SQL Server GetDate Without Time

Hello Dev! Are you tired of getting the current date and time in your SQL Server queries, but not needing the time portion? Well, you’re in luck! This article will explain how to get the current date without the time in SQL Server. Stick around to learn more!

Introduction to GetDate Function in SQL Server

SQL Server’s GetDate function is commonly used to retrieve the current system date and time. However, this function also returns the time portion along with the date. Time may not always be needed, so let’s dive into ways to remove it.

What is GetDate Function?

The GetDate() function is a built-in SQL Server system function that returns the current date and time of the system it is being executed on. It returns the date and time in the format of YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss.ms.

Why Remove Time Portion?

There are several reasons why one might want to remove the time portion of a date. Some reasons could include:

• Not needing to work with time in a particular situation
• Displaying or storing data without including the time portion
• To enhance readability and presentation of data

Using Convert Function to GetDate Without Time

What is Convert Function?

The Convert() function in SQL Server is used to convert an expression from one data type to another. We can use it to convert the GetDate() function’s output to the desired format that excludes time.

Using Convert Function

To remove the time portion of the date using the Convert() function, we need to specify the format we want our date to be returned in. There are a few formats to choose from, but we will use the 112 format, which returns the date in yyyymmdd format.

Convert Function Syntax	Output
SELECT CONVERT(varchar(8), GetDate(), 112)	20220308

The output of this query returns only the date portion without the time, in the YYYYMMDD format.

Using Cast Function to GetDate Without Time

The Cast() function is used to convert an expression from one data type to another. We can also use the Cast() function to get the current date without the time.

Using Cast Function

To remove the time portion of the date using the Cast() function, we need to cast the GetDate() function to the desired data type. In this case, we will cast it to a date data type.

Cast Function Syntax	Output
SELECT CAST(GetDate() AS date)	2022-03-08

The output of this query returns only the date without the time portion, in the YYYY-MM-DD format.

Frequently Asked Questions about SQL Server GetDate Without Time

Can we use GetDate() function without including the time?

No, the GetDate() function always includes the time portion in its output. However, we can use the Convert() or Cast() function to remove the time portion.

Can we modify the format of the output when removing the time portion?

Yes, we can use the Convert() function and specify the desired format to remove the time portion and adjust the output format.

Can we use different data types with the Convert() and Cast() functions?

Yes, we can use different data types than what is specified in this article. Just make sure to adjust the syntax according to your desired output.

What is the benefit of removing the time portion of the date?

Removing the time portion of the date can enhance readability and presentation of data for certain situations. It can also make data retrieval and manipulation easier.

Is there a performance difference between using Convert() and Cast() functions to remove the time portion?

Both functions have similar performance levels, and the choice between them can come down to personal preference or specific requirements of the task at hand.

Conclusion

Getting the current date without the time in SQL Server can be achieved using the Convert() or Cast() function. Both functions return the date portion only, without including the time. These functions can improve the readability and presentation of data, as well as make data retrieval and manipulation easier. We hope this article was informative and helpful in your SQL Server journey, Dev!