PHP time() vs MySQL NOW()

[tobeyt23]

Which is the better way to go?

[Maq]

Which is the better way to go?

 

Depends on your application...

[PFMaBiSmAd]

Since time() returns a Unix Timestamp, which must be converted and is subject to the timezone settings at the time it is converted to be usable for almost anything in a human form, and NOW() returns a DATETIME value which will always be the value it has been set to and can easily be formatted (not requiring a conversion) to any format, the answer would obviously be mysql NOW() for most uses.

[The Little Guy]

Well....

 

time() is a unix time stamp

 

Whereas

 

NOW() returns a date format: '2007-12-15 23:50:26'

 

time() will allow for you to easily display time according to a users timezone.

[premiso]

Since time() returns a Unix Timestamp, which must be converted and is subject to the timezone settings at the time it is converted to be usable for almost anything in a human form, and NOW() returns a DATETIME value which will always be the value it has been set to and can easily be formatted (not requiring a conversion) to any format, the answer would obviously be mysql NOW() for most uses.

 

Not to mention unix timestamps have a date range. After 2037, unix time cannot calculate the date thus is obsolete. MySQL time will do just fine from now till the next 0 is added on.

 

I prefer the DATETIME in MySQL as not only is it readable, it will not become obsolete for sometime.

[tobeyt23]

Thanks I have been using NOW()  for a while.

[PFMaBiSmAd]

Depending on operating system and php version, time() also has a serious 1970 or 1901 limitation that makes it unusable for things like birthdays, historical events...

[Mchl]

The main difference is: time(), returns time of webserver, NOW() returns time on MySQL server. These are not necessarily same.