Dealing with datetime in SQLite

This is a full example about how to deal with datetime in SQLite. In this example, the timestamp (created_at column) is saved as unix epoch UTC timezone and converted to local timezone only when necessary.

Using unix epoch saves storage space - 4 bytes integer vs. 24 bytes string when stored as ISO8601 string, see datatypes. If 4 bytes is not enough that can be increased to 6 or 8 bytes.

Saving timestamp on UTC timezone makes it convenient to show a reasonable value on multiple timezones.

SQLite version is 3.8.6 that ships with Ubuntu LTS 14.04.

$ sqlite3 so.db
SQLite version 3.8.6 2014-08-15 11:46:33
Enter ".help" for usage hints.
sqlite> .headers on

create table if not exists example (
   id integer primary key autoincrement
  ,data text not null unique
  ,created_at integer(4) not null default (strftime('%s','now'))
);

insert into example(data) values
 ('foo')
,('bar')
;


select
 id
,data
,created_at as epoch
,datetime(created_at, 'unixepoch') as utc
,datetime(created_at, 'unixepoch', 'localtime') as localtime
from example
order by id
;

id|data|epoch     |utc                |localtime
1 |foo |1412097842|2014-09-30 17:24:02|2014-09-30 20:24:02
2 |bar |1412097842|2014-09-30 17:24:02|2014-09-30 20:24:02

Localtime is correct as I’m located at UTC+2 DST at the moment of the query.

Example 2:

This alternative example stores the local time as Integer to save the 20 bytes. The work is done in the field default, Update-trigger, and View. strftime must use '%s' (single-quotes) because "%s" (double-quotes) otherwise you may get a ‘Not Constant’ error.

Create Table Demo (
   idDemo    Integer    Not Null Primary Key AutoIncrement
  ,DemoValue Text       Not Null Unique
  ,DatTimIns Integer(4) Not Null Default (strftime('%s', DateTime('Now', 'localtime'))) -- get Now/UTC, convert to local, convert to string/Unix Time, store as Integer(4)
  ,DatTimUpd Integer(4)     Null
);

Create Trigger trgDemoUpd After Update On Demo Begin
  Update Demo Set
    DatTimUpd  =                          strftime('%s', DateTime('Now', 'localtime'))  -- same as DatTimIns
  Where idDemo = new.idDemo;
End;

Create View If Not Exists vewDemo As Select -- convert Unix-Times to DateTimes so not every single query needs to do so
   idDemo
  ,DemoValue
  ,DateTime(DatTimIns, 'unixepoch') As DatTimIns -- convert Integer(4) (treating it as Unix-Time)
  ,DateTime(DatTimUpd, 'unixepoch') As DatTimUpd --   to YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
From Demo;

Insert Into Demo (DemoValue) Values ('One');                      -- activate the field Default
-- WAIT a few seconds --
Insert Into Demo (DemoValue) Values ('Two');                      -- same thing but with
Insert Into Demo (DemoValue) Values ('Thr');                      --   later time values

Update Demo Set DemoValue = DemoValue || ' Upd' Where idDemo = 1; -- activate the Update-trigger

Select * From    Demo;                                            -- display raw audit values
idDemo  DemoValue  DatTimIns   DatTimUpd
------  ---------  ----------  ----------
1       One Upd    1560024902  1560024944
2       Two        1560024944
3       Thr        1560024944

Select * From vewDemo;                                            -- display automatic audit values
idDemo  DemoValue  DatTimIns            DatTimUpd
------  ---------  -------------------  -------------------
1       One Upd    2019-06-08 20:15:02  2019-06-08 20:15:44
2       Two        2019-06-08 20:15:44
3       Thr        2019-06-08 20:15:44