MySQL TIMESTAMP Data Type

Summary: in this tutorial, you will learn about MySQL TIMESTAMP data type and how to use it to define columns that store timestamp data.

Introduction to MySQL TIMESTAMP data type

The MySQL TIMESTAMP is a temporal data type that holds the combination of date and time. The format of a TIMESTAMP is YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS which is fixed at 19 characters.

The TIMESTAMP value has a range from '1970-01-01 00:00:01' UTC to '2038-01-19 03:14:07' UTC.

When you insert a TIMESTAMP value into a table, MySQL converts it from your connection’s time zone to UTC for storing.

When you query a TIMESTAMP value, MySQL converts the UTC value back to your connection’s time zone. This conversion does not occur for other temporal data types, such as DATETIME.

By default, the connection time zone is the MySQL Server’s time zone. You also have the option to use a different time zone when connecting to the MySQL Server.

When you retrieve a TIMESTAMP value that was inserted by a client in a different time zone, you will receive a value different from the one stored in the database.

However, as long as you don’t change the time zone, you can retrieve the originally stored TIMESTAMP value.

MySQL TIMESTAMP time zone example

Let’s take an example to see how MySQL handles TIMESTAMP values.

First, created a new table called t that has a TIMESTAMP column: t1;

CREATE TABLE t (
   ts TIMESTAMP
);Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Second, set the session’s time zone to '+00:00' UTC by using the SET time_zone statement.

SET time_zone='+00:00';Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Third, insert a TIMESTAMP value into the t table.

INSERT INTO t(ts)
VALUES('2008-01-01 00:00:01');Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Fourth, select the TIMESTAMP value from the t table.

SELECT ts FROM t;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Output:

+---------------------+
| ts                  |
+---------------------+
| 2008-01-01 00:00:01 |
+---------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Fifth, set the session’s time zone to a different time zone to observe what value we receive from the database server:

SET time_zone ='+03:00';Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Finally, query data from the table:

SELECT ts FROM t;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Output:

+---------------------+
| ts                  |
+---------------------+
| 2008-01-01 03:00:01 |
+---------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

As you can see, we received a time value adjusted to the new time zone, which is different from the original.

Automatic initialization and updating for TIMESTAMP columns

Consider the following example.

First, create a table named categories:

CREATE TABLE categories (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

In the categories table, the created_at column is a TIMESTAMP column whose default value is set to CURRENT_TIMESTAMP.

Second, insert a new row into the categories table without specifying the value for the created_at column:

INSERT INTO categories(name) 
VALUES ('A');Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

SELECT * FROM categories;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

The output indicates that MySQL used the timestamp at the time of insertion as a default value for the created_at column.

So a TIMESTAMP column can be automatically initialized to the current timestamp for inserted rows that specify no value for the column. This feature is called automatic initialization.

Third, add a new column named updated_at to the categories table:

ALTER TABLE categories
ADD COLUMN updated_at 
  TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 
  ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

The default value of the updated_at column is CURRENT_TIMESTAMP.

And, we have a new clause ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP that follows the DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP clause. Let’s see its effect.

Fourth, insert a new row into the categories table.

INSERT INTO categories(name)
VALUES('B');Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Fifth, query data from the categories table:

SELECT * FROM categories;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

The default value of the column created_at is the timestamp when the row was inserted.

Sixth, update the value in the column name of the row id 2:

UPDATE categories 
SET name = 'B+'
WHERE id = 2;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Seventh, query data from the categories table to check the update:

SELECT *
FROM categories
WHERE id = 2;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Notice that the value in the updated_at column changed to the timestamp at the time the row was updated.

The ability of a TIMESTAMP column to be automatically updated to the current timestamp when the value in any other column in the row changes from its current value is called automatic updating.

The column updated_at is referred to as an auto-updated column.

Note that if you execute the UPDATE statement to update the same value for the name column, the updated_at column will not be updated.

UPDATE categories 
SET name = 'B+'
WHERE id = 2;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

The value in the updated_at remains unchanged.

For more information on automatic initialization and updating, please check out the time initialization.

As of MySQL 5.6.5, the DATETIME columns also have automatic initialization and updating features. In addition, the DEFAULT_CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and ON UPDATE CURRENT TIMESTAMP can be applied to multiple columns.

Summary

Use the MySQL TIMESTAMP data type to represent date and time values.
Set the DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP attribute for a TIMESTAMP column to automatically initialize the column with the current timestamp when a new row is inserted.
Set the ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP attribute to update the timestamp whenever the row is modified.
MySQL stores the TIMESTAMP values in UTC format but converts them to the current session timezone when displayed.

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