How do I convert seconds to hours, minutes and seconds?

Showcasing the timedelta feature in Python

Leveraging timedelta for simple conversions

Python's datetime.timedelta can convert a large number of seconds into a more human-friendly format of hours, minutes, and seconds.

from datetime import timedelta

seconds = 3661
td = timedelta(seconds=seconds)
print(str(td))  # Outputs: '1:01:01'
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Using time.gmtime for handling more than 24 hours

For cases where the seconds translate to more than a day, you can utilize time.gmtime. However, its usage is a double-edged sword—it doesn’t wrap around after 24 hours! Hence, use with caution.

import time

seconds = 90061  # A span of more than one day
formatted_time = time.strftime('%H:%M:%S', time.gmtime(seconds)) 
print(formatted_time)  # Outputs: '01:01:01', not '25:01:01'
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String formation: Making it readable!

Formatting timespan with f-strings

For more precise output rendering, f-strings work excellently. When you want your timespan formatted neatly, don't forget the power of f-strings.

# Let's add a zero before single-digit hours, minutes, seconds with {:02d}
print(f"{h:02d}h {m:02d}m {s:02d}s")  # Outputs '01h 01m 01s'
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The humanfriendly library: A formatting friend

Consider humanfriendly if your output will be consumed by non-programmers or where readability is a premium.

from humanfriendly import format_timespan

seconds = 3661
print(format_timespan(seconds))  # Outputs: '1 hour and 1 minute'
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How fast do we go? Benchmarking time conversion

Evaluating performance with timeit

Performance matters in coding. Analyze the speed of different solutions with Python's built-in timeit module:

import timeit

# Simply time different methods
timeit.timeit("divmod(seconds, 3600)", setup="seconds=3661", number=1000000)
timeit.timeit("timedelta(seconds=seconds)", setup="from datetime import timedelta; seconds=3661", number=1000000)
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Advanced handling and edge case scenarios

Handling overflow and negative input

Ensure your solution handles negative inputs for an all-encompassing solution.

seconds = -3661
h, m, s = (abs(seconds) // 3600, (abs(seconds) % 3600) // 60, abs(seconds) % 60)
neg = "-" if seconds < 0 else ""
print(f"{neg}{h:02d}h {m:02d}m {s:02d}s")
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Working with large numbers

Python easily handles large numbers, so rest easy when capturing significant timespans.

seconds = 10**12
print(timedelta(seconds=seconds))  # Python doesn't break a sweat!
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