Getting the current date (and not the date/time)

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Changes to SQL introduced in SQL Server 2025 Part three of a five-part series of blogs
In addition to handling AI models, vectors of data and JSON, SQL now includes a number of other new functions and features (as this blog explains) REGEX regular expression functions Fuzzy string matching Getting the current date (and not the date/time) (this blog) Using the new UNISTR function to display Unicode characters Encoding binary files as text for transfer using BASE64_ENCODE

Changes to SQL introduced in SQL Server 2025

Part three of a five-part series of blogs

In addition to handling AI models, vectors of data and JSON, SQL now includes a number of other new functions and features (as this blog explains)

REGEX regular expression functions
Fuzzy string matching
Getting the current date (and not the date/time) (this blog)
Using the new UNISTR function to display Unicode characters
Encoding binary files as text for transfer using BASE64_ENCODE

Posted by Andy Brown on 25 November 2025

SQL has had the GetDate() function since time immemorial, which gives the current moment in time:

As you can see, I'm writing this at 1.16 pm on 25th November 2025.

This returns a DateTime data type, which is often more precise than you need in the consuming application. Recognising this, Microsoft have created a new CURRENT_DATE keyword

The CURRENT_DATE keyword doesn't need brackets, and returns today's date as a Date data type.

I'm sure Microsoft would like to rename the two functions/keywords as TODAY and NOW, as in Excel, but that horse has definitely bolted. A long, long time ago.

Parts of this blog
REGEX regular expression functions Fuzzy string matching Getting the current date (and not the date/time) (this blog) Using the new UNISTR function to display Unicode characters Encoding binary files as text for transfer using BASE64_ENCODE