How can MySQL date functions be utilized to improve date manipulation in PHP queries?

When working with dates in PHP queries, utilizing MySQL date functions can help improve date manipulation and make queries more efficient. Functions like DATE_FORMAT, DATE_ADD, DATE_SUB, and DATE_DIFF can be used to format dates, add or subtract time intervals, and calculate the difference between dates directly in the MySQL query.

// Example of utilizing MySQL date functions in a PHP query
$query = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE DATE_FORMAT(date_column, '%Y-%m-%d') = '2022-01-01'";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

// Another example using DATE_ADD to get records from the last 7 days
$query = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE date_column >= DATE_ADD(NOW(), INTERVAL -7 DAY)";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);