'datetime' casted attribute returning current date from am empty string in the db

[NabilHassen]

Laravel Version

11.5.0

PHP Version

8.3.4

Database Driver & Version

SQLite 3.19.1 for Windows 11

Description

When an empty string is persisted on a datetime column in the database and that column is casted by 'datetime' cast, you get current datetime instead of null as the output.

Steps To Reproduce

1. create a migration which includes a datetime column as such:
   $table->dateTime('approved_at')->nullable();
2. On the model class, cast the attribute using 'datetime' cast as such:
   protected function casts(): array { return [ 'approved_at' => 'datetime', ]; }
3. Let us assume that we have a Post model and store some date as such:
   Post::create(['title' => 'Laravel', 'approved_at' => '']);
4. And finally, let's try to access the 'approved_at' field as such:
   $post->approved_at;

Expected result: null or ''
Outcome: current datetime (i.e. same as now() method)

[Tofandel]

Shouldn't it be Post::create(['title' => 'Laravel', 'approved_at' => null]); if your field is nullable

[NabilHassen]

Shouldn't it be Post::create(['title' => 'Laravel', 'approved_at' => null]); if your field is nullable

@Tofandel

Using Livewire for example, if you set a date on the standard html datepicker and then clear it, then an empty string is passed instead of null.

I don't know what happens with just regular blade code, didn't try it.

[Tofandel]

If you use the validator with nullable rule and retrieve the validated fields that should convert empty strings to null

[NabilHassen]

Already did that, no difference.