date_bin() — PostgreSQL date/time function

date_bin(): bin timestamp into specified interval. PostgreSQL date/time functions — signature, volatility, version applicability and an illustrative example.

The Sev-1 Admin
The Sev-1 Admin  ·  2 min read

Summary

date_bin is a PostgreSQL built-in function in the Date/Time Functions group. PostgreSQL’s system catalog (pg_proc) describes it as: “bin timestamp into specified interval”.

Signature

date_bin has 2 documented overloaded forms:

date_bin(interval, timestamp, timestamp) → timestamp
date_bin(interval, timestamp with time zone, timestamp with time zone) → timestamp with time zone

Argument and return types are taken from the pg_proc catalog; internal type names are shown using their readable SQL spellings (for example int4 is shown as integer). (Derived from the catalog — see the linked reference for the canonical documentation.)

Classification

  • Category: Date/Time Functions
  • Kind: Function
  • Volatility: IMMUTABLE — Marked IMMUTABLE — it always returns the same result for the same arguments and can be used in indexes and other contexts that require immutability.
  • Returns: timestamp, timestamp with time zone

Example

Illustrative form (replace placeholder values with your own data):

SELECT date_bin(INTERVAL '1 day', TIMESTAMP '2024-01-15 10:30:00', TIMESTAMP '2024-01-15 10:30:00');

The example above is illustrative and is meant to show calling syntax only; consult the linked PostgreSQL documentation for exact semantics, edge cases and accepted argument combinations.

Version applicability

date_bin is present across the surveyed releases (PostgreSQL 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). On older major versions, behaviour may differ in detail — always check the documentation for the version you run.

Related & references

Reference: PostgreSQL documentation — Date/Time Functions.