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Wiki / SQLSTATE

42611 — invalid_column_definition

SQLSTATE 42611 is invalid_column_definition in Class 42. 42611 is an invalid column definition. Two inherited parents in the selected case define different defaults for id; the child definition fails with column "%s" inherits conflicting default values and the hint to specify a default explicitly.

English manual coverage begins with PostgreSQL 8.1. Source history and runtime observations have their own recorded version boundaries.

Reading PG 18·Select a recorded version

8.18.28.38.49.09.19.29.39.49.59.61011121314151617181920
aliases
Unknown
class name
Syntax Error or Access Rule Violation
condition name
invalid_column_definition
lang
en
sqlstate
42611

Definition PG 18

42611

At a glance {#at-a-glance}

SQLSTATE 42611 is invalid_column_definition in Class 42. 42611 is an invalid column definition. Two inherited parents in the selected case define different defaults for id; the child definition fails with column "%s" inherits conflicting default values and the hint to specify a default explicitly.

Meaning {#meaning}

42611 is an invalid column definition. During MergeAttributes, PostgreSQL merges parent columns left to right. If equal-named inherited columns have non-equal default expressions, the merge marks the default as conflicting; unless the child overrides it, the final check raises ERROR column "%s" inherits conflicting default values with the hint to specify a default explicitly. Two inherited parents in the selected case define different defaults for id.

Diagnosis {#diagnosis}

Inspect every parent in the INHERITS list and compare the equal-named columns' type, collation, nullability, and default expressions. A matching default can merge; a child-local default overrides the inherited conflict. The selected DDL ERROR leaves the autocommit session IDLE; this is the inherited-default branch, not a generic duplicate-column error or a type/collation conflict.

Response {#response}

Declare the intended child default explicitly, as the server hint says, then insert DEFAULT VALUES and verify the result. If the parent definitions are supposed to agree, repair the migration at the parents instead; if they intentionally differ, keep the child override visible in the DDL. The selected repair returns 1, but that value is case-specific and does not choose a universal policy.

Messages {#messages}

The selected source branch emits an explicit ERROR with primary column "%s" inherits conflicting default values and HINT To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly. %s is the conflicting column name. A client exception without the server SQLSTATE, primary, and HINT is not sufficient to identify this selected inherited-default subpath; other fixed producers can use the same SQLSTATE with different diagnostics.

Representative case {#case}

The page uses the same statements as the runner registry. Generated names such as syntax_schema and syntax_role are replaced by disposable runner values when executed.

CREATE TABLE syntax_schema.parent_one (id integer DEFAULT 1);
CREATE TABLE syntax_schema.parent_two (id integer DEFAULT 2);
CREATE TABLE syntax_schema.child_bad () INHERITS (syntax_schema.parent_one, syntax_schema.parent_two);
CREATE TABLE syntax_schema.child_good (id integer DEFAULT 1) INHERITS (syntax_schema.parent_one, syntax_schema.parent_two);
INSERT INTO syntax_schema.child_good DEFAULT VALUES RETURNING id;

The selected 18.6 run reports the structured diagnostic and passes the repair assertions; the 10.21 run passes the same case-specific checks. The downloadable case and evidence projections are 42611 case JSON and authored evidence. The runner manifest is verify/cases/42611/cases.json, and the page SQL is checked against its shared registry.

Versions {#versions}

The selected natural runtime scope is PostgreSQL 18.6 and 10.21; it does not infer behavior for every intermediate release.

Related {#related}

Sources {#sources}

  • src.errcodes.18.6 — fixed errcodes.txt definition at commit 724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7; SHA-256 6e8de346643ba84aa3c9c6a73360acfc7b2dfb89162c06c08ce9bf5bcd5bbcba (source).
  • src.inherited-conflicting-default.18.6 — src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c at REL_18_6 commit 724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7; fixed blob SHA-256 422dc8e833df4940755973c757e338295822ba3e4c7266c40669f49f96eb15a9 (source).
  • src.inherited-conflicting-default.10.23 — src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c at REL_10_23 commit 02991e79f8f58bc208f05dcc8af0c62dbe0a6ea4; fixed blob SHA-256 6de441c88496c6cf57a836898388085ec08bf69afd70d07acdafd6089b9b5f8c (source).
  • src.calls.REL_18_6 / src.calls.REL_10_23 — fixed call scans, SHA-256 9ee8a0e81d8f0825c5c1ae45583439859a26e602bdd4ce2f2a62aa278867ccbf / 00d16d3eb01b71ccf1b245c8f3102f9d0ec9f36fb02777b8dd1b99fcb263040c.

