What is the difference between storing date and time values in a database as TEXT versus using DATETIME or DATE types in PHP?

Storing date and time values as TEXT in a database can lead to inefficiencies in terms of storage space and querying performance compared to using DATETIME or DATE types. Using DATETIME or DATE types allows for better data integrity, easier manipulation, and more efficient querying of date and time values. It is recommended to use DATETIME or DATE types for storing date and time values in a database for better performance and data consistency.

// Create a table with DATETIME type for storing date and time values
CREATE TABLE example_table (
    id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    datetime_column DATETIME
);

// Insert a date and time value into the table
$date_time = '2022-01-01 12:00:00';
$query = "INSERT INTO example_table (id, datetime_column) VALUES (1, '$date_time')";
mysqli_query($connection, $query);