In what situations is it recommended to let the database handle datetime calculations instead of PHP?

When dealing with datetime calculations, it is recommended to let the database handle them instead of PHP for better performance and accuracy. This is especially true when working with large datasets or complex queries that involve date and time manipulation. By utilizing the database's built-in datetime functions, you can offload the processing to the server-side, reducing the amount of data transferred between the database and PHP.

// Example of letting the database handle datetime calculations
$query = "SELECT * FROM table WHERE DATE(created_at) = CURDATE()";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    // Process the results
}