SQL Timestamp Converter [2025]

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Generate SQL queries for timestamp conversions across PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQL Server. Format dates and extract time components easily.

✓ Multiple Database Support✓ Ready-to-Use Queries✓ Time Component Extraction

Column Name

Input Format

Database Type

Sample Date (Optional)

Show as complete SELECT query

Output Formats

Unix Timestamp (seconds since 1970)

PostgreSQL

EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM timestamp_column)

Truncate to Hour

PostgreSQL

DATE_TRUNC('hour', timestamp_column)

First Day of Month

PostgreSQL

DATE_TRUNC('month', timestamp_column)

Last Day of Month

PostgreSQL

(DATE_TRUNC('month', timestamp_column) + INTERVAL '1 month' - INTERVAL '1 day')

Age in Years

PostgreSQL

EXTRACT(YEAR FROM AGE(NOW(), timestamp_column))

Day of Week (1-7)

PostgreSQL

EXTRACT(DOW FROM timestamp_column)

Quarter-Year Format

PostgreSQL

CONCAT('Q', EXTRACT(QUARTER FROM timestamp_column), ' ', EXTRACT(YEAR FROM {column}))

Business Days from Date to Now

PostgreSQL

COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE EXTRACT(DOW FROM generate_series(timestamp_column, NOW(), '1 day'::interval)) NOT IN (0, 6))

Fiscal Year (July-June)

PostgreSQL

CASE WHEN EXTRACT(MONTH FROM timestamp_column) > 6 THEN EXTRACT(YEAR FROM {column}) + 1 ELSE EXTRACT(YEAR FROM {column}) END

Time Ago Expression

PostgreSQL

CASE WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW() - timestamp_column) < 60 THEN 'just now' WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW() - {column}) < 3600 THEN CONCAT(FLOOR(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW() - {column})/60), ' minutes ago') ELSE CONCAT(FLOOR(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM NOW() - {column})/3600), ' hours ago') END

Database Timestamp Types

PostgreSQL

•
TIMESTAMP
8 bytes, microsecond precision
•
TIMESTAMPTZ
With timezone information
•
DATE
4 bytes, date only

MySQL

•
DATETIME
8 bytes, microsecond precision
•
TIMESTAMP
4 bytes, seconds precision
•
DATE
3 bytes, date only

SQL Server

•
DATETIME2
6-8 bytes, configurable precision
•
DATETIMEOFFSET
With timezone offset
•
DATE
3 bytes, date only

Common Operations

Time Calculations

Add/Subtract Intervals

-- PostgreSQL

timestamp_column + INTERVAL '1 day'

-- MySQL

DATE_ADD(datetime_column, INTERVAL 1 DAY)

-- SQL Server

DATEADD(day, 1, datetime_column)

Range Queries

Date Range Filtering

-- Last 7 days

WHERE timestamp_column >= NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days'

-- Current month

WHERE DATE_TRUNC('month', timestamp_column) = DATE_TRUNC('month', CURRENT_DATE)

Best Practices

Data Storage

•
Use UTC
Store timestamps in UTC timezone
•
Appropriate Type
Choose types based on precision needs
•
Index Strategy
Index frequently queried timestamp columns

Query Performance

•
Sargable Queries
Avoid functions on indexed columns
•
Date Boundaries
Use half-open intervals for ranges
•
Partitioning
Consider time-based partitioning for large tables

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between TIMESTAMP and DATETIME?

TIMESTAMP typically stores UTC time and handles timezone conversions automatically, while DATETIME stores the literal time value without timezone awareness. The exact behavior varies by database system.

How can I handle timezone conversions?

Each database has built-in functions for timezone handling. PostgreSQL uses AT TIME ZONE, MySQL uses CONVERT_TZ(), and SQL Server uses AT TIME ZONE. It's recommended to store timestamps in UTC and convert only when displaying.

Which timestamp precision should I use?

Choose based on your application needs. For most applications, second precision is sufficient. If you need to track more granular changes or handle high-frequency events, consider microsecond precision.

How do I optimize timestamp queries?

Create indexes on frequently queried timestamp columns, use sargable queries that can utilize indexes, and consider partitioning large tables by time ranges for better performance.

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