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GETDATE (Transact-SQL)

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Returns the current database system timestamp as a datetime value without the database time zone offset. This value is derived from the operating system of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running.

Note

SYSDATETIME and SYSUTCDATETIME have more fractional seconds precision than GETDATE and GETUTCDATE. SYSDATETIMEOFFSET includes the system time zone offset. SYSDATETIME, SYSUTCDATETIME, and SYSDATETIMEOFFSET can be assigned to a variable of any of the date and time types.

For an overview of all Transact-SQL date and time data types and functions, see Date and Time Data Types and Functions (Transact-SQL).

Topic link icon Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

GETDATE ( )

Return Type

datetime

Remarks

Transact-SQL statements can refer to GETDATE anywhere they can refer to a datetime expression.

GETDATE is a nondeterministic function. Views and expressions that reference this function in a column cannot be indexed.

Using SWITCHOFFSET with the function GETDATE() can cause the query to run slowly because the query optimizer is unable to obtain accurate cardinality estimates for the GETDATE value. We recommend that you precompute the GETDATE value and then specify that value in the query as shown in the following example. In addition,  use the OPTION (RECOMPILE) query hint to force  the query optimizer to recompile a query plan the next time the same query is executed. The optimizer will then have accurate cardinality estimates for GETDATE() and will produce a more efficient query plan.

DECLARE @dt datetimeoffset = switchoffset (CONVERT(datetimeoffset, GETDATE()), '-04:00'); 
SELECT * FROM t  
WHERE c1 > @dt OPTION (RECOMPILE);

Examples

The following examples use the six SQL Server system functions that return current date and time to return the date, time, or both. The values are returned in series; therefore, their fractional seconds might be different.

A. Getting the current system date and time

SELECT SYSDATETIME()
    ,SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()
    ,SYSUTCDATETIME()
    ,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
    ,GETDATE()
    ,GETUTCDATE();

Here is the result set.

SYSDATETIME() 2007-04-30 13:10:02.0474381

SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()2007-04-30 13:10:02.0474381 -07:00

SYSUTCDATETIME() 2007-04-30 20:10:02.0474381

CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 2007-04-30 13:10:02.047

GETDATE() 2007-04-30 13:10:02.047

GETUTCDATE() 2007-04-30 20:10:02.047

B. Getting the current system date

SELECT CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
    ,CONVERT (date, SYSUTCDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    ,CONVERT (date, GETDATE())
    ,CONVERT (date, GETUTCDATE());

Here is the result set.

SYSDATETIME() 2007-05-03

SYSDATETIMEOFFSET() 2007-05-03

SYSUTCDATETIME() 2007-05-04

CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 2007-05-03

GETDATE() 2007-05-03

GETUTCDATE() 2007-05-04

C. Getting the current system time

SELECT CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
    ,CONVERT (time, SYSUTCDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    ,CONVERT (time, GETDATE())
    ,CONVERT (time, GETUTCDATE());

Here is the result set.

SYSDATETIME() 13:18:45.3490361

SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()13:18:45.3490361

SYSUTCDATETIME() 20:18:45.3490361

CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 13:18:45.3470000

GETDATE() 13:18:45.3470000

GETUTCDATE() 20:18:45.3470000

See Also

Reference

CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)