This PostgreSQL error occurs when a column definition specifies invalid length, precision, or scale attributes. Common causes include incorrect VARCHAR lengths, incompatible numeric precision/scale combinations, and invalid constraint specifications.
The 42611 error code indicates that PostgreSQL rejected a column definition because it contains invalid parameters for the data type. Unlike general syntax errors, this error means the syntax is correct but the values themselves are invalid—such as specifying a VARCHAR with an out-of-bounds length, setting numeric scale greater than precision, or applying incompatible constraints to a column type. This error commonly appears when defining numeric columns with invalid precision or scale values, specifying VARCHAR lengths outside acceptable ranges, applying NOT NULL constraints to DEFAULT NULL columns, or using identity column features incorrectly. PostgreSQL enforces strict rules on column type parameters to ensure data storage and retrieval work correctly.
PostgreSQL provides details about which column and what aspect of the definition is invalid. Run your CREATE TABLE statement and examine the full error output:
CREATE TABLE products (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR NOT NULL, -- Invalid: VARCHAR requires length
price NUMERIC(2, 5) -- Invalid: scale > precision
);The error will indicate:
ERROR: column "name" has invalid length
SQLSTATE: 42611Identify which column and which parameter caused the error.
VARCHAR and CHAR columns must specify a valid length (1-10485760 bytes). The length is required and cannot be omitted:
Wrong (no length):
CREATE TABLE users (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
email VARCHAR NOT NULL -- Error: length required
);Correct:
CREATE TABLE users (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
email VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
);Also valid (no length limit):
CREATE TABLE users (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
email TEXT NOT NULL -- No length limit needed
);For NUMERIC and DECIMAL types, ensure:
- Precision is between 1 and 1000
- Scale is 0 or greater
- Scale is NOT greater than precision
Wrong (scale > precision):
CREATE TABLE orders (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
total_price NUMERIC(5, 10) -- Error: scale 10 > precision 5
);Correct:
CREATE TABLE orders (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
total_price NUMERIC(10, 2) -- 10 total digits, 2 after decimal
);Example breakdown:
- NUMERIC(10, 2) = 10 total digits, 2 decimal places (max value: 99999999.99)
- NUMERIC(5, 0) = 5 digits with no decimals (max value: 99999)
- NUMERIC without precision = unlimited precision
DEFAULT clause values must be compatible with the column data type:
Wrong (type mismatch):
CREATE TABLE events (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT 'not a timestamp', -- Error
status VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT 123 -- Error: expects string
);Correct:
CREATE TABLE events (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
status VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT 'pending'
);Use CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, NOW(), or compatible type casts.
When using GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY, ensure START and INCREMENT values are valid:
Wrong (identity constraints invalid):
CREATE TABLE items (
id INT GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY (START 0 INCREMENT 0), -- Error: increment must be nonzero
name VARCHAR(255)
);Correct:
CREATE TABLE items (
id INT GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY (START 1 INCREMENT 1),
name VARCHAR(255)
);For BIGINT identity columns with larger ranges:
CREATE TABLE logs (
id BIGINT GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY (START 1 INCREMENT 1),
message TEXT
);CHECK constraints must produce valid expressions for the column type:
Wrong (incompatible type in CHECK):
CREATE TABLE users (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
age INT CHECK (age > 'invalid') -- Error: comparing int to string
);Correct:
CREATE TABLE users (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
age INT CHECK (age >= 0 AND age <= 150),
email VARCHAR(255) CHECK (email LIKE '%@%.%')
);After fixing the column definitions, test the CREATE TABLE statement in a transaction:
BEGIN;
CREATE TABLE test_table (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
price NUMERIC(10, 2),
status VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT 'active',
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);
-- Verify structure
\d test_table
-- Check column details
\d+ test_table
ROLLBACK; -- or COMMIT if satisfiedUse \d commands in psql to inspect the table structure.
Numeric Type Decisions: PostgreSQL distinguishes between exact (NUMERIC/DECIMAL) and floating-point (REAL/DOUBLE PRECISION) numeric types. Use NUMERIC(precision, scale) for financial data where exact decimal representation is critical. The precision parameter counts total significant digits, not decimal places.
Data Type Inheritance: When inheriting tables in PostgreSQL, child tables must have column definitions compatible with parent tables. This includes matching data types and their parameters. Attempting to override a NUMERIC(10,2) column with NUMERIC(5,2) in a child table will trigger 42611.
Extension Types: PostgreSQL extensions may define custom data types with their own length/precision requirements. For example, PostGIS geometry types have specific parameter formats. Ensure you're following the extension's documentation when defining columns using extension types.
Type Casting and Constraints: When a DEFAULT clause or CHECK constraint includes expressions, PostgreSQL validates that the operation is semantically valid for the data type. For example, CHECK (created_at > 'now') fails because comparing TIMESTAMP with a string literal requires explicit casting (use NOW() or CURRENT_TIMESTAMP instead).
PostgreSQL Version Differences: Column definition rules have evolved across versions. PostgreSQL 13+ introduced more flexible identity columns, and precision limits may differ. Check your specific PostgreSQL version documentation if behavior differs from this guide.
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