In order to show the time, we have to print it out onto the screen, and we use “echo” or “print” to do so:
If we just echo out the with the date() function:

We will get an error message because the date( ) function needs at least 1 parameter.

There are many parameters for date( ) function and here are a few useful one which I want to talk about:
Year:
“Y” – a big Y shows 4 digits of the current year (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(Y); ?> we get 2008, if you test the code in year 2008.

“y” – a small y shows 2 last digits of the current year (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(y); ?>we get 08, if you test the code in year 2008.

Month:
“F” – a big F shows the English name of the current month (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(F); ?> we get April, if you test the code in April.

“M” – a big M shows the short from in 3 letters of the English name of the current month (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(M); ?> we get Apr, if you test the code in April.

“m” – a small m shows the current month in 2 digits (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(M); ?> we get 04, if you test the code in April.

Day:
“d” – a small d shows the day of the month in 2 digits (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(d); ?> we get 12, if you test the code on the 12th of the month.

“j” – a small j shows the day of the month in 2 digits but for 1 digit for 1st to 9th of the month (the server’s time)
<?php echo date(d); ?> we get 9, if you test the code on the 9th of the month.

Now here are a few example to have a complete date:

To have a date such as “day/month/year” – <?php echo date(”d/m/Y”); ?> we get “12/04/2008″ which is the date when I write this post.

Remember to use a pair of quotation mark if there are more than 1 parameter.

To have a date such as “day-month-year” – <?php echo date(“d-m-Y”); ?> we get “12-04-2008″ which is the date when I write this post.