I’m building a web application and need to store date and time information in my MySQL database. I’m not sure whether I should go with datetime or timestamp as the column type for my tables.
I’ve heard both have their advantages but I’m confused about when to use which one. My backend is built with PHP so I need something that works well with PHP’s date handling functions.
What are the main differences between these two data types? Are there specific scenarios where one is clearly better than the other? I want to make the right choice from the start since changing it later might be a pain.
Any advice from experienced developers would be really helpful. Thanks in advance!
I’ve used both extensively and prefer DATETIME for most web apps. The timezone behavior is what convinced me - TIMESTAMP auto-converts to UTC for storage and back to your session timezone when you retrieve it. Sounds handy, but it’s a nightmare when users are in different timezones. DATETIME just stores exactly what you give it. Both work fine with PHP DateTime objects, but DATETIME’s way more predictable with user form input. Don’t forget TIMESTAMP hits a wall in 2038 if you’re storing future dates. I actually switched from TIMESTAMP to DATETIME on a project after hitting timezone bugs during daylight saving changes. Unless you really need that automatic timezone conversion, DATETIME gives you more control and fewer headaches.
In my experience with MySQL, the choice between DATETIME and TIMESTAMP really depends on your application’s requirements. I typically prefer TIMESTAMP when I’m concerned about timezone adjustments and my date range falls between 1970 and 2038. It offers an auto-update feature that can simplify tracking changes. However, for historical records or dates beyond 2038, I opt for DATETIME. I once managed user scheduling where DATETIME was crucial due to its broader date range. Also, if you need to store local time accurately, DATETIME is preferable as TIMESTAMP can get tricky with daylight savings adjustments. Although both types work well with PHP, I find DATETIME tends to be more reliable for calculations and formatting. The storage difference—4 bytes for TIMESTAMP and 5 for DATETIME—is negligible unless dealing with extensive datasets, so prioritize functionality over storage size.