Set Database Default Timestamps with useCurrent() and useCurrentOnUpdate()

Use useCurrent() and useCurrentOnUpdate() in migrations to let the database engine manage default timestamps automatically.

When inserting records via raw SQL queries, third-party integrations, or bulk inserts where Eloquent timestamp events do not fire, columns without defaults can fail or insert NULL.

Laravel migrations provide useCurrent() and useCurrentOnUpdate() to configure database-level default timestamps.

Using Database-Level Timestamps in Migrations

use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;

return new class extends Migration
{
    public function up(): void
    {
        Schema::create('activity_logs', function (Blueprint $table) {
            $table->id();
            $table->string('event');

            // Sets DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP in database
            $table->timestamp('created_at')->useCurrent();

            // Sets DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP (MySQL/MariaDB)
            $table->timestamp('updated_at')->useCurrent()->useCurrentOnUpdate();
        });
    }
};

Custom Event Timestamps

$table->timestamp('purchased_at')->useCurrent();

Summary

• Enforces timestamp defaults at the database engine level.
• Guarantees valid timestamps even when bypassing Eloquent models.
• useCurrentOnUpdate() automatically refreshes timestamps on MySQL/MariaDB row updates.