Low-overhead built-in timestamp column for relational database systems

A computer processor implemented method for providing a timestamp for data in a database system, the database system operating in accordance with a database schema, the computer processor performing the following method steps:

• providing a table in the database system, the table including a plurality of rows of data;
• providing a hidden timestamp column in the table of the database system, the hidden timestamp column including a timestamp value for each row of data in the table, the timestamp value indicating a last time a corresponding row of data in the table was previously modified, wherein the hidden timestamp column does not appear in the database schema by default and exposes the timestamp value for a given row of data in the table only to a query that calls the timestamp column by name;
• receiving a query from an application to obtain a timestamp value from the hidden timestamp column, the query calling the timestamp column by name;
• and
• in response to the query, the hidden timestamp column returning the timestamp value to the application for use by the application,
• wherein the application uses the returned timestamp value for controlling a locking scheme associated with recording data updates in the database system.