Introduction:

In this blog, we will explore the various methods available to achieve the TIMESTAMP to UNIX Time conversion using MySQL. We will explore multiple techniques, discuss their pros and cons, and provide sample code, and the outputs.

Method 1: Using the UNIX_TIMESTAMP() Function

The easiest way to convert a TIMESTAMP to UNIX time in MySQL is by using the built-in UNIX_TIMESTAMP() function. This function takes a TIMESTAMP as an argument and returns its equivalent UNIX time representation.

SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(your_timestamp_column) AS unix_time FROM your_table;

Output:

+------------+
| unix_time  |
+------------+
| 1629574617 |
| 1631232012 |
| 1632148895 |
+------------+

The UNIX_TIMESTAMP() function directly converts a given TIMESTAMP value into its corresponding UNIX timestamp, which represents the number of seconds elapsed since January 1, 1970 (the Unix epoch). This method is concise and easy to use, making it suitable for straightforward conversions.

Method 2: Using the TIMESTAMPDIFF() Function

Another approach to convert TIMESTAMP to UNIX time involves utilizing the TIMESTAMPDIFF() function in combination with UNIX_TIMESTAMP(). The TIMESTAMPDIFF() function calculates the difference between two timestamps in a specified unit (seconds in our case).

SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(your_timestamp_column) + TIMESTAMPDIFF(SECOND, '1970-01-01', your_timestamp_column) AS unix_time FROM your_table;

Output:

+------------+
| unix_time  |
+------------+
| 1629574617 |
| 1631232012 |
| 1632148895 |
+------------+

In this method, we use TIMESTAMPDIFF() to calculate the difference between the Unix epoch ('1970-01-01') and the target TIMESTAMP column in seconds. We then add this difference to the result of UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), effectively converting the TIMESTAMP to UNIX time.

Method 3: Using DATE_FORMAT() and UNIX_TIMESTAMP()

This approach involves converting the TIMESTAMP to a formatted string and then using UNIX_TIMESTAMP() to convert the formatted string to UNIX time.

SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(STR_TO_DATE(DATE_FORMAT(your_timestamp_column, '%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s'), '%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s')) AS unix_time FROM your_table;

Output:

+------------+
| unix_time  |
+------------+
| 1629574617 |
| 1631232012 |
| 1632148895 |
+------------+

In this method, we first use DATE_FORMAT() to format the TIMESTAMP column as a string in the format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS'. We then use STR_TO_DATE() to convert this formatted string back into a TIMESTAMP, and finally, apply UNIX_TIMESTAMP() to get the UNIX time.

Method 4: Custom Function for Conversion

For more control and flexibility, you can create a custom MySQL function to handle the conversion. This method is ideal when you require additional processing or when you frequently need this conversion in your queries.

DELIMITER //
CREATE FUNCTION ConvertToUnixTime(ts TIMESTAMP) RETURNS BIGINT
BEGIN
    DECLARE unix_time BIGINT;
    SET unix_time = UNIX_TIMESTAMP(ts);
    RETURN unix_time;
END //
DELIMITER ;

SELECT ConvertToUnixTime(your_timestamp_column) AS unix_time FROM your_table;

Output:

+------------+
| unix_time  |
+------------+
| 1629574617 |
| 1631232012 |
| 1632148895 |
+------------+

In this method, we create a custom function ConvertToUnixTime() that takes a TIMESTAMP as an argument and returns the corresponding UNIX time. This encapsulates the conversion logic and allows for easy reuse across queries.

Conclusion:

In this blog, we have explored various methods to accomplish the TIMESTAMP to UNIX Time conversion using MySQL, from using built-in functions like UNIX_TIMESTAMP() to create custom functions.