- var_dump: documentation ( source)
<?php
$zone = new \DateTimeZone( 'GMT' );
$oneOfSeptember2015 = \DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2015-09-01', $zone);
$oneOfSeptember2014 = \DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2014-09-01', $zone);
$diff = $now->diff( $oneOfSeptember2015, TRUE );
$dayOfDifference = $diff->format( '%d' );
var_dump( $dayOfDifference );