42P13 — Invalid function definition

42P13 (invalid_function_definition) Function, aggregate, and trigger declarations can fail validation before execution.

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

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aliases: Unknown
class name: Syntax Error or Access Rule Violation
condition name: invalid_function_definition
lang: en
sqlstate: 42P13

Definition PG 18

42P13 — Invalid function definition

At a glance {#at-a-glance}

42P13 (invalid_function_definition) Function, aggregate, and trigger declarations can fail validation before execution.

Meaning {#meaning}

Function-definition validation uses this condition for incompatible declarations. Selected core paths cover a polymorphic aggregate transition type that cannot be determined (with a caller-generated internal DETAIL), a function return-type mismatch when the final statement is not a compatible SELECT or DML RETURNING, and trigger functions declaring arguments.

Diagnosis {#diagnosis}

Classify the message before editing the function: aggregate transition-type inference and its dynamic DETAIL, final statement/RETURNING result versus declared return type, or trigger argument declaration. Compare the stored signature and return type with the body and the trigger contract; a non-returning DML statement or utility command is a different final-statement failure from a bad scalar coercion.

Response {#response}

Correct the declaration or body that the message identifies. Supply a determinable aggregate transition type, make the final function statement return the declared type, and read trigger arguments through TG_NARGS/TG_ARGV instead of declaring them. Recreate or replace only after checking dependent callers. If an ERROR is raised inside an explicit transaction, ROLLBACK or ROLLBACK TO a pre-error savepoint before issuing another DDL command.

Messages {#messages}

Representative source messages include: message: cannot determine transition data type; errdetail_internal: %s; message: return type mismatch in function declared to return %s; DETAIL: Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING.; message: trigger functions cannot have declared arguments; HINT: The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead.. Placeholders are filled by the actual object, column, or parameter.

Versions {#versions}

The locked catalogue shows this condition by PostgreSQL 7.4; behavior here is fixed to PostgreSQL 18.6 source. Catalogue presence is a range boundary, not proof that every message or feature began in that release.

Related {#related}

Sources {#sources}

Source messages, line anchors, and evidence limits are recorded in authored evidence.

src/backend/catalog/pg_aggregate.c:142-145 (fixed source)
src/backend/executor/functions.c:2222-2226 (fixed source)
src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c:493-496 (fixed source)

Compare versions

SQLSTATE evidence and recorded runtime versions

claims · identity.class-and-condition

{
  "claim_id": "identity.class-and-condition",
  "limits": "Identity does not enumerate all source branches or client failures.",
  "method": "Read fixed REL_18_6 errcodes.txt and locked facts.",
  "position": 0,
  "runtime": [],
  "sources": [
    "src.errcodes.42P13.18.6"
  ],
  "statement": "42P13 is the invalid_function_definition condition in Class 42."
}

claims · mechanism.selected-source-path

{
  "claim_id": "mechanism.selected-source-path",
  "limits": "Representative confirmed core paths only; not exhaustive historical or extension coverage.",
  "method": "Read selected resolved REL_18_6 report groups and message roles.",
  "position": 1,
  "runtime": [],
  "sources": [
    "src.call.42P13.59b4e33cdd3e899e2a030829",
    "src.call.42P13.2ffff7c5778d60ac8f47ff67",
    "src.call.42P13.1f3147b83dd1ece95cf5aaf0"
  ],
  "statement": "Selected core paths cover a polymorphic aggregate transition type that cannot be determined with a caller-generated internal DETAIL, a function return-type mismatch when the final statement is not a compatible SELECT or DML RETURNING, and trigger functions declaring arguments."
}

claims · versions.catalogue-boundary

{
  "claim_id": "versions.catalogue-boundary",
  "limits": "First observed release is a lower bound, not precise behavioral introduction.",
  "method": "Read locked catalogue facts and definition snapshot.",
  "position": 2,
  "runtime": [],
  "sources": [
    "src.errcodes.42P13.18.6"
  ],
  "statement": "Locked catalogue snapshots show this condition by PostgreSQL 7.4; source behavior here is fixed at PostgreSQL 18.6."
}

messages · message.variant-1

{
  "limits": "Placeholders remain dynamic source fields; no concrete runtime value is claimed.",
  "message_id": "message.variant-1",
  "path": "",
  "position": 0,
  "raw": {
    "detail_templates": [
      "%s"
    ],
    "hint_templates": [],
    "id": "message.variant-1",
    "limits": "Placeholders remain dynamic source fields; no concrete runtime value is claimed.",
    "primary_template": "cannot determine transition data type",
    "roles": [
      {
        "role": "errmsg",
        "template": "cannot determine transition data type"
      },
      {
        "role": "errdetail_internal",
        "template": "%s"
      }
    ],
    "severity_source": "ERROR",
    "sources": [
      "src.call.42P13.59b4e33cdd3e899e2a030829"
    ],
    "sqlstate": "42P13"
  },
  "severity": "ERROR",
  "sources": [
    "src.call.42P13.59b4e33cdd3e899e2a030829"
  ],
  "templates": [
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "cannot determine transition data type",
      "position": 0,
      "role": "",
      "template": "cannot determine transition data type"
    },
    {
      "kind": "detail",
      "literal": "",
      "position": 1,
      "role": "",
      "template": "%s"
    },
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "",
      "position": 2,
      "role": "errdetail_internal",
      "template": "%s"
    }
  ]
}

