How to Format a PHP date() String for Correct MySQL datetime Column Insertion?

PHP date() Formatting for MySQL datetime Column Insertion

When attempting to insert values into a MySQL datetime column using the PHP date() function, users have encountered issues such as the result being "0000-00-00 00:00:00". To resolve this, it's essential to ensure the correct format is passed to date().

The key distinction here lies in the specifiers used for month and day. Instead of the textual representations 'M' (for textual month name) and 'D' (for textual day name), MySQL expects the numeric equivalents. To achieve this accuracy, use the following format:

<code class="php">date('Y-m-d H:i:s')</code>

In this format, 'Y' represents the year as a four-digit integer, 'm' symbolizes the month as a numeric value (01-12), and 'd' denotes the day as a numeric value (01-31). 'H' stands for the hour (24-hour format), 'i' indicates the minutes, and 's' represents the seconds.

Furthermore, ensure that your date string is in the YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format. This format aligns with the specification of the MySQL datetime data type, which stores timestamps with precision down to the second.

By following this recommended format, you can accurately insert datetime values into MySQL columns without encountering date formatting errors.

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