chroma-core/chroma · error · ValueError

Where dict cannot be empty

Error message

Where dict cannot be empty

What it means

Error "Where dict cannot be empty" thrown in chroma-core/chroma.

Source

Thrown at chromadb/execution/expression/operator.py:95

        - {"field": {"$ne": value}} -> Key("field") != value
        - {"field": {"$gt": value}} -> Key("field") > value
        - {"field": {"$gte": value}} -> Key("field") >= value
        - {"field": {"$lt": value}} -> Key("field") < value
        - {"field": {"$lte": value}} -> Key("field") <= value
        - {"field": {"$in": [values]}} -> Key("field").is_in([values])
        - {"field": {"$nin": [values]}} -> Key("field").not_in([values])
        - {"field": {"$contains": "text"}} -> Key("field").contains("text")
        - {"field": {"$not_contains": "text"}} -> Key("field").not_contains("text")
        - {"field": {"$regex": "pattern"}} -> Key("field").regex("pattern")
        - {"field": {"$not_regex": "pattern"}} -> Key("field").not_regex("pattern")
        - {"$and": [conditions]} -> condition1 & condition2 & ...
        - {"$or": [conditions]} -> condition1 | condition2 | ...
        """
        if not isinstance(data, dict):
            raise TypeError(f"Expected dict for Where, got {type(data).__name__}")

        if not data:
            raise ValueError("Where dict cannot be empty")

        # Handle logical operators
        if "$and" in data:
            if not isinstance(data["$and"], list):
                raise TypeError(
                    f"$and must be a list, got {type(data['$and']).__name__}"
                )
            if len(data["$and"]) == 0:
                raise ValueError("$and requires at least one condition")
            if len(data) > 1:
                raise ValueError(
                    "$and cannot be combined with other fields in the same dict"
                )

            conditions = [Where.from_dict(c) for c in data["$and"]]
            if len(conditions) == 1:
                return conditions[0]
            result = conditions[0]

View on GitHub (pinned to aecdd12c8a)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at chromadb/execution/expression/operator.py:95 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/fb3d67d11708fb40. Report an issue: GitHub.