How can the NOW() function be used as an alternative to date() for inserting dates into a database in PHP?

When inserting dates into a database in PHP, the NOW() function can be used as an alternative to date() to automatically insert the current date and time. This can simplify the process and ensure that the correct timestamp is always used without the need for additional variables or formatting.

// Using NOW() function to insert current date and time into a database
$query = "INSERT INTO table_name (date_column) VALUES (NOW())";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

if($result){
    echo "Date inserted successfully.";
} else {
    echo "Error inserting date: " . mysqli_error($connection);
}