apache/hadoop · error · FileAlreadyExistsException

rename destination {} already exists

Error message

rename destination {} already exists

What it means

Error "rename destination {} already exists" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSDirRenameOp.java:583

    }
  }

  private static void validateOverwrite(
      String src, String dst, boolean overwrite, INode srcInode, INode dstInode)
      throws IOException {
    String error;// It's OK to rename a file to a symlink and vice versa
    if (dstInode.isDirectory() != srcInode.isDirectory()) {
      error = "Source " + src + " and destination " + dst
          + " must both be directories";
      NameNode.stateChangeLog.warn("DIR* FSDirectory.unprotectedRenameTo: "
          + error);
      throw new IOException(error);
    }
    if (!overwrite) { // If destination exists, overwrite flag must be true
      error = "rename destination " + dst + " already exists";
      NameNode.stateChangeLog.warn("DIR* FSDirectory.unprotectedRenameTo: "
          + error);
      throw new FileAlreadyExistsException(error);
    }
    if (dstInode.isDirectory()) {
      final ReadOnlyList<INode> children = dstInode.asDirectory()
          .getChildrenList(Snapshot.CURRENT_STATE_ID);
      if (!children.isEmpty()) {
        error = "rename destination directory is not empty: " + dst;
        NameNode.stateChangeLog.warn("DIR* FSDirectory.unprotectedRenameTo: "
            + error);
        throw new IOException(error);
      }
    }
  }

  private static void validateRenameSource(FSDirectory fsd,
      INodesInPath srcIIP, List<INodeDirectory> snapshottableDirs)
      throws IOException {
    String error;
    final INode srcInode = srcIIP.getLastINode();

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Remove or rename the existing destination path first.
2. Choose a different, non-existing destination name.

When it happens

Trigger: Renaming a path to a destination that already exists and no overwrite option was given.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3880b665ecbb6e22. Report an issue: GitHub.