MySQL TIMESTAMP vs. DATETIME: The Ultimate Showdown on Time Zones, UTC, and Storage

Ever been confused by TIMESTAMP and DATETIME in MySQL? This article dives deep into why a TIMESTAMP column can be directly compared with a date string, uncovering the magic of implicit type casting. We'll reveal how TIMESTAMP handles time zones—storing in UTC and retrieving in the session's time zone—and explain its interaction with applications like PHP. Finally, through a detailed comparison and architectural advice from DP@lib00, you'll master when to use TIMESTAMP versus DATETIME, enabling you to design more robust and globally-aware database schemas.