The CURRENT_TIME function in MySQL is used to retrieve the current time in the format ‘HH:MM:SS’ (hours, minutes, and seconds). This function does not require any arguments and is quite straightforward to use. When called, it returns the current time at the moment the function is executed based on the server’s system clock.

Example

Here’s a simple example of using the CURRENT_TIME function:

SELECT CURRENT_TIME();

The result of this query will be the current time in the ‘HH:MM:SS’ format. For instance, the output might look like this:

12:34:56

It’s important to note that the time returned by CURRENT_TIME is based on the server’s system clock and timezone settings. If your server is configured to a specific timezone, the result will be in that timezone.

You can use the CURRENT_TIME function in various scenarios, such as when you need to record the current time when inserting or updating records in a table. For example:

INSERT INTO your_table (column1, column2, time_column)
VALUES ('value1', 'value2', CURRENT_TIME());

This query inserts a new record into your_table and records the current time in the time_column field.

In summary, the CURRENT_TIME function is a convenient way to fetch the current time in MySQL, and it is particularly useful in scenarios where real-time information or timestamping is required in database operations.