Why Does MySQL Lack Millisecond/Microsecond Precision and How Can I Work Around It?

Why Doesn't MySQL Support Millisecond / Microsecond Precision and How to Work Around It

MySQL's TIMESTAMP field and supporting functions are limited to second-level precision, frustrating developers who require more fine-grained time measurement.

To address this limitation, consider the following workaround:

Using a BIGINT Field:

While Doctrine may not automatically populate milliseconds in a BIGINT field, you can manually calculate and insert timestamps using PHP functions such as microtime(). However, this approach may not be compatible with SQL date manipulation functions.

Compiling a UDF Extension:

Although compiling a UDF extension may not be an ideal solution due to update risks, it can provide support for microsecond precision.

Improvements in MySQL 5.6.4

Fortunately, MySQL version 5.6.4 introduces support for fractional seconds with up to microsecond precision for TIME, DATETIME, and TIMESTAMP values. This enhancement effectively addresses the limitation mentioned in the original issue.

If upgrading to MySQL 5.6.4 is not feasible, the aforementioned workarounds can alleviate the issue. However, it is recommended to migrate to the latest version of MySQL whenever possible to take advantage of its improved capabilities.

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