Compare versions

SQLSTATE evidence and recorded runtime versions

cases · conflicting_inherited_default
{
  "assertions": [
    "SQLSTATE is 42611 with the conflicting-default diagnostic",
    "The session remains IDLE",
    "An explicit child default resolves the inheritance conflict and DEFAULT inserts 1"
  ],
  "case_id": "conflicting_inherited_default",
  "cleanup": "Drop the case schema with an owner connection.",
  "has_snippet": true,
  "position": 0,
  "preconditions": [
    "A runner-owned disposable target is provisioned."
  ],
  "repair": "Specify the intended default explicitly on the child definition, then verify the inherited table.",
  "trigger": "Create two parent tables with different defaults and inherit both without an explicit child default.",
  "versions": [
    "10",
    "18"
  ]
}
claims · identity.class-and-condition
{
  "claim_id": "identity.class-and-condition",
  "limits": "Directory identity does not identify every backend path.",
  "method": "Read fixed errcodes.txt and the locked catalogue metadata.",
  "position": 0,
  "runtime": [],
  "sources": [
    "src.errcodes.18.6"
  ],
  "statement": "42611 is the invalid_column_definition condition in Class 42."
}
claims · mechanism.backend-path
{
  "claim_id": "mechanism.backend-path",
  "limits": "Other calls can use the same SQLSTATE with different context or dynamic fields.",
  "method": "Trace the resolved REL_18_6 and REL_10_23 source call records at the locked commits.",
  "position": 1,
  "runtime": [],
  "sources": [
    "src.inherited-conflicting-default.18.6",
    "src.inherited-conflicting-default.10.23"
  ],
  "statement": "The fixed source calls for 42611 include the mechanism and message boundary selected for this page."
}
claims · runtime.representative-case
{
  "claim_id": "runtime.representative-case",
  "limits": "This covers the selected case and targets only; it does not generalize to all drivers or intermediate releases.",
  "method": "Run the shared registry case and inspect structured diagnostics, state/recovery assertions, and cleanup.",
  "position": 2,
  "runtime": [
    "runtime.42611-syntax-latest1.latest",
    "runtime.42611-syntax-pg10.pg10"
  ],
  "sources": [
    "manifest.42611",
    "snippet-registry.42611"
  ],
  "statement": "The selected conflicting_inherited_default case passed on isolated PostgreSQL 18.6 and 10.21 targets."
}
claims · versions.catalogue-boundary
{
  "claim_id": "versions.catalogue-boundary",
  "limits": "Definition presence is not an exact behavioral introduction.",
  "method": "Read generated facts and selected summaries.",
  "position": 3,
  "runtime": [],
  "sources": [
    "src.errcodes.18.6",
    "src.calls.REL_18_6",
    "src.calls.REL_10_23"
  ],
  "statement": "The locked catalogue records 42611; runtime scope is limited to the selected targets."
}
messages · message.inherited-default
{
  "limits": "",
  "message_id": "message.inherited-default",
  "path": "",
  "position": 0,
  "raw": {
    "hint_template": "To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly.",
    "id": "message.inherited-default",
    "primary_template": "column \"%s\" inherits conflicting default values",
    "severity_source": "explicit ERROR",
    "sources": [
      "src.inherited-conflicting-default.18.6",
      "src.inherited-conflicting-default.10.23"
    ],
    "sqlstate": "42611"
  },
  "severity": "explicit ERROR",
  "sources": [
    "src.inherited-conflicting-default.18.6",
    "src.inherited-conflicting-default.10.23"
  ],
  "templates": [
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "column \" \" inherits conflicting default values",
      "position": 0,
      "role": "",
      "template": "column \"%s\" inherits conflicting default values"
    },
    {
      "kind": "hint",
      "literal": "To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly.",
      "position": 1,
      "role": "",
      "template": "To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly."
    }
  ]
}
runtimes · runtime.42611-syntax-latest1.latest · 18.6 (Homebrew) · passed
{
  "cases": [],
  "limits": "",
  "position": 0,
  "raw": {
    "assertions": [
      {
        "expected": "42611",
