How to use CURRENT_DATE in PostgreSQL

What does CURRENT_DATE do in PostgreSQL?

CURRENT_DATE instantly returns today’s date based on the database server’s clock. It omits the time component and ignores the client’s time zone, making it ideal for date-only comparisons and reports.

How do I call CURRENT_DATE?

Use CURRENT_DATE anywhere an expression is allowed—SELECT lists, WHERE clauses, check constraints, or default column values. No parentheses are needed because it is a special SQL keyword, not a function.

How is CURRENT_DATE typically used?

Teams compare order dates to today, stamp new records, or calculate customer tenure. Because it is evaluated once per statement, it stays consistent within the query, even if the statement spans milliseconds across midnight.

What is the exact syntax?

The keyword has no parameters; you simply write CURRENT_DATE. To store it as a default, use DEFAULT CURRENT_DATE in a column definition.

Practical examples for ecommerce data

Filter today’s orders
SELECT id, total_amount FROM Orders WHERE order_date = CURRENT_DATE;

Set default created_at
ALTER TABLE Customers ALTER COLUMN created_at SET DEFAULT CURRENT_DATE;

Find low-stock products added today
SELECT name FROM Products WHERE stock < 10 AND created_at = CURRENT_DATE;

Best practices for accuracy

Compare date columns to CURRENT_DATE only when those columns are also stored as DATE. Cast TIMESTAMP columns (order_date::date) to avoid implicit conversions that can block indexes.

Can I use CURRENT_DATE in prepared statements?

Yes. PostgreSQL resolves CURRENT_DATE when the statement executes, so the same prepared statement can run today, tomorrow, or next week and always return the correct date.

How is CURRENT_DATE different from NOW()?

NOW() returns a full timestamp with time zone and can be cast to DATE, whereas CURRENT_DATE is already a DATE. Use CURRENT_DATE for pure date logic to skip extra casting.

Key takeaway

Use CURRENT_DATE when you need an unambiguous, timezone-free snapshot of today’s date inside any SQL statement.