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PHP | date_diff() Function

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025
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The date_diff() is an inbuilt function in PHP which is used to calculate the difference between two dates. This function returns a DateInterval object on the success and returns FALSE on failure. Syntax: 
date_diff($datetime1, $datetime2);
Parameters: The date_diff() function accepts two parameters as mentioned above and described below:
  • $datetime1: It is a mandatory parameter which specifies the first DateTime object.
  • $datetime2: It is a mandatory parameter which specifies the second DateTime object.
Return Value: It returns the difference between two DateTime objects otherwise, FALSE on failure. Below programs illustrate the date_diff() function: Program 1: php 
<?php
// PHP program to illustrate 
// date_diff() function

// creates DateTime objects
$datetime1 = date_create('2017-06-28');
$datetime2 = date_create('2018-06-28');

// calculates the difference between DateTime objects
$interval = date_diff($datetime1, $datetime2);

// printing result in days format
echo $interval->format('%R%a days');
?>
Output: 
+365 days
Program 2: php 
<?php
// PHP program to illustrate 
// date_diff() function

// difference only in  year
$datetime1 = date_create('2017-06-28');
$datetime2 = date_create('2018-06-28');

$interval = date_diff($datetime1, $datetime2);
echo $interval->format('%R%a days') . "\n";

// Difference only in months
$datetime1 = date_create('2018-04-28');
$datetime2 = date_create('2018-06-28');

$interval = date_diff($datetime1, $datetime2);
echo $interval->format('%R%a days') . "\n";

// Difference in year, month, days
$datetime1 = date_create('2017-06-28');
$datetime2 = date_create('2018-04-05');

$interval = date_diff($datetime1, $datetime2);
echo $interval->format('%R%a days') . "\n";

?>
Output: 
+365 days
+61 days
+281 days
Reference:https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.date-diff.php

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