- var_dump: documentation ( source)
<?php
$date1 = new DateTime("1980-11-21 00:00:00");
$date2 = new DateTime("1981-11-20 00:00:00");
var_dump($date1->diff($date2,true)->days);
var_dump($date2->diff($date1,true)->days);
var_dump($date1->diff($date2,true)->format("%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s"));
var_dump($date2->diff($date1,true)->format("%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s"));