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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-05-13T11:45:04+00:00

As the title states, I want to get the difference (in seconds) between 2

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As the title states, I want to get the difference (in seconds) between 2 (specifically between now and a date in the past) dates without using: strtotime, the Zend Framework or a PEAR package.

I don’t want to get into the details of my reason but the gist of it is that I’m working with very old dates (and I do mean old, I’m talking before 0 A.D.).

It is preferred that the returned result be highly accurate down to the second of the textual timestamp given. The format to call the function should be similar to:

$bar = foo("YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS", "AD"); // Where AD is Anno Domini 
$baz = foo("YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS", "BC"); // Where BC is Before Christ

The first person who offers a working that features:

  • High readability
  • No magic (ternary operators, etc.)

Will have their answer up-voted and accepted. Their name will be credited in the header of the source file which uses their code.

EDIT (Re: Fame):

Someone said having a name credited in the header looks bad and can be edited out. I’m talking about the header of the source file that utilizes the function I want. This isn’t about “fame”. Credit should be given where credit is due and I have no need to lie about who authored a work.

EDIT (Re: Accurateness):

No reason other than I want to keep with the “letter of the message” as best as I am able.

EDIT (Re: Magic):

Magic is different things to different people. In regards to the ternary operator, please respect my opinion as I respect yours. Thank you.

EDIT (Re: Old Dates and One Second Accuracy):

As a student of history, it makes sense to me. The desire for “one second accuracy” is not an absolute. Perfection, while attainable, is not required.

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    I’d suggest splitting each datetime into parts (year, month, date, hours, minutes, seconds). Then, with each part, do a basic sum of most more minus less recent (remembering that a BC date is effectively a negative number).

    You’ll never get it absolutely correct. You’re going to have to consider leap years, and whether a century year is a leap year, the switch between Gregorian/Julian dates etc.

    Plus I’d love to know your reasoning for the limitations and high accuracy requirement!

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