Introduction to SQL Timestamp. Timestamp is a data type and function in Standard Structured Query Language (SQL) that lets us store and work with both date and time data values, usually without specified time zones.

What is timestamp used for in SQL?

The TIMESTAMP() function returns a datetime value based on a date or datetime value. Note: If there are specified two arguments with this function, it first adds the second argument to the first, and then returns a datetime value.

Why do we use timestamp in database?

Timestamps in MySQL are generally used to track changes to records, and are often updated every time the record is changed. If you want to store a specific value you should use a datetime field.