What does the %d format specifier represent in date formatting?

The %d format specifier is used in date formatting to represent the day of the month as a zero-padded decimal number. This means it will display days from 01 to 31, ensuring that single-digit days are padded with a leading zero. For example, the 1st of the month would be displayed as "01" rather than "1". This formatting is particularly useful in ensuring a consistent output, especially when sorting or displaying dates in a numerical context.

Understanding the role of various format specifiers is crucial for formatting dates correctly in programming, and the use of %d specifically highlights the day component within the broader context of date and time formatting. This helps in building predictable and easily understandable date representations in software applications.