What are the Temporal Data Types in MySQL?

MySQL offers several data types for storing dates and times, including:

1. DATE: Used to store dates in the format YYYY-MM-DD. For example, 2023-03-15 represents March 15, 2023.

2. TIME: Used to store times in the format HH:MM:SS. For example, 15:45:30 represents 3:45:30 PM.

3. DATETIME: Used to store both date and time in the format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS. It can store precise date and time information. For example, 2023-03-15 15:45:30 represents March 15, 2023 at 3:45:30 PM.

4. TIMESTAMP: Similar to DATETIME, it stores date and time in the format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS. However, TIMESTAMP values are time zone-dependent and are converted to UTC time. For example, when inserting 2023-03-15 15:45:30, it is converted to the corresponding UTC time based on the server's time zone settings.

5. YEAR: Stores only the year information, with formats as four-digit YYYY or two-digit YY. For example, 2023 or 23.

Each data type has specific use cases. For instance, in an employee records table, you might use the DATE type to store birthdays and DATETIME or TIMESTAMP to record hire dates. If the system requires internationalization and involves multiple time zones, TIMESTAMP is typically recommended as it automatically adjusts time based on time zones. For scenarios where only the year needs to be recorded, such as storing the production year of a product, the YEAR type can be used.