        "name": "42611 SQLSTATE",
        "observed": "42611",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": "ERROR",
        "name": "42611 ERROR severity",
        "observed": "ERROR",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": "conflicting default values",
        "name": "diagnostic identifies conflicting inherited defaults",
        "observed": "column \"id\" inherits conflicting default values",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": "IDLE",
        "name": "inheritance definition failure leaves session usable",
        "observed": "IDLE",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": {
          "status": "IDLE",
          "value": 1
        },
        "name": "explicit default resolves inherited conflict",
        "observed": {
          "status": "IDLE",
          "value": 1
        },
        "passed": true
      }
    ],
    "case_manifest": {
      "id": "manifest.42611",
      "kind": "local_artifact",
      "path": "verify/cases/42611/cases.json",
      "sha256": "f5e5e9e9ed3523b965a78dbce9f27b3e15a718780ee5b260286785279e54efb5",
      "source_role": "case_manifest"
    },
    "cleanup": {
      "errors": [],
      "passed": true
    },
    "environment": {
      "TimeZone": "Asia/Shanghai",
      "backend_pid": 1674,
      "binary": {
        "bindir": "/opt/homebrew/Cellar/postgresql@18/18.6/bin",
        "pg_config": "/opt/homebrew/bin/pg_config",
        "pg_config_version": "PostgreSQL 18.6 (Homebrew)",
        "postgres": "/opt/homebrew/Cellar/postgresql@18/18.6/bin/postgres"
      },
      "connection_scope": "runner-owned localhost port",
      "current_user": "runner",
      "docker": {},
      "lc_messages": "C",
      "libpq_version": "18.6",
      "locale": "en_US.UTF-8",
      "log_destination": "csvlog,jsonlog",
      "log_error_verbosity": "verbose",
      "log_min_error_statement": "error",
      "log_min_messages": "error",
      "logging_collector": "on",
      "machine": "arm64",
      "max_connections": "100",
      "platform": "macOS-26.6.2-arm64-arm-64bit-Mach-O",
      "psycopg_version": "3.3.5",
      "python_version": "3.14.6 (main, Jun 10 2026, 10:03:53) [Clang 21.0.0 (clang-2100.0.123.102)]",
      "server_encoding": "UTF8",
      "server_version": "18.6 (Homebrew)",
      "server_version_num": "180006",
      "target_kind": "latest",
      "wal_level": "logical"
    },
    "id": "runtime.42611-syntax-latest1.latest",
    "observed": {
      "connection_autocommit": true,
      "diagnostic": {
        "column_name": null,
        "constraint_name": null,
        "context": null,
        "datatype_name": null,
        "exception_type": "InvalidColumnDefinition",
        "internal_position": null,
        "internal_query": null,
        "message_detail": null,
        "message_hint": "To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly.",
        "message_primary": "column \"id\" inherits conflicting default values",
        "schema_name": null,
        "severity": "ERROR",
        "severity_nonlocalized": "ERROR",
        "source_file": "tablecmds.c",
        "source_function": "MergeAttributes",
        "source_line": "3148",
        "sqlstate": "42611",
        "statement_position": null,
        "table_name": null,
        "text": "column \"id\" inherits conflicting default values\nHINT:  To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly."
      },
      "failed_status": "IDLE",
      "repair_status": "IDLE",
      "repair_value": 1
    },
    "raw": "verify/results/42611-syntax-latest1/latest/raw.jsonl",
    "raw_sha256": "914e3a6eaf7e7c885705addc898f313ae220899970223c505d331ce7bdeecdca",
    "run_id": "42611-syntax-latest1",
    "server_version": "18.6 (Homebrew)",
    "server_version_num": 180006,
    "snippet_registry": {
      "id": "snippet-registry.42611",
      "kind": "local_artifact",
      "path": "verify/cases/42611/snippets.json",
      "sha256": "23614c2fa79a899cf2946d823ba17ec62a03e9c7ed4833db5a0422d889581569",
      "source_role": "snippet_registry"
    },
    "status": "passed",
    "summary": "verify/results/42611-syntax-latest1/latest/summary.json",
