{"id":1530,"date":"2018-07-21T03:03:34","date_gmt":"2018-07-21T10:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sqltutorial.org\/?page_id=1530"},"modified":"2025-01-20T08:43:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T15:43:08","slug":"sql-current-date","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sqltutorial.org\/sql-date-functions\/sql-current-date\/","title":{"rendered":"SQL CURRENT_DATE Function"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the SQL CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function to get the current date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to the SQL CURRENT_DATE function #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function returns the current date of the machine where the database server is running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the syntax of the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function:<\/p>\n\n\n

CURRENT_DATE<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Note that the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function does not require parentheses because it is a reversed word in SQL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function returns a value of DATE<\/code> type without the time component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In practice, you’ll find the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function helpful for comparing and filtering dates with the current date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SQL CURRENT_DATE function examples #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let’s take some examples of using the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retrieving the current date #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The following statement uses the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function to retrieve the current date:<\/p>\n\n\n
SELECT<\/span> CURRENT_DATE<\/span> AS<\/span> today;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Here’s the output when we run the statement on January 20, 2025<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n
   today\n------------<\/span>\n 2025-01-20<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The output indicates the format of the date is YYYY-MM-DD<\/code>, which is ISO standard format for a date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using the CURRENT_DATE function as the default value #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When creating a new table<\/a> or adding a column<\/a> to an existing table, you can use the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function as a default value for a column. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, create a new table<\/a> called salary_changes<\/code> that uses the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function as a default value for a column:<\/p>\n\n\n
CREATE<\/span> TABLE<\/span> salary_changes (\n  employee_id INT<\/span> NOT<\/span> NULL<\/span>,\n  changed_date DATE<\/span> NOT<\/span> NULL<\/span> DEFAULT<\/span> CURRENT_DATE<\/span>,\n  salary DEC<\/span> NOT<\/span> NULL<\/span>,\n  PRIMARY KEY<\/span> (employee_id, changed_date)\n);<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Second, insert a new row<\/a> into the salary_changes<\/code> table:<\/p>\n\n\n
INSERT<\/span> INTO<\/span>\n  salary_changes (employee_id, salary)\nVALUES<\/span>\n  (100<\/span>, 25000<\/span>);<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
When you insert a new row without providing a value for the changed_date<\/code> column, the database system uses the current date as the value for the column.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Third, retrieve data<\/a> from the salary_changes<\/code> table:<\/p>\n\n\n
SELECT<\/span> * FROM<\/span> salary_changes;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Here’s the output when we run the insert statement on January 20, 2025<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n
 employee_id | changed_date | salary\n-------------+--------------+--------<\/span>\n         100 | 2025-01-20   |  25000<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Comparing with other dates #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can use the CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function to compare with other dates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the following statement finds the employees who have salary changes before today:<\/p>\n\n\n
SELECT<\/span>\n  first_name,\n  last_name,\n  s.salary new_salary\nFROM<\/span>\n  salary_changes s\n  INNER<\/span> JOIN<\/span> employees e ON<\/span> e.employee_id = s.employee_id\nWHERE<\/span>\n  changed_date < CURRENT_DATE<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Adding or subtracting days from the current date #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can add or subtract an interval from the current date. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n
SELECT<\/span> CURRENT_DATE<\/span> + INTERVAL<\/span> '7 DAY'<\/span> AS<\/span> next_week,\n       CURRENT_DATE<\/span> - INTERVAL<\/span> '7 DAY'<\/span> AS<\/span> last_week;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Getting the current date in Oracle Database and SQL Server #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Oracle Database’s CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function returns a value that includes both date and time. To get the current date without time, you use the TRUNC<\/code> function to truncate the time part:<\/p>\n\n\n
SELECT<\/span>\n  TRUNC(CURRENT_DATE<\/span>)\nFROM<\/span>\n  dual;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
SQL Server does not support CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function. However, it offers a function called GETDATE()<\/code> that returns the current date and time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To get the current date, you use the CAST()<\/code> function with the GETDATE()<\/code> function as shown in the following statement:<\/p>\n\n\n
SELECT<\/span> CAST<\/span>(GETDATE<\/span>() AS<\/span> DATE<\/span>) 'Current Date'<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Summary #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Use the SQL CURRENT_DATE<\/code> function to return the current date in the format YYYY-MM-DD<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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