Java Duration minusMinutes() Method

The minusMinutes() method in Java, part of the java.time.Duration class, is used to subtract a specified number of minutes from a Duration instance. This method is useful for calculating durations that are a specified number of minutes less than the original duration.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. minusMinutes() Method Syntax
3. Understanding minusMinutes()
4. Examples
   • Basic Usage
   • Handling Negative and Large Minute Values
5. Real-World Use Case
6. Conclusion

Introduction

The minusMinutes() method allows you to subtract a specified number of minutes from an existing Duration instance. This is particularly useful when you need to adjust a duration by a specific number of minutes, such as calculating the remaining duration after subtracting minutes.

minusMinutes() Method Syntax

The syntax for the minusMinutes() method is as follows:

public Duration minusMinutes(long minutesToSubtract)

Parameters:

• minutesToSubtract: The number of minutes to subtract, may be negative.

Returns:

• A Duration that is the result of subtracting the specified number of minutes from the original duration.

Throws:

• This method does not throw any exceptions.

Understanding minusMinutes()

The minusMinutes() method creates a new Duration instance by subtracting the specified number of minutes from the original duration. The result is a new Duration object representing the adjusted time span.

Examples

Basic Usage

To demonstrate the basic usage of minusMinutes(), we will subtract a specified number of minutes from an existing Duration instance.

Example

import java.time.Duration;

public class DurationMinusMinutesExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Duration originalDuration = Duration.ofHours(1);
        Duration subtractedDuration = originalDuration.minusMinutes(30);

        System.out.println("Original duration: " + originalDuration);
        System.out.println("Subtracted duration: " + subtractedDuration);
    }
}

Output:

Original duration: PT1H
Subtracted duration: PT30M

Handling Negative and Large Minute Values

This example shows how to use minusMinutes() to handle negative and large minute values.

Example

import java.time.Duration;

public class NegativeAndLargeMinutesExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Duration duration = Duration.ofHours(1);

        // Subtract a negative number of minutes
        Duration negativeResult = duration.minusMinutes(-15);
        System.out.println("After subtracting -15 minutes: " + negativeResult);

        // Subtract a large number of minutes
        Duration largeResult = duration.minusMinutes(90);
        System.out.println("After subtracting 90 minutes: " + largeResult);
    }
}

Output:

After subtracting -15 minutes: PT1H15M
After subtracting 90 minutes: PT-30M

Real-World Use Case

Adjusting Task Durations

In real-world applications, the minusMinutes() method can be used to adjust task durations, such as reducing the estimated time for a task by a certain number of minutes when part of the task has already been completed.

Example

import java.time.Duration;

public class TaskDurationAdjustmentExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Duration estimatedDuration = Duration.ofHours(2);
        long minutesSpent = 45;

        // Adjust the estimated duration by subtracting the minutes spent
        Duration remainingDuration = estimatedDuration.minusMinutes(minutesSpent);

        System.out.println("Estimated duration: " + estimatedDuration);
        System.out.println("Minutes spent: " + minutesSpent);
        System.out.println("Remaining duration: " + remainingDuration);
    }
}

Output:

Estimated duration: PT2H
Minutes spent: 45
Remaining duration: PT1H15M

Conclusion

The Duration.minusMinutes() method is used to subtract a specified number of minutes from a Duration instance. This method is particularly useful for adjusting durations by a specific number of minutes. By understanding and using this method, you can effectively manage and manipulate time-based data in your Java applications.