In what scenarios should PHP developers use date_format() function in MySQL queries to ensure accurate date comparisons?

When comparing dates in MySQL queries using PHP, it is essential to ensure that the date formats are consistent to avoid inaccurate comparisons. The date_format() function in MySQL can be used to format dates in a specific way, making it easier to compare them accurately. This function can be particularly useful when dealing with dates stored in different formats or when comparing dates with specific conditions, such as ignoring the time component. 

// Example of using date_format() function in MySQL query with PHP
$date = '2021-08-15';
$query = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE DATE_FORMAT(date_column, '%Y-%m-%d') = '$date'";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

// Fetch and display results
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['column_name'] . "<br>";
}

Keywords

PHP date_format() MySQL queries accurate date comparisons scenarios

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