    "summary_sha256": "b09e6edfd79545d85e38ecb14bddd49527cfcb1e304e881fd46f713277b40749",
    "target": "latest"
  },
  "run_id": "42611-syntax-latest1",
  "runtime_id": "runtime.42611-syntax-latest1.latest",
  "server_version": "18.6 (Homebrew)",
  "status": "passed",
  "target": "latest"
}
runtimes · runtime.42611-syntax-pg10.pg10 · 10.21 (Debian 10.21-1.pgdg90+1) · passed
{
  "cases": [],
  "limits": "",
  "position": 1,
  "raw": {
    "assertions": [
      {
        "expected": "42611",
        "name": "42611 SQLSTATE",
        "observed": "42611",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": "ERROR",
        "name": "42611 ERROR severity",
        "observed": "ERROR",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": "conflicting default values",
        "name": "diagnostic identifies conflicting inherited defaults",
        "observed": "column \"id\" inherits conflicting default values",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": "IDLE",
        "name": "inheritance definition failure leaves session usable",
        "observed": "IDLE",
        "passed": true
      },
      {
        "expected": {
          "status": "IDLE",
          "value": 1
        },
        "name": "explicit default resolves inherited conflict",
        "observed": {
          "status": "IDLE",
          "value": 1
        },
        "passed": true
      }
    ],
    "case_manifest": {
      "id": "manifest.42611",
      "kind": "local_artifact",
      "path": "verify/cases/42611/cases.json",
      "sha256": "f5e5e9e9ed3523b965a78dbce9f27b3e15a718780ee5b260286785279e54efb5",
      "source_role": "case_manifest"
    },
    "cleanup": {
      "errors": [],
      "passed": true
    },
    "environment": {
      "TimeZone": "Etc/UTC",
      "backend_pid": 79,
      "binary": {},
      "connection_scope": "runner-owned localhost port",
      "current_user": "postgres",
      "docker": {
        "architecture": "arm64",
        "command": "/usr/local/bin/docker",
        "digest": "sha256:b2baf8998630663d21370da06387c950e587071bdd307ee34e661cdcc7442bcc",
        "id": "sha256:b2baf8998630663d21370da06387c950e587071bdd307ee34e661cdcc7442bcc",
        "image": "postgres:10",
        "image_created": "2022-06-23T09:11:18.374607054Z",
        "image_ref": "postgres@sha256:b2baf8998630663d21370da06387c950e587071bdd307ee34e661cdcc7442bcc",
        "log_destination": "csvlog",
        "os": "linux",
        "repo_digests": [
          "postgres@sha256:b2baf8998630663d21370da06387c950e587071bdd307ee34e661cdcc7442bcc"
        ]
      },
      "lc_messages": "en_US.utf8",
      "libpq_version": "18.6",
      "locale": "en_US.UTF-8",
      "log_destination": "csvlog",
      "log_error_verbosity": "verbose",
      "log_min_error_statement": "error",
      "log_min_messages": "error",
      "logging_collector": "on",
      "machine": "arm64",
      "max_connections": "100",
      "platform": "macOS-26.6.2-arm64-arm-64bit-Mach-O",
      "psycopg_version": "3.3.5",
      "python_version": "3.14.6 (main, Jun 10 2026, 10:03:53) [Clang 21.0.0 (clang-2100.0.123.102)]",
      "server_encoding": "UTF8",
      "server_version": "10.21 (Debian 10.21-1.pgdg90+1)",
      "server_version_num": "100021",
      "target_kind": "pg10",
      "wal_level": "logical"
    },
    "id": "runtime.42611-syntax-pg10.pg10",
    "observed": {
      "connection_autocommit": true,
      "diagnostic": {
        "column_name": null,
        "constraint_name": null,
        "context": null,
        "datatype_name": null,
        "exception_type": "InvalidColumnDefinition",
        "internal_position": null,
        "internal_query": null,
        "message_detail": null,
        "message_hint": "To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly.",
        "message_primary": "column \"id\" inherits conflicting default values",
        "schema_name": null,
        "severity": "ERROR",
        "severity_nonlocalized": "ERROR",
        "source_file": "tablecmds.c",
        "source_function": "MergeAttributes",
        "source_line": "2292",
        "sqlstate": "42611",
        "statement_position": null,
        "table_name": null,
