Does timestamp require more storage than datetime?

Both timestamp and datetime are data types used to store date and time information in databases. While both of these data types serve similar purposes, there are some key differences between them in terms of storage requirements and usage.

When it comes to storage, the size of timestamp and datetime fields varies depending on the database system being used. In some systems, timestamp requires less storage than datetime, while in others, it may require more. For example, in MySQL, timestamp requires 4 bytes of storage, while datetime requires 8 bytes. In contrast, in Microsoft SQL Server, timestamp requires 8 bytes of storage, while datetime requires only 3-8 bytes.

Another key difference between timestamp and datetime is their usage. Timestamp is often used to track changes to records in a database, as it automatically updates itself with the current date and time whenever a row is inserted or updated. Datetime, on the other hand, is typically used to store specific dates and times.

In conclusion, whether timestamp requires more storage than datetime depends on the database system being used. However, the two data types are used differently, with timestamp being more suitable for tracking changes to records and datetime being better suited for storing specific dates and times.