Question: Is there a simple way to state that 

```
a = '2020-01-01 19:30:33.996628' 
b = '2020-01-01 19:30:34' 

```

`a` and `b` are equal. If the time resolution of `a` is changed to second, then `a` could be equal to `b`. How to implement it with code?

Answer: 
Set to next second
------------------

* Add the `timedelta` difference between `1e6` and `a.microsecond`

```
from datetime import timedelta, datetime

a = datetime.fromisoformat('2020-01-01 19:30:33.996628')

a = a + timedelta(microseconds=(1e6 - a.microsecond))

print(a)

>>> datetime.datetime(2020, 1, 1, 19, 30, 34)

print(a.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'))

>>> 2020-01-01 19:30:34

```

Set to current second
---------------------

* With `.replace(microsecond=0)`

```py
from datetime import datetime

a = datetime.fromisoformat('2020-01-01 19:30:33.996628')

print(a)

>>> datetime.datetime(2020, 1, 1, 19, 30, 33, 996628)

a = a.replace(microsecond=0)

print(a)

>>> datetime.datetime(2020, 1, 1, 19, 30, 33)

```
An easier way to use rounding for comparison:-

```
import datetime
from dateutil import parser

a = '2020-01-01 19:30:33.996628' 
b = '2020-01-01 19:30:34' 

a = parser.parse(a)
b = parser.parse(b)

a == b
False

format_str = '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M'

a_rounded = datetime.datetime.strptime(datetime.datetime.strftime(a, format_str), format_str)
b_rounded = datetime.datetime.strptime(datetime.datetime.strftime(b, format_str), format_str)

a_rounded == b_rounded
True

```

To this you can add flexibility according to your need like I have rounded up to comparison in `Minutes`.
So in your case the format\_str would be like this:-

```
format_str = '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'

```