The MySQL SYSDATE() function returns the current date and time. The value is returned in ‘YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS’ or YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format, depending on whether the function is used in a string or numeric context.

This function is similar to NOW() but with a subtle difference. SYSDATE() returns the time at which it executes. NOW() returns the time at which the statement started executing.

Syntax

The syntax goes like this:

SYSDATE([fsp])

Where the (optional) fsp argument specifies the fractional seconds precision for the return value.

Example

Here’s an example to demonstrate.

SELECT SYSDATE();

Result:

+---------------------+
| SYSDATE()           |
+---------------------+
| 2018-06-23 11:36:52 |
+---------------------+

Fractional Seconds Precision

Here’s an example of using the fsp argument to specify the fractional seconds precision for the return value.

SELECT SYSDATE(6);

Result:

+----------------------------+
| SYSDATE(6)                 |
+----------------------------+
| 2018-06-23 11:37:05.515928 |
+----------------------------+

Numeric Context

Here’s an example of using the SYSDATE() function in a numeric context.

SELECT SYSDATE() + 0;

Result:

+----------------+
| SYSDATE() + 0  |
+----------------+
| 20180623113717 |
+----------------+

You can also use a nonzero value to add or subtract from the return value.

SYSDATE() vs NOW()

As mentioned, SYSDATE() and NOW() do almost the same thing, but with a slight difference. SYSDATE() returns the time at which it executes. The NOW() function, on the other hand, returns a constant time that indicates the time at which the statement began to execute.

For an example, see SYSDATE() vs NOW() in MySQL: What’s the Difference?