(a, b, default=0) [v15+]
├─ Format money → fmt_money(amount, currency)
└─ Money to words → money_in_words(amount, currency)
Need string processing?
├─ HTML → strip_html(), escape_html(), is_html()
├─ Join list → comma_and(), comma_or(), comma_sep()
├─ Markdown ↔ HTML → to_markdown(), md_to_html()
└─ Mask sensitive → mask_string(input, show_first=4) [v16+]
Need validation?
├─ Email → validate_email_address(email, throw=False)
├─ URL → validate_url(url, valid_schemes=["https"])
├─ Phone → validate_phone_number(phone, throw=False)
├─ JSON → validate_json_string(s)
└─ IBAN → validate_iban(iban) [v16+]
Need file/path?
├─ Public files → get_files_path()
├─ Private files → get_files_path(is_private=True)
├─ Site directory → get_site_path("private", "backups")
├─ Bench root → get_bench_path()
└─ File size → get_file_size(path, format=True)
Critical Anti-Patterns
NEVER use Python stdlib when frappe.utils exists
| NEVER (stdlib) |
ALWAYS (frappe.utils) |
Why |
datetime.datetime.now() |
now_datetime() |
Ignores system timezone |
datetime.date.today() |
nowdate() |
Ignores system timezone |
float(val) |
flt(val, precision) |
Crashes on None/empty |
int(val) |
cint(val) |
Crashes on None/empty |
round(val, 2) |
rounded(val, 2) |
Inconsistent rounding |
val1 / val2 |
safe_div(val1, val2) |
ZeroDivisionError [v15+] |
json.loads(s) |
parse_json(s) |
Crashes on None/empty |
json.dumps(obj) |
frappe.as_json(obj) |
Inconsistent serialization |
"{:,.2f}".format(a) |
fmt_money(a, currency) |
Ignores locale/currency |
os.path.join(...) |
get_site_path(...) |
Breaks multi-tenancy |
", ".join(items) |
comma_and(items) |
No localized "and" |
dt.strftime(fmt) |
format_date(dt) |
Ignores user preference |
re.sub(r'<.*?>', '', h) |
strip_html(h) |
Misses edge cases |
Server Script Sandbox
# ❌ NEVER in Server Scripts
from frappe.utils import nowdate, flt
import json
# ✅ ALWAYS in Server Scripts (no imports allowed)
today = frappe.utils.nowdate()
amount = frappe.utils.flt(doc.amount, 2)
data = frappe.parse_json(doc.json_field)
JavaScript Quick Reference
| Need |
Function |
| Escape HTML |
frappe.utils.escape_html(txt) |
| HTML to text |
frappe.utils.html2text(html) |
| Check if HTML |
frappe.utils.is_html(txt) |
| Parse JSON |
frappe.utils.parse_json(str) |
| Validate URL |
frappe.utils.is_url(txt) |
| Title case |
frappe.utils.to_title_case(str) |
| Join with "and" |
frappe.utils.comma_and(list) |
| Unique array |
frappe.utils.unique(list) |
| Copy clipboard |
frappe.utils.copy_to_clipboard(txt) |
| Scroll to element |
frappe.utils.scroll_to(el) |
| Is mobile |
frappe.utils.is_mobile() |
| Throttle |
frappe.utils.throttle(fn, delay) |
| Debounce |
frappe.utils.debounce(fn, delay) |
| Format value |
frappe.format(value, df, options, doc) |
| Duration display |
frappe.utils.get_formatted_duration(secs) |
Version Differences
| Function |
v14 |
v15 |
v16 |
safe_div() |
-- |
Added |
Yes |
duration_to_seconds() |
-- |
Added |
Yes |
guess_date_format() |
-- |
Added |
Yes |
validate_duration_format() |
-- |
Added |
Yes |
mask_string() |
-- |
-- |
Added |
validate_iban() |
-- |
-- |
Added |
validate_name() |
-- |
-- |
Added |
safe_json_loads() |
-- |
-- |
Added |
groupby_metric() |
-- |
-- |
Added |
| Core functions |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Reference Files