        "text": "column \"id\" inherits conflicting default values\nHINT:  To resolve the conflict, specify a default explicitly."
      },
      "failed_status": "IDLE",
      "repair_status": "IDLE",
      "repair_value": 1
    },
    "raw": "verify/results/42611-syntax-pg10/pg10/raw.jsonl",
    "raw_sha256": "e89bdd693471c7175bb269a983da72edd45c03dc571db7e9b758408359b00346",
    "run_id": "42611-syntax-pg10",
    "server_version": "10.21 (Debian 10.21-1.pgdg90+1)",
    "server_version_num": 100021,
    "snippet_registry": {
      "id": "snippet-registry.42611",
      "kind": "local_artifact",
      "path": "verify/cases/42611/snippets.json",
      "sha256": "23614c2fa79a899cf2946d823ba17ec62a03e9c7ed4833db5a0422d889581569",
      "source_role": "snippet_registry"
    },
    "status": "passed",
    "summary": "verify/results/42611-syntax-pg10/pg10/summary.json",
    "summary_sha256": "61ae83ec573f52f434a492cc21bacb3ba544dcaa3d505236d69f2d1cce364a03",
    "target": "pg10"
  },
  "run_id": "42611-syntax-pg10",
  "runtime_id": "runtime.42611-syntax-pg10.pg10",
  "server_version": "10.21 (Debian 10.21-1.pgdg90+1)",
  "status": "passed",
  "target": "pg10"
}
sources · src.errcodes.18.6
{
  "commit": "724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "",
  "path": "src/backend/utils/errcodes.txt",
  "position": 0,
  "sha256": "6e8de346643ba84aa3c9c6a73360acfc7b2dfb89162c06c08ce9bf5bcd5bbcba",
  "source_id": "src.errcodes.18.6",
  "tag": "REL_18_6",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/utils/errcodes.txt"
}
sources · src.calls.REL_18_6
{
  "commit": "",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "local_artifact",
  "location": "",
  "path": "raw/calls/REL_18_6.jsonl",
  "position": 1,
  "sha256": "9ee8a0e81d8f0825c5c1ae45583439859a26e602bdd4ce2f2a62aa278867ccbf",
  "source_id": "src.calls.REL_18_6",
  "tag": "",
  "url": ""
}
sources · src.calls.REL_10_23
{
  "commit": "",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "local_artifact",
  "location": "",
  "path": "raw/calls/REL_10_23.jsonl",
  "position": 2,
  "sha256": "00d16d3eb01b71ccf1b245c8f3102f9d0ec9f36fb02777b8dd1b99fcb263040c",
  "source_id": "src.calls.REL_10_23",
  "tag": "",
  "url": ""
}
sources · src.inherited-conflicting-default.18.6
{
  "commit": "724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "",
  "path": "src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c",
  "position": 3,
  "sha256": "422dc8e833df4940755973c757e338295822ba3e4c7266c40669f49f96eb15a9",
  "source_id": "src.inherited-conflicting-default.18.6",
  "tag": "REL_18_6",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c#L3144-L3148"
}
sources · src.inherited-conflicting-default.10.23
{
  "commit": "02991e79f8f58bc208f05dcc8af0c62dbe0a6ea4",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "",
  "path": "src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c",
  "position": 4,
  "sha256": "6de441c88496c6cf57a836898388085ec08bf69afd70d07acdafd6089b9b5f8c",
  "source_id": "src.inherited-conflicting-default.10.23",
  "tag": "REL_10_23",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/02991e79f8f58bc208f05dcc8af0c62dbe0a6ea4/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c#L2288-L2292"
}
sources · manifest.42611
{
  "commit": "",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "local_artifact",
  "location": "",
  "path": "verify/cases/42611/cases.json",
  "position": 5,
  "sha256": "f5e5e9e9ed3523b965a78dbce9f27b3e15a718780ee5b260286785279e54efb5",
  "source_id": "manifest.42611",
  "tag": "",
  "url": ""
}
sources · snippet-registry.42611
{
  "commit": "",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "local_artifact",
  "location": "",
  "path": "verify/cases/42611/snippets.json",
  "position": 6,
  "sha256": "23614c2fa79a899cf2946d823ba17ec62a03e9c7ed4833db5a0422d889581569",
  "source_id": "snippet-registry.42611",
  "tag": "",
  "url": ""
}

Source references

Full definition and evidence JSON

Definition sources

center · PostgreSQL 18 · english-manuals:e2ba52d050bf9a609fabf7c3bda9a05e2ece4792055d22bc9fe264b8b520e465

Text language: en · english-manuals:e2ba52d050bf9a609fabf7c3bda9a05e2ece4792055d22bc9fe264b8b520e465