How to fix SQLITE_ABORT: Callback routine requested an abort in SQLite

SQLiteINTERMEDIATEMEDIUM

This error occurs when a callback function passed to SQLite returns a non-zero value, signaling an abort request. In sqlite3_exec() and similar functions, returning non-zero from a callback aborts the current query. This is commonly triggered by intentional abort logic or transaction rollbacks during execution.

What this error means

The SQLITE_ABORT error with "Callback routine requested an abort" indicates that SQLite has terminated a database operation because a callback function returned a non-zero value. This is SQLite's standard way of handling early termination requests from application callbacks. In SQLite's C API, functions like sqlite3_exec() and prepared statement iteration allow you to provide callback functions that process results row-by-row. If your callback returns 0, SQLite continues processing subsequent rows. Returning any non-zero value signals SQLite to stop processing immediately and return SQLITE_ABORT (error code 4) to the caller. This error can also be triggered by sqlite3_interrupt() being called from another thread, or by authorization callbacks returning SQLITE_DENY. The error is not necessarily problematic—it's often an intentional control flow mechanism when you want to stop processing results early.

How to fix "SQLITE_ABORT: Callback routine requested an abort"

1Verify callback function return values

Check your callback function to ensure it returns 0 to continue or intentionally returns non-zero to abort. The callback signature should return int:

// Callback typedef
typedef int (*sqlite3_callback)(void *data, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames);

// Example: Correct callback that continues processing
int callback(void *data, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames) {
    for (int i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
        printf("%s = %s\n", colNames[i], argv[i] ? argv[i] : "NULL");
    }
    return 0;  // Return 0 to continue processing rows
}

// Example: Callback that aborts after finding a match
int callback(void *data, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames) {
    if (argv[0] && strcmp(argv[0], "target_value") == 0) {
        return 1;  // Non-zero: abort query and return SQLITE_ABORT
    }
    return 0;  // Continue processing
}

Check your callback implementation and ensure return values match your intended behavior.

2Handle intentional aborts gracefully

If your application intentionally aborts queries via callbacks, handle SQLITE_ABORT as a normal control flow:

int rc = sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM large_table", callback, NULL, &errMsg);

if (rc == SQLITE_ABORT) {
    // Intentional abort from callback - not an error
    printf("Query processing stopped early by callback\n");
    sqlite3_free(errMsg);
    errMsg = NULL;
} else if (rc != SQLITE_OK) {
    printf("Error: %s\n", errMsg);
    sqlite3_free(errMsg);
}

Distinguish between SQLITE_ABORT (intentional callback abort) and other error codes.

3Fix unintentional callback return value errors

If the abort is unintentional, ensure your callback always explicitly returns 0:

// Before (missing return statement)
int callback(void *data, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames) {
    printf("Row: %s\n", argv[0]);
    // Missing return statement - returns garbage value
}

// After (explicit return 0)
int callback(void *data, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames) {
    printf("Row: %s\n", argv[0]);
    return 0;  // Explicitly return 0 to continue
}

C compilers may not warn about missing return statements from functions declared as returning int. Always explicitly return 0 from callbacks meant to continue processing.

4Use prepared statements with iterators as an alternative

Instead of sqlite3_exec() with callbacks, use prepared statements which give you more explicit control:

// Using sqlite3_exec (callback-based)
int rc = sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM users", callback, NULL, &errMsg);
// Harder to control when to stop processing

// Using prepared statements (loop-based)
sqlite3_stmt *stmt;
int rc = sqlite3_prepare_v2(db, "SELECT * FROM users", -1, &stmt, NULL);

if (rc == SQLITE_OK) {
    while (sqlite3_step(stmt) == SQLITE_ROW) {
        // Process each row
        const char *name = (const char *)sqlite3_column_text(stmt, 0);

        // Explicit control: break when you want to stop
        if (some_condition(name)) {
            break;  // Exit loop cleanly instead of triggering SQLITE_ABORT
        }
    }
    sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
}

Prepared statements provide clearer control flow without relying on callback return values.

5Check for sqlite3_interrupt() calls

If using multi-threaded database access, verify that other threads aren't calling sqlite3_interrupt():

// Thread 1: Executing query
int rc = sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM table", callback, NULL, &errMsg);
// May return SQLITE_ABORT if Thread 2 calls sqlite3_interrupt()

// Thread 2: Should NOT call this unless you want to abort Thread 1's query
sqlite3_interrupt(db);  // This causes Thread 1's query to abort

sqlite3_interrupt() is designed for emergency stops (e.g., user cancellation). If queries are aborting unexpectedly, check for unintended interrupt() calls.

