PostgreSQL - CURRENT_DATE Function

The PostgreSQL CURRENT_DATE function is used to retrieve the current date. It’s a simple and effective way to ensure your database operations are using the correct date, particularly for applications that need timestamp records.

Let us better understand the CURRENT_DATE Function in PostgreSQL from this article.

Syntax

CURRENT_DATE

Return value:

The 'CURRENT_DATE' function returns a 'DATE' value that represents the current date.

PostgreSQL CURRENT_DATE Function Examples

Let us take a look at some of the examples of the CURRENT_DATE Function in PostgreSQL to better understand the concept.

Example 1: Retrieve the Current Date

The following statement shows how to use the 'CURRENT_DATE' function to get the current date:

SELECT CURRENT_DATE;

Output:

Example 2: Using CURRENT_DATE as a Default Value

The CURRENT_DATE function can be used as a default value of a column. So create a table named 'delivery' for demonstration:

CREATE TABLE delivery(
    delivery_id serial PRIMARY KEY,
    product varchar(255) NOT NULL,
    delivery_date DATE DEFAULT CURRENT_DATE
);
INSERT INTO delivery(product)
VALUES('Data Structure And Algorithm Edition 1');
SELECT * FROM delivery;

Output:

Important Points About PostgreSQL CURRENT_DATE Function

• The CURRENT_DATE function returns the date according to the server’s current time zone setting but does not include the time part.
• CURRENT_DATE is evaluated only once per transaction. This means that if you use CURRENT_DATE multiple times in a single transaction, it will return the same value every time, which can be beneficial for consistency.
• Unlike NOW() or CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, which return the exact moment including time, CURRENT_DATE is immutable within the context of a single query,
• CURRENT_DATE can be used as a default value in table definitions, ensuring new rows have the correct date without needing to be explicitly set during insertion.