apache/cassandra · error · java.lang.RuntimeException

The min_compaction_threshold cannot be larger than the max_c

Error message

The min_compaction_threshold cannot be larger than the max_compaction_threshold. Min is '%d', Max is '%d'.

What it means

validateCompactionThresholds enforces that min_compaction_threshold is not larger than max_compaction_threshold and throws RuntimeException when violated. This guards JMX-based threshold updates (setMinCompactionThreshold/setMaxCompactionThreshold path) from producing a nonsensical compaction configuration.

Source

Thrown at src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/ColumnFamilyStore.java:2987

        validateCompactionThresholds(minCompactionThreshold, maxCompactionThreshold.value());
        this.minCompactionThreshold.set(minCompactionThreshold);
    }

    public int getMaximumCompactionThreshold()
    {
        return maxCompactionThreshold.value();
    }

    public void setMaximumCompactionThreshold(int maxCompactionThreshold)
    {
        validateCompactionThresholds(minCompactionThreshold.value(), maxCompactionThreshold);
        this.maxCompactionThreshold.set(maxCompactionThreshold);
    }

    private void validateCompactionThresholds(int minThreshold, int maxThreshold)
    {
        if (minThreshold > maxThreshold)
            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("The min_compaction_threshold cannot be larger than the max_compaction_threshold. " +
                                                     "Min is '%d', Max is '%d'.", minThreshold, maxThreshold));

        if (maxThreshold == 0 || minThreshold == 0)
            throw new RuntimeException("Disabling compaction by setting min_compaction_threshold or max_compaction_threshold to 0 " +
                                       "is deprecated, set the compaction strategy option 'enabled' to 'false' instead or use the nodetool command 'disableautocompaction'.");
    }

    // End JMX get/set.

    public int getMeanEstimatedCellPerPartitionCount()
    {
        long sum = 0;
        long count = 0;
        for (SSTableReader sstable : getSSTables(SSTableSet.CANONICAL))
        {
            long n = sstable.getEstimatedCellPerPartitionCount().count();
            sum += sstable.getEstimatedCellPerPartitionCount().mean() * n;
            count += n;

View on GitHub (pinned to 88fd0f6a0e)

Solutions

Raise max_compaction_threshold first (or simultaneously) so max >= min
Lower min_compaction_threshold instead if the intent is fewer/smaller compactions
Use the preferred configuration route: ALTER TABLE ... WITH compaction = {'class': '...', 'min_threshold': 4, 'max_threshold': 32} which validates atomically

Example fix

// before
nodetool setmincompactionthreshold ks.t 64   // min(64) > max(32) -> RuntimeException
// after
nodetool setmaxcompactionthreshold ks.t 64 && nodetool setmincompactionthreshold ks.t 64

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if (minThreshold > maxThreshold) throw new IllegalArgumentException("min_compaction_threshold must be <= max_compaction_threshold");

Try / catch

try { cfs.setMinCompactionThreshold(min); } catch (RuntimeException e) { if (e.getMessage().startsWith("The min_compaction_threshold")) { cfs.setMaxCompactionThreshold(min); cfs.setMinCompactionThreshold(min); } else throw e; }

Prevention

Always set max before (or with) raising min
Read both current thresholds before updating either one
Prefer a single ALTER TABLE WITH compaction = {...} to change both atomically

When it happens

Trigger: Calling setMinCompactionThreshold or setMaxCompactionThreshold (JMX/nodetool) such that the resulting min > max, e.g. raising min above the existing max without raising max first.

Common situations: Operators raising min threshold to reduce compaction churn without touching max; automation setting only one of the two thresholds.

Understand the failure class

Background: Conflicting config options: "cannot be used together" — configuration validation errors across open-source libraries — this error's family across 162 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of apache/cassandra@88fd0f6a0e (2026-09-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ec2f5ecbcbe06eab. Report an issue: GitHub.