In Java, the `Date` class represents a specific instant in time, while the `SimpleDateFormat` class is used to format and parse dates into a specific string representation. To check a date in Java, you can use the methods provided by the `Date` and `SimpleDateFormat` classes. For example, you can use the `compareTo` method to compare two dates, or the `format` method to convert a date to a string representation.
Checking dates is an important part of many Java applications. For example, you might need to check a date to determine whether a user is old enough to access a particular website, or to calculate how many days are left until an event. By understanding how to check dates in Java, you can write more robust and efficient code.