How Does `filectime()` Determine a File\'s Creation Date on Different Operating Systems?

Determining File Creation Date in PHP

To retrieve the creation date of a file in PHP, you can utilize the filectime() function. This function provides different results depending on the operating system:

Windows:
For Windows systems, filectime() returns the actual creation time of the file.

Unix:
In Unix-like operating systems, filectime() generally returns the "change" time of the file. Since Unix-based filesystems don't typically record creation time, the change time serves as the closest approximation you can get.

Special Case:
If a file has not been modified, its filectime() will still return the creation time (Windows) or change time (Unix), as these timestamps are not updated if the file content remains unchanged.

Therefore, to obtain the best representation of the creation time, it's recommended to use filectime(). Remember that this function's behavior differs between Windows and Unix systems, providing the creation time in Windows and the closest approximation (change time) in Unix-based environments.

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