What Data Type Is Date in MySQL?

In MySQL, the DATE data type is used to store dates without the time component. It represents a calendar date in the format ‘YYYY-MM-DD’.

The DATE data type can be useful when you want to store and manipulate dates in your database.

Advantages of Using the DATE Data Type

The DATE data type provides several advantages:

Simplified storage: The DATE data type uses only 3 bytes of storage, making it efficient for storing dates.
Date calculations: MySQL provides a variety of built-in functions for performing calculations on dates stored as the DATE data type. These functions allow you to easily perform operations like adding or subtracting days, months, or years from a given date.
Date comparison: With the DATE data type, you can easily compare dates using comparison operators such as equal to (=), less than (<), greater than (>), etc.
Data integrity: By using the appropriate data type for your date values, you ensure data integrity and prevent invalid or incorrect date entries.

Date Format and Valid Values

When inserting or updating values in a column with the DATE data type, you must use the ‘YYYY-MM-DD’ format. MySQL automatically validates the entered date to ensure it is valid within the range of supported dates (from ‘1000-01-01’ to ‘9999-12-31’).

Examples:

Here are a few examples to illustrate the usage of the DATE data type:

Create a table with a column of type DATE:


            CREATE TABLE my_table (
                id INT,
                event_date DATE
            );

Insert a date value into the table:


            INSERT INTO my_table (id, event_date)
            VALUES (1, '2022-01-01');

Select records based on date comparison:


            SELECT * FROM my_table
            WHERE event_date > '2022-02-01';

Perform calculations on date values:


            SELECT DATE_ADD(event_date, INTERVAL 7 DAY) AS new_date
            FROM my_table;

Conclusion

The DATE data type in MySQL is used for storing and manipulating dates without the time component. It offers advantages such as simplified storage, date calculations, easy date comparison, and data integrity.

By using the appropriate data type for your date values, you can ensure accurate and efficient handling of dates in your database.

What Data Type Is Date in MySQL?