Can MySQL Handle Historical Dates Pre-1000 AD?

Does MySQL Support Historical Dates Beyond 1000 AD?

MySQL's ability to support historical dates beyond 1000 AD has been a subject of debate. While technically, dates like 1200 can be stored in the database, experts generally advise against using timestamps for this purpose.

Range Limitations and Precision

Timestamps represent dates as raw integers with a defined tick interval and epoch point. While MySQL's timestamp format allows for 4-digit years, it inherently assumes that the year will have 4 digits and that the entire string will have exactly 10 characters. This can lead to potential issues if you work with dates earlier than 1000 AD or require greater precision than milliseconds.

Advantages of Textual Representations

For historical dates that fall within year 1 and later, or where sorting and precision are not crucial, using textual representations may be a better option. Text-based date formats can yield accurate sorting and comparisons as long as dates are represented in order of magnitude (year, month, day). Negative dates, however, may cause comparison problems.

Creating Your Own Algorithm

If you need to handle dates beyond 1000 AD or require precise date comparisons, consider creating your own algorithm using numbers as the underlying representation. Define your own tick interval (e.g., days) and epoch point (e.g., January 1, 1). This approach ensures correct sorting and comparison for any pair of values but requires elaborate parser and formatter functions.

Additional Considerations

Be aware of the complexities of working with dates from different calendar systems, particularly when considering the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Different countries adopted the Gregorian calendar at varying times, which can introduce ambiguity and complexity when processing dates between 1582 and 1926.

Conclusion

While MySQL can technically store historical dates with a 4-digit year, using timestamps for such dates is generally not recommended due to range limitations and the potential for issues with the timestamp format. Textual representations or custom algorithms offer more flexibility and robustness for handling historical dates.

The above is the detailed content of Can MySQL Handle Historical Dates Pre-1000 AD?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!