6Review authorization callback if using one

If you have set up a custom authorizer with sqlite3_set_authorizer(), ensure it returns appropriate values:

// Authorization callback
int authorizer(void *data, int action, const char *arg1, const char *arg2,
               const char *arg3, const char *arg4) {
    // Return values
    // SQLITE_OK: Allow operation (0)
    // SQLITE_DENY: Deny operation, causes abort (1)
    // SQLITE_IGNORE: Ignore operation (2)

    if (action == SQLITE_SELECT && strcmp(arg1, "sensitive_table") == 0) {
        return SQLITE_DENY;  // Deny access to sensitive_table
    }
    return SQLITE_OK;  // Allow other operations
}

// Register authorizer
sqlite3_set_authorizer(db, authorizer, NULL);

// Now, querying sensitive_table will return SQLITE_ABORT
int rc = sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM sensitive_table", callback, NULL, &errMsg);
// rc will be SQLITE_ABORT if authorizer denied access

Ensure your authorizer returns SQLITE_OK for allowed operations and SQLITE_DENY only when access should be blocked.

7Debug with error messages and logging

Enable detailed error reporting to diagnose the cause:

// Capture detailed error message
char *errMsg = NULL;
int rc = sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM table", callback, NULL, &errMsg);

if (rc == SQLITE_ABORT) {
    if (errMsg) {
        printf("Abort reason: %s\n", errMsg);
        sqlite3_free(errMsg);
    } else {
        printf("Callback routine requested an abort\n");
    }
}

// Use sqlite3_errmsg() for more details
if (rc != SQLITE_OK) {
    printf("Error: %s\n", sqlite3_errmsg(db));
}

// Enable SQLite debugging in development
sqlite3_config(SQLITE_CONFIG_LOG, errorLog, NULL);

Detailed logging helps identify whether the abort was from a callback return, authorization denial, or interrupt.

Advanced notes

Understanding SQLITE_ABORT vs Extended Error Codes:

SQLITE_ABORT (error code 4) is the base error code. SQLite can provide extended error codes that provide more context:

- SQLITE_ABORT_ROLLBACK: Transaction was rolled back
- SQLITE_ABORT_RETRY: Recoverable abort (should retry)

Check extended codes:

int rc = sqlite3_exec(db, sql, callback, NULL, &errMsg);
int extended = sqlite3_extended_errcode(db);
printf("Extended error code: %d\n", extended);

Callback vs Prepared Statements Performance:

sqlite3_exec() is convenient for simple queries but less flexible. Prepared statements are preferred for production code:

- sqlite3_exec(): Parses SQL each time, callback-based processing
- Prepared statements: Parse once, reuse many times, explicit row iteration

For repeated queries, prepared statements are significantly faster.

Transaction Rollbacks During Callbacks:

If a callback attempts to modify the database while a SELECT callback is executing, the transaction may rollback, causing SQLITE_ABORT:

// Risky: Modifying DB in callback during SELECT
int callback(void *data, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames) {
    // Don't do this - modifying database during SELECT
    sqlite3_exec(db, "DELETE FROM other_table WHERE id=?", NULL, NULL, &errMsg);
    return 0;
}

sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM table", callback, NULL, &errMsg);

Best practice: Read all data in the callback, then perform modifications after the SELECT completes.

Using callbacks for large result sets:

Callbacks are useful for streaming large result sets without loading everything into memory:

// Streaming large dataset with callback
int rows_processed = 0;
int callback(void *count, int argc, char **argv, char **colNames) {
    // Process one row at a time
    process_row(argv, argc);
    (*(int *)count)++;
    return 0;  // Continue to next row
}

sqlite3_exec(db, "SELECT * FROM huge_table", callback, &rows_processed, &errMsg);
printf("Processed %d rows\n", rows_processed);

This pattern efficiently handles large datasets without memory pressure.

How to fix SQLITE_ABORT: Callback routine requested an abort in SQLite

What this error means

Typical symptoms

Common causes

How to fix "SQLITE_ABORT: Callback routine requested an abort"

Advanced notes

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Official resources & further reading