sequelize.js TIMESTAMP not DATETIME

Question

In my node.js app I have several models in which I want to define TIMESTAMP type columns, including the default timestamps created_at and updated_at.

According to sequelize.js' documentation, there is only a DATE data type. It creates DATETIME columns in MySQL.

Example:

var User = sequelize.define('User', { ... // columns last_login: {             type: DataTypes.DATE,             allowNull: false         }, ... }, { // options         timestamps: true }); 

Is it possible to generate TIMESTAMP columns instead?

Answer 1

Just pass in 'TIMESTAMP' string to your type

module.exports = {   up: function (queryInterface, Sequelize) {     return queryInterface.createTable('users', {       id: {         type: Sequelize.INTEGER,         primaryKey: true,         autoIncrement: true       },         created_at: {         type: 'TIMESTAMP',         defaultValue: Sequelize.literal('CURRENT_TIMESTAMP'),         allowNull: false       },       updated_at: {         type: 'TIMESTAMP',         defaultValue: Sequelize.literal('CURRENT_TIMESTAMP'),         allowNull: false       }     });   } }; 

Answer 2

According to the Sequelize Documentation, you can set a defaultValue of Sequelize.NOW to create a timestamp field. This has the effect but relies on Sequelize to actually populate the timestamp. It does not create a "CURRENT_TIMESTAMP' attribute on the table.

var Foo = sequelize.define('Foo', {     // default values for dates => current time     myDate: {           type: Sequelize.DATE,           defaultValue: Sequelize.NOW      } }); 

So, this does accomplish the end goal of having a timestamp field, but it is controlled through Sequelize and not through the actual database engine.

It also appears to work on databases that do not have a timestamp functionality, so that may be a benefit.

Reference URL: http://sequelize.readthedocs.org/en/latest/docs/models-definition/#definition