How do we make the date field default to today's date? We want the date field to default to today's date when creating a new article.
In the node edit form it defaults to the date set in the content type field settings. 
In the field settings form, it says "leave blank to use the time of form submission". If we leave it blank, it saves the form submission time which is then the new default for the node edit form.

How do we make the date field in the node edit form always show today's date for new content?
If already date field created follow the below steps to change the date formate:


Goto particular Content type, which you have created.


admin/structure/types/manage/{CONTENTTYPE_MAHINE_NAME}


click on the 'Manage Fields' form the tab menu
click on the 'edit' button on the date field of the content type. The field settings will open, the link will be


/admin/structure/types/manage/{CONTENTTYPE_MAHINE_NAME}/fields/node.{CONTENTTYPE_MAHINE_NAME}.field_{FIELD_MACHINE_NAME}

Goto bottom of the page


Select the 'Current date' option from the drop down at the section of 'default value'.
To display only the date without time, goto 'Field settings' and select the 'date only' option from the drop down of 'Date type'.