Date formatting converts a date or timestamp into a desired text representation, such as DD-MM-YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, or a month name. Formatting functions vary significantly between database systems.
Raw date values may not always be displayed in the format required by a business report. Formatting helps present dates in a readable and consistent way.
A report may need to display an order date as 08-Aug-2026 instead of the database's default date representation.
SELECT
OrderDate,
TO_CHAR(OrderDate, 'DD-Mon-YYYY') AS FormattedDate
FROM Orders;Date formatting is commonly used in dashboards, reports, exports, invoices, customer communications, and management summaries.
- Date formatting changes presentation.
- Formatting does not necessarily change the stored date.
- Different databases use different formatting functions.
- Formatted dates are often returned as text.
- Keep dates as date types when calculations are required.
What is date formatting?
Date formatting converts a date or timestamp into a desired display representation.
Does date formatting usually change the stored date?
No. Formatting normally changes how the date is displayed or returned, not the underlying stored value.