The Prisma P2006 error occurs when you try to insert or update data that violates your database schema constraints. This validation error prevents invalid data from reaching your database and helps maintain data integrity.
The P2006 error is a Prisma validation error that occurs when you attempt to create or update a record with data that doesn't match the expected schema constraints. Prisma performs runtime validation on all data operations to ensure type safety and data integrity. This error typically happens when: - You're trying to insert a string into an integer field - You're providing a value that exceeds field length constraints - You're using an invalid enum value - You're missing required fields - You're providing data in the wrong format (like a date string that can't be parsed) Prisma validates data against your Prisma schema before sending it to the database. When validation fails, it throws the P2006 error with details about which field failed and why.
Prisma P2006 errors usually include specific details about which field failed. Look for messages like:
Invalid `prisma.user.create()` invocation:
{
data: {
email: "[email protected]",
age: "twenty-five" // ← This is the problem
}
}
Argument `age`: Invalid value provided. Expected Int, provided String.The error message will tell you exactly which field has the issue and what type was expected vs. what was provided.
Compare your input data with your Prisma schema definition. Make sure:
1. Numbers are actual numbers, not strings: Convert "25" to 25
2. Booleans are true/false, not strings: Use true not "true"
3. Dates are Date objects or ISO strings: Use new Date() or "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
4. Enums match exactly: Check case sensitivity and spelling
Example fix:
// Before (wrong)
await prisma.user.create({
data: {
name: "John",
age: "30", // String instead of Int
active: "true" // String instead of Boolean
}
});
// After (correct)
await prisma.user.create({
data: {
name: "John",
age: 30, // Number
active: true // Boolean
}
});Ensure all required fields (fields without ? in the schema) are provided:
// schema.prisma
model User {
id String @id @default(cuid())
email String @unique
name String? // Optional
age Int // Required - will cause P2006 if missing
}// Wrong - missing required 'age' field
await prisma.user.create({
data: {
email: "[email protected]"
// Missing 'age' field
}
});
// Correct - includes all required fields
await prisma.user.create({
data: {
email: "[email protected]",
age: 25 // Required field included
}
});Check for database-level constraints like string length limits:
model Post {
id String @id @default(cuid())
title String @db.VarChar(100) // Max 100 characters
content String?
}// This will fail if title exceeds 100 characters
const longTitle = "A".repeat(150); // 150 characters
await prisma.post.create({
data: {
title: longTitle, // Too long!
content: "Some content"
}
});
// Fix by truncating or validating length
const validTitle = longTitle.substring(0, 100);
await prisma.post.create({
data: {
title: validTitle,
content: "Some content"
}
});Also check for format constraints like email validation or URL patterns if you have custom validation.
Leverage TypeScript to catch these errors at compile time:
1. Generate Prisma Client after schema changes:
npx prisma generate2. Use the generated types in your code:
import { PrismaClient, Prisma } from '@prisma/client';
const prisma = new PrismaClient();
// TypeScript will catch type mismatches at compile time
const userData: Prisma.UserCreateInput = {
email: "[email protected]",
age: "25", // TypeScript error: Type 'string' is not assignable to type 'number'
};
// Correct version:
const correctUserData: Prisma.UserCreateInput = {
email: "[email protected]",
age: 25, // Correct type
};
await prisma.user.create({ data: correctUserData });3. Add runtime validation with Zod (optional but recommended):
import { z } from 'zod';
const userSchema = z.object({
email: z.string().email(),
age: z.number().int().positive(),
name: z.string().optional()
});
const validatedData = userSchema.parse(inputData);
await prisma.user.create({ data: validatedData });## Database-Specific Considerations
Different databases have different type systems and constraints:
PostgreSQL:
- Strict type checking
- Enum values must match exactly (case-sensitive)
- JSON/JSONB fields require valid JSON
MySQL:
- More lenient with type conversions (may silently convert)
- String length limits are important
- ENUM type has specific constraints
SQLite:
- Very flexible type system (type affinity)
- Still validates against Prisma schema
- String length constraints are not enforced at database level
## Common Pitfalls
1. API request parsing: Data from HTTP requests often comes as strings. Use middleware to parse numbers and booleans:
app.use(express.json());
app.use((req, res, next) => {
// Convert string numbers to actual numbers
if (req.body.age && typeof req.body.age === 'string') {
req.body.age = parseInt(req.body.age, 10);
}
next();
});2. Form data: HTML forms submit everything as strings. Convert before passing to Prisma.
3. Environment variables: Config values from .env files are always strings. Parse them:
const port = parseInt(process.env.PORT || '3000', 10);
const isProduction = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production';## Debugging Tips
1. Enable Prisma query logging:
const prisma = new PrismaClient({
log: ['query', 'info', 'warn', 'error']
});2. Use try-catch with detailed error logging:
try {
await prisma.user.create({ data: userData });
} catch (error) {
console.error('Full error details:', JSON.stringify(error, null, 2));
if (error instanceof Prisma.PrismaClientValidationError) {
console.error('Validation error details:', error.message);
}
}3. Validate data before database operations with a utility function:
function validateUserData(data: any): Prisma.UserCreateInput {
// Add your validation logic here
if (typeof data.age !== 'number') {
throw new Error('Age must be a number');
}
return data;
}P6005: Invalid parameters (Pulse)
How to fix "P6005: Invalid parameters (Pulse)" in Prisma
P2011: Null constraint violation on the field
How to fix "P2011: Null constraint violation" in Prisma
P2009: Failed to validate the query: {validation_error}
How to fix "P2009: Failed to validate the query" in Prisma
P2007: Data validation error
How to fix "P2007: Data validation error" in Prisma
P1013: The provided database string is invalid
The provided database string is invalid