Two Simple Methods to Remove Time from DateTime Values in MySQL

The DATE() function extracts the date part from a DATETIME field, leaving the time component behind. Here's an example:

SELECT your_datetime_column, DATE(your_datetime_column) AS date_only
FROM your_table;

This query selects both the original your_datetime_column and the extracted date using the alias date_only. Let's say your_datetime_column holds the value "2024-02-28 12:34:56". The result would be:

your_datetime_column | date_only
---------------------|-----------
2024-02-28 12:34:56  | 2024-02-28

Using the CAST() function with DATE data type:

Another way to achieve the same result is by using the CAST() function. You can explicitly cast the DATETIME value to the DATE data type, effectively removing the time component. Here's the example:

SELECT your_datetime_column, CAST(your_datetime_column AS DATE) AS date_only
FROM your_table;

This syntax produces the same output as the previous example.

Related Issues and Solutions:

• Extracting specific date components: While these methods extract the entire date, sometimes you might need individual parts like year, month, or day. MySQL offers functions like YEAR(), MONTH(), and DAY() to achieve this.
• Data type conversion: If you consistently work with date-only data, consider altering the column's data type to DATE instead of DATETIME. This simplifies future queries and avoids unnecessary conversion every time.