MySQL · December 20, 2023

MySQL Command: STR_TO_DATE()

MySQL Command: STR_TO_DATE()

MySQL is a popular open-source relational database management system that is widely used for storing and managing data. One of the essential functions provided by MySQL is the STR_TO_DATE() command. This command allows users to convert a string representation of a date into a MySQL date format.

Understanding the STR_TO_DATE() Command

The STR_TO_DATE() command is used to convert a string into a date format that MySQL can recognize and manipulate. It takes two arguments: the string to be converted and the format specifier that defines the expected format of the string.

For example, suppose we have a string "2022-01-01" that we want to convert into a date format. We can use the STR_TO_DATE() command as follows:

SELECT STR_TO_DATE('2022-01-01', '%Y-%m-%d');

The format specifier '%Y-%m-%d' indicates that the string should be in the format of "year-month-day". The STR_TO_DATE() command will parse the string and return a date value that can be used in MySQL queries.

Common Format Specifiers

MySQL provides a wide range of format specifiers that can be used with the STR_TO_DATE() command to handle different date formats. Here are some commonly used format specifiers:

  • %Y: Four-digit year
  • %y: Two-digit year
  • %m: Month (01-12)
  • %d: Day of the month (01-31)
  • %H: Hour (00-23)
  • %i: Minutes (00-59)
  • %s: Seconds (00-59)

By combining these format specifiers, you can handle various date formats and convert them into MySQL date values using the STR_TO_DATE() command.

Example Usage

Let's consider an example where we have a table named "orders" with a column named "order_date" that stores dates in the format "dd-mm-yyyy". To query orders within a specific date range, we need to convert the string representation of the dates into MySQL date values.

SELECT * FROM orders WHERE STR_TO_DATE(order_date, '%d-%m-%Y') BETWEEN '2022-01-01' AND '2022-01-31';

In this example, the STR_TO_DATE() command is used to convert the "order_date" column into a MySQL date value. The format specifier '%d-%m-%Y' indicates that the string should be in the format of "day-month-year". The converted date values are then compared with the specified date range using the BETWEEN operator.

Summary

The STR_TO_DATE() command in MySQL is a powerful tool for converting string representations of dates into MySQL date values. By using the appropriate format specifiers, you can handle various date formats and perform date-related operations in your MySQL queries.

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