Unix Timestamps in Databases
Learn how to use Unix timestamps in database design. Understand storage, indexing, and timezone handling for datetime data.
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Unix timestamps provide a timezone-independent way to store datetime information in databases.
Timestamps vs Datetime
Unix timestamps store seconds since epoch as integers. This simplifies calculations and ensures consistent behavior across timezones.
Storage Considerations
Store timestamps in UTC. Convert to local time only for display. Use BIGINT for timestamps to avoid Y2K38 issues with 32-bit integers.
Indexing and Performance
Integer timestamps are efficient for range queries and indexing. They require less storage than datetime columns in most databases.
Summary
Convert between timestamps and readable dates with our Unix Timestamp Converter.