Why Does My SQLite Date Range Query Return Unexpected Results?

Incorrect Date Formatting Causes Problems in SQLite Date Range Queries

A frequent problem when querying SQLite databases for data within a specific date range is that the query returns all dates, ignoring the specified range. This often stems from a misconception about SQLite's date format.

SQLite requires dates to be in YYYY-MM-DD format. Queries using other formats, like "11/1/2011" and "11/8/2011," are treated as text strings, not dates.

This leads to a query like this behaving unexpectedly:

<code class="language-sql">SELECT * FROM test WHERE date BETWEEN '11/1/2011' AND '11/8/2011'</code>

Because SQLite treats '11/1/2011' and '11/8/2011' as strings, the BETWEEN operator compares them lexicographically (as text). The query will return any row where the date column contains these strings, regardless of the actual date.

The solution is to ensure all dates in your database and queries strictly adhere to the YYYY-MM-DD format. This allows SQLite to correctly interpret the dates and return the accurate results for your date range.

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