MySQL SYSDATE() Function

In MySQL, the SYSDATE() function returns the current time and date in the YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ssformat.

Different from NOW(), SYSDATE() returns the exact system time of the function execution, while NOW() returns a constant time that indicates the time at which the statement began to execute. (Within a stored function or trigger, NOW() returns the time at which the function or triggering statement began to execute.)

SYSDATE() Syntax

Here is the syntax of MySQL SYSDATE() function:

SYSDATE()

SYSDATE() Examples

Returns the current time of the system.

SELECT SYSDATE(), SYSDATE() + 1;

+---------------------+----------------+
| SYSDATE()           | SYSDATE() + 1  |
+---------------------+----------------+
| 2022-04-12 03:34:13 | 20220412033414 |
+---------------------+----------------+

Note: The result of SYSDATE() + 0 is in YYYYMMDDhhmmss format. SYSDATE() + N means adding N seconds to the current time.

The example below explains the difference between SYSDATE() and NOW():

SELECT
    NOW(),
    SYSDATE(),
    SLEEP(2),
    NOW(),
    SYSDATE()\G

    NOW(): 2022-04-12 03:35:10
SYSDATE(): 2022-04-12 03:35:10
 SLEEP(2): 0
    NOW(): 2022-04-12 03:35:10
SYSDATE(): 2022-04-12 03:35:12