Retrieving the Current Date and Time
As a database management system, PostgreSQL is widely used by developers and organizations worldwide for its advanced features and functionalities. One of the essential components of any database is the ability to handle date and time data effectively.
In this article, we will be discussing two ways to retrieve the current date and time in PostgreSQL, namely CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW(). We will explore their similarities, differences, and use cases to help developers make informed decisions on which function to use for their specific requirements.
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP is a SQL-standard function that returns the current date and time of the start of the current transaction. Due to this behavior, the value returned by CURRENT_TIMESTAMP will not change during a transaction.
Suppose you want to associate each row of a specific table with the current transactions starting timestamp. In that case, you can use CURRENT_TIMESTAMP to achieve that requirement.
NOW()
NOW(), on the other hand, is a specific PostgreSQL function that also returns the current date and time, reflecting the time zone offset of the server. The difference between NOW() and CURRENT_TIMESTAMP is that NOW() returns the current date and time at the start of the query execution.
As a result, NOW() returns a new value each time it is called within a transaction.
Format of the Returned Value
Both CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW() return values in the format “YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS+TIMEZONE.” Developers can use various date and time formatting functions to convert the timestamp into different formats depending on their requirements.
Adding a Precision Argument
Developers can specify the level of precision of the timestamp value by adding a precision argument to both CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW() functions. The precision argument is the number of decimal places for fractional seconds.
For example, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP(3) will return a timestamp with three decimal places, whereas CURRENT_TIMESTAMP(6) will return a timestamp with six decimal places.
The Time Returned by the Functions
It is essential to understand that the values returned by CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW() are the server’s time, reflecting the time zone offset where the database is located. Developers should keep that in mind when handling timestamp values in an application.
Differences between CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW() in PostgreSQL
Similarities between the Functions
In terms of functionality, both CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW() functions return the current date and time of the server where the database is located. Regardless of which one developers use, they will generate the same result, which is the server’s timestamp at the start of the transaction or query execution.
Differences in Terminology and Syntax
The difference between CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW() lies in their terminology and syntax. CURRENT_TIMESTAMP is a SQL-standard function, whereas NOW() is a PostgreSQL-specific function.
Developers may prefer to use SQL-standard functions for portability purposes.
Use Cases for Each Function
Use cases for CURRENT_TIMESTAMP:
- When the timestamp needs to be static within a transaction
- When associating rows with the start of a transaction
Use cases for NOW():
- When the timestamp needs to change with each query execution
- When calculating the time difference between two timestamp values
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed the importance of handling date and time data effectively in PostgreSQL. We explored two functions, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW(), that retrieve the current date and time of the server where the database is located.
We highlighted their similarities, differences, and use cases to help developers make informed decisions on which function to choose for their specific requirements. By understanding these functions’ behavior, developers can handle timestamp data more effectively and efficiently in their applications.
In summary, this article discussed the importance of retrieving the current date and time in PostgreSQL and the two primary keywords used for that purpose, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW(). It outlined their similarities, differences, and unique use cases, highlighting the importance of choosing which one to use based on specific requirements.
Developers need to handle timestamp data effectively in their applications, and understanding these functions’ behavior can facilitate efficient usage of timestamp values. It is important to keep in mind the server’s time and its time zone offset when working with timestamp data.
Overall, developers must make informed decisions about which function to use when retrieving the current date and time based on their applications’ requirements.