messages · message.variant-2

{
  "limits": "Placeholders remain dynamic source fields; no concrete runtime value is claimed.",
  "message_id": "message.variant-2",
  "path": "",
  "position": 1,
  "raw": {
    "detail_templates": [
      "Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING."
    ],
    "hint_templates": [],
    "id": "message.variant-2",
    "limits": "Placeholders remain dynamic source fields; no concrete runtime value is claimed.",
    "primary_template": "return type mismatch in function declared to return %s",
    "roles": [
      {
        "role": "errmsg",
        "template": "return type mismatch in function declared to return %s"
      },
      {
        "role": "errdetail",
        "template": "Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING."
      }
    ],
    "severity_source": "ERROR",
    "sources": [
      "src.call.42P13.2ffff7c5778d60ac8f47ff67"
    ],
    "sqlstate": "42P13"
  },
  "severity": "ERROR",
  "sources": [
    "src.call.42P13.2ffff7c5778d60ac8f47ff67"
  ],
  "templates": [
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "return type mismatch in function declared to return",
      "position": 0,
      "role": "",
      "template": "return type mismatch in function declared to return %s"
    },
    {
      "kind": "detail",
      "literal": "Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING.",
      "position": 1,
      "role": "",
      "template": "Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING."
    },
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING.",
      "position": 2,
      "role": "errdetail",
      "template": "Function's final statement must be SELECT or INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE/MERGE RETURNING."
    }
  ]
}

messages · message.variant-3

{
  "limits": "Placeholders remain dynamic source fields; no concrete runtime value is claimed.",
  "message_id": "message.variant-3",
  "path": "",
  "position": 2,
  "raw": {
    "detail_templates": [],
    "hint_templates": [
      "The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead."
    ],
    "id": "message.variant-3",
    "limits": "Placeholders remain dynamic source fields; no concrete runtime value is claimed.",
    "primary_template": "trigger functions cannot have declared arguments",
    "roles": [
      {
        "role": "errmsg",
        "template": "trigger functions cannot have declared arguments"
      },
      {
        "role": "errhint",
        "template": "The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead."
      }
    ],
    "severity_source": "ERROR",
    "sources": [
      "src.call.42P13.1f3147b83dd1ece95cf5aaf0"
    ],
    "sqlstate": "42P13"
  },
  "severity": "ERROR",
  "sources": [
    "src.call.42P13.1f3147b83dd1ece95cf5aaf0"
  ],
  "templates": [
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "trigger functions cannot have declared arguments",
      "position": 0,
      "role": "",
      "template": "trigger functions cannot have declared arguments"
    },
    {
      "kind": "hint",
      "literal": "The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead.",
      "position": 1,
      "role": "",
      "template": "The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead."
    },
    {
      "kind": "primary",
      "literal": "The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead.",
      "position": 2,
      "role": "errhint",
      "template": "The arguments of the trigger can be accessed through TG_NARGS and TG_ARGV instead."
    }
  ]
}

sources · src.errcodes.42P13.18.6

{
  "commit": "724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "line 394",
  "path": "src/backend/utils/errcodes.txt",
  "position": 0,
  "sha256": "6e8de346643ba84aa3c9c6a73360acfc7b2dfb89162c06c08ce9bf5bcd5bbcba",
  "source_id": "src.errcodes.42P13.18.6",
  "tag": "REL_18_6",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/utils/errcodes.txt#L394"
}

sources · src.call.42P13.59b4e33cdd3e899e2a030829

{
  "commit": "724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "lines 142-145",
  "path": "src/backend/catalog/pg_aggregate.c",
  "position": 1,
  "sha256": "75c08cdd82917e45647f7c523c9ad8fb49423c89f13e26754be1e37e4c6a49b4",
  "source_id": "src.call.42P13.59b4e33cdd3e899e2a030829",
  "tag": "REL_18_6",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/catalog/pg_aggregate.c#L142-L145"
}

sources · src.call.42P13.2ffff7c5778d60ac8f47ff67

{
  "commit": "724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "lines 2222-2226",
  "path": "src/backend/executor/functions.c",
  "position": 2,
  "sha256": "ea37a18fab0f741445874b63e239027ff3901273a9d8e2046be321d3c021a604",
  "source_id": "src.call.42P13.2ffff7c5778d60ac8f47ff67",
  "tag": "REL_18_6",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/executor/functions.c#L2222-L2226"
}

sources · src.call.42P13.1f3147b83dd1ece95cf5aaf0

{
  "commit": "724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7",
  "docs_url": "",
  "kind": "upstream_source",
  "location": "lines 493-496",
  "path": "src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c",
  "position": 3,
  "sha256": "1da6339c6a538df3045d02326c96d9afe3447c68173ebee0aefee0bca3a2ae09",
  "source_id": "src.call.42P13.1f3147b83dd1ece95cf5aaf0",
  "tag": "REL_18_6",
  "url": "https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c#L493-L496"
}

sources · src.calls.REL_18_6.42P13

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  "kind": "local_artifact",
  "location": "",
  "path": "raw/calls/REL_18_6.jsonl",
  "position": 4,
  "sha256": "9ee8a0e81d8f0825c5c1ae45583439859a26e602bdd4ce2f2a62aa278867ccbf",
  "source_id": "src.calls.REL_18_6.42P13",
  "tag": "",
  "url": ""
}

Source references

Original manual reference

Full definition and evidence JSON

Definition sources

center · PostgreSQL 18 · english-manuals:a765eee11ff85f6a86bec5dfa972a47d787bd329066628e057fd4fd7d08b3cbc

Text language: en · english-manuals:a765eee11ff85f6a86bec5dfa972a47d787bd329066628e057fd4fd7d08b3cbc