chroma-core/chroma · error · ValueError

Unknown where_doc operator {k}

Error message

Unknown where_doc operator {k}

What it means

Error "Unknown where_doc operator {k}" thrown in chroma-core/chroma.

Source

Thrown at chromadb/segment/impl/metadata/sqlite.py:590

                ]
                return reduce(lambda x, y: x | y, criteria)
            elif k in ("$contains", "$not_contains"):
                v = cast(str, v)
                search_term = f"%{v}%"

                sq = (
                    self._db.querybuilder()
                    .from_(fulltext_t)
                    .select(fulltext_t.rowid)
                    .where(fulltext_t.string_value.like(ParameterValue(search_term)))
                )
                return (
                    embeddings_t.id.isin(sq)
                    if k == "$contains"
                    else embeddings_t.id.notin(sq)
                )
            else:
                raise ValueError(f"Unknown where_doc operator {k}")
        raise ValueError("Empty where_doc")

    @trace_method("SqliteMetadataSegment.delete", OpenTelemetryGranularity.ALL)
    @override
    def delete(self) -> None:
        t = Table("embeddings")
        t1 = Table("embedding_metadata")
        t2 = Table("embedding_fulltext_search")
        q0 = (
            self._db.querybuilder()
            .from_(t1)
            .delete()
            .where(
                t1.id.isin(
                    self._db.querybuilder()
                    .from_(t)
                    .select(t.id)
                    .where(

View on GitHub (pinned to aecdd12c8a)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at chromadb/segment/impl/metadata/sqlite.py:590 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of chroma-core/chroma@aecdd12c8a (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/188f8e866600633d. Report an issue: GitHub.