The core method of judging whether a date is in the past is to convert the target date to a timestamp and compare it to the current time. 1. Use strtotime() is the most direct method, which is suitable for standard formats such as YYYY-MM-DD. If the date is illegal, it returns false, and additional judgment is required; 2. When processing user input, it is recommended to use DateTime::createFromFormat() to verify the format to prevent parsing errors; 3. You can also use the DateTime class to implement more object-oriented processing, support time zone and date operations and directly compare objects. Either way, ensuring that dates are parsed correctly is key.
Determining whether a date has passed is a common requirement in PHP development, such as verifying activity time, checking the validity of user input, etc. The core idea is to convert the target date into a timestamp and then compare it with the current time.

Use strtotime()
to convert dates and compare
This is the most straightforward way: use strtotime()
to convert the date string to a Unix timestamp and then compare it with the current time.

$dateToCheck = "2025-01-01"; if (strtotime($dateToCheck) < time()) { echo "This date has passed."; } else { echo "This date has not arrived yet."; }
This method is suitable for date strings in standard formats, such as YYYY-MM-DD
or YYYY/MM/DD
. But be aware that if the format of the incoming date is illegal, strtotime()
may return false
. At this time, additional judgments should be made to avoid errors.
Be careful with format issues when handling user input
If you are receiving dates from a form or API, it is recommended to do a format verification first to make sure it can be parsed correctly.

$dateToCheck = $_POST['date']; // For example, the user entered "2023-01-01" if (DateTime::createFromFormat('Ym-d', $dateToCheck) === false) { echo "The date format is incorrect, please use the YYYY-MM-DD format."; } else { if (strtotime($dateToCheck) < time()) { echo "This date has expired."; } }
Common errors include:
- The user entered the wrong year (for example, wrote 202 or 20244)
- Month or date is out of range (such as 2024-13-01)
Therefore, adding format verification can improve program robustness.
Use the DateTime
class to handle it more object-oriented
If you like OOP style, you can also use DateTime
to implement it:
$dateToCheck = new DateTime('2025-01-01'); $now = new DateTime(); if ($dateToCheck < $now) { echo "This time has passed."; }
This method has better readability and is convenient for expansion. For example, you also need to compare time with time zones, or you need to add and subtract date operations.
However, it should be noted that DateTime
objects can be compared directly without manually turning the timestamp.
Basically these methods. The key to using the method of looking at project style and personal habits is to ensure that the date can be correctly parsed and not misjudgment due to format issues.
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