DateTime or DateTime2 in SQL Server: Which Should You Choose?

SQL Server Date Time Storage: DateTime2 and DateTime Best Practices

Be sure to refer to the latest recommendations from Microsoft when selecting DateTime and DateTime2 data types in SQL Server 2008 and later versions. MSDN documentation recommends that developers prioritize using DateTime2 in new applications because it is SQL-standard compliant, has better portability, and has enhanced precision options.

Advantages of DateTime2

Compared with DateTime, DateTime2 has the following advantages:

• Extended date range: DateTime2 supports a wider date range, from 0001-01-01 00:00:00 to 9999-12-31 23:59:59.999999999.
• Higher fractional precision: DateTime2's default fractional precision is 7 digits, while DateTime's precision is 3 digits. This allows for a more precise representation of time values.
• User-specified precision: DateTime2 allows developers to specify up to 9 digits of user-defined precision, which provides flexibility and potentially reduces storage requirements.

Suggestion

According to MSDN documentation, it is generally recommended to use DateTime2 in new applications and scenarios that require high precision and extended date ranges. It is more portable, provides greater accuracy, and in some cases can improve storage efficiency.

While DateTime still supports backward compatibility, it is recommended that legacy applications be migrated to DateTime2 to take advantage of its superior functionality and consistency with current SQL standards.

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