What is the method for calculating time differences in MySQL?

In MySQL, you can use the TIMESTAMPDIFF() function to calculate the difference between two dates or times. The function requires three parameters: the first parameter specifies the unit of time (such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc.), the second parameter is the larger date/time, and the third parameter is the smaller date/time. Here is an example of calculating the time difference using the TIMESTAMPDIFF() function:

SELECT TIMESTAMPDIFF(SECOND, '2021-01-01 10:00:00', '2021-01-01 10:01:30') AS time_diff;

The above example calculates the time difference between ‘2021-01-01 10:00:00’ and ‘2021-01-01 10:01:30’, and returns the result in seconds. The result will be 90, indicating a 90-second difference between the two times.

Please note that the TIMESTAMPDIFF() function can also be used to calculate other units of time, such as minutes, hours, and days. Just change the first parameter to the desired unit.

In addition, you can also use the TIMESTAMPDIFF() function to calculate the difference in days between two dates, as shown below:

SELECT TIMESTAMPDIFF(DAY, '2021-01-01', '2021-01-05') AS day_diff;

The above example calculates the difference in days between ‘2021-01-01’ and ‘2021-01-05’ and returns the result in days. The result will be 4, indicating a 4-day difference between the two dates.