What Is Data Type of Date in MySQL?
In MySQL, the date data type is used to store dates without any time components. It allows you to store and manipulate dates such as birthdays, appointments, or any other event that requires only the date information.
The Date Data Type
The date data type in MySQL is represented by the format ‘YYYY-MM-DD’. Here, ‘YYYY’ represents the four-digit year, ‘MM’ represents the two-digit month (01 to 12), and ‘DD’ represents the two-digit day (01 to 31).
Let’s take a look at an example:
CREATE TABLE events (
event_id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
event_name VARCHAR(50),
event_date DATE
);
In this example, we have created a table named ‘events’ that stores information about different events. The column ‘event_date’ is of type date, which will hold the date of each event.
Storing Dates in MySQL
When inserting values into a column with a date data type, make sure to use the correct format: ‘YYYY-MM-DD’. For example:
INSERT INTO events (event_name, event_date)
VALUES ('Birthday Party', '2021-07-15');
This query inserts a new row into the ‘events’ table with an event name of ‘Birthday Party’ and an event date of July 15th, 2021.
Retrieving Dates from MySQL
To retrieve dates from a date column, you can use the DATE_FORMAT() function to format the date in a desired way. For example:
SELECT event_name, DATE_FORMAT(event_date, '%M %e, %Y') AS formatted_date FROM events;
This query selects the event name and formats the event date as ‘Month Day, Year’ using the DATE_FORMAT() function. The result will include a column named ‘formatted_date’ with the formatted date values.
Date Functions in MySQL
MySQL provides various built-in functions to manipulate and perform calculations on dates. Some commonly used date functions include:
- NOW(): Returns the current date and time.
- CURDATE(): Returns the current date.
- DATE_ADD(): Adds a specified interval to a date.
- DATE_SUB(): Subtracts a specified interval from a date.
- DATEDIFF(): Calculates the difference between two dates.
These functions can be used to perform various operations on dates, such as calculating age or finding events within a specific time frame.
Conclusion
The date data type in MySQL is used to store dates without any time components. It allows for efficient storage and manipulation of date information.
By understanding how to store, retrieve, and manipulate dates in MySQL, you can effectively work with date-related data in your database applications.