symfony doctrine updatedAt createdAt updated_at created_at fields timestamp

EntityBase.php

<?php

namespace AppBundle\Mapping;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
use DateTime;

/**
 * Class EntityBase
 *
 * PHP version 7.1
 *
 * LICENSE: MIT
 *
 * @package    AppBundle\Mapping
 * @author     Lelle - Daniele Rostellato <lelle.daniele@gmail.com>
 * @license    MIT
 * @version    1.0.0
 * @since      File available since Release 1.0.0
 * @ORM\HasLifecycleCallbacks
 */
class EntityBase implements EntityBaseInterface
{
    /**
     * @var DateTime $created
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="created_at", type="datetime", nullable=false)
     */
    protected $createdAt;

    /**
     * @var DateTime $updated
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="updated_at", type="datetime", nullable=false)
     */
    protected $updatedAt;

    /**
     * @ORM\PrePersist
     * @ORM\PreUpdate
     */
    public function updatedTimestamps(): void
    {
        $dateTimeNow = new DateTime('now');

        $this->setUpdatedAt($dateTimeNow);

        if ($this->getCreatedAt() === null) {
            $this->setCreatedAt($dateTimeNow);
        }
    }

    public function getCreatedAt() :?DateTime
    {
        return $this->createdAt;
    }
    
    public function setCreatedAt(DateTime $createdAt): self
    {
        $this->createdAt = $createdAt;

        return $this;
    }

    public function getUpdatedAt() :?DateTime
    {
        return $this->updatedAt;
    }
    
    public function setUpdatedAt(DateTime $updatedAt): self
    {
        $this->updatedAt = $updatedAt;

        return $this;
    }
}

EntityBaseInterface.php

<?php

namespace AppBundle\Mapping;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
use DateTime;

/**
 * EntityBase Interface
 *
 * @author Lelle - Daniele Rostellato <lelle.daniele@gmail.com>
 */
interface EntityBaseInterface
{
    /**
     * @ORM\PrePersist
     * @ORM\PreUpdate
     */
    public function updatedTimestamps(): void;

    /**
     * Get createdAt
     *
     * @return null|DateTime
     */
    public function getCreatedAt(): ?DateTime

    /**
     * Set createdAt
     *
     * @param DateTime $createdAt
     * @return self
     */
    public function setCreatedAt(DateTime $createdAt): self
        
    /**
     * Get updatedAt
     *
     * @param DateTime $createdAt
     * @return self
     */
    public function getUpdatedAt(): ?DateTime

    /**
     * Set updatedAt
     *
     * @param DateTime $updatedAt
     * @return self
     */
    public function setUpdatedAt(DateTime $updatedAt): self
}

MyEntity.php

<?php

namespace AppBundle\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
use AppBundle\Mapping\EntityBase;

/**
 * MyEntity
 *
 * @ORM\HasLifecycleCallbacks
 */
class MyEntity extends EntityBase
{
    // ...
}

Simple and effective.

There's some missing semicolon on the return type of most of the methods in the interface and the self return type should be removed.

Also, the DoctrineExtensions bundle has a Trait that will add the same thing to an entity with just a couple lines of code. Documentation is confusing, but if you add the 2 use statements in the linked example and configure the timestampable property in the DoctrineExtensions configuration file, you should be good to go.

https://github.com/Atlantic18/DoctrineExtensions/blob/v2.4.x/doc/timestampable.md#traits

@lelledaniele your tip is just awesome.
Thank you !