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# How to Get Yesterday's Date in SQL: A Comprehensive Guide
To get yesterday's date in SQL efficiently and accurately, use the DATEADD() function. This powerful date manipulation function takes three essential arguments: the unit of time you want to add (such as day, month, or year), the number of units you want to add or subtract, and the base date you want to start calculating from.
To retrieve yesterday's date, implement the following SQL query:
```sql
SELECT DATEADD(day, -1, GETDATE()) AS YesterdayDate
```
This optimized query will return the date from the previous day. For example, if today's date is 2020-05-15, the query will return 2020-05-14. This method ensures consistent results across different time zones and date formats.
## Practical Examples
Let's explore several practical examples of how this versatile function can be used in real-world scenarios. Suppose you want to get the date from two days ago, you would use this enhanced query:
```sql
SELECT DATEADD(day, -2, GETDATE()) AS TwoDaysAgo
FROM YourTableName
WHERE TransactionDate >= DATEADD(day, -2, GETDATE())
```
This query would return the date from two days ago while also demonstrating a practical filtering application. For example, if today's date is 2020-05-15, the query will return 2020-05-13, enabling efficient date-based data analysis.
## Additional Information and Best Practices
The DATEADD() function is widely supported by most major database management systems, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. However, be aware that the syntax may vary slightly depending on your specific database platform. For optimal performance and compatibility, always consult the official documentation for your particular database system.
Key benefits of using DATEADD() include:
- Consistent date calculations across different time zones
- High performance for large datasets
- Compatible with most SQL functions and operations
Remember to properly index your date columns for optimal query performance when using date-based operations. 🤓
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