go-gorm/gorm · error

failed to parse %s as default value for bool, got error: %v

Error message

failed to parse %s as default value for bool, got error: %v

What it means

Error "failed to parse %s as default value for bool, got error: %v" thrown in go-gorm/gorm.

Source

Thrown at schema/field.go:238

	if p, ok := field.TagSettings["PRECISION"]; ok {
		field.Precision, _ = strconv.Atoi(p)
	}

	if s, ok := field.TagSettings["SCALE"]; ok {
		field.Scale, _ = strconv.Atoi(s)
	}

	// default value is function or null or blank (primary keys)
	field.DefaultValue = strings.TrimSpace(field.DefaultValue)
	skipParseDefaultValue := strings.Contains(field.DefaultValue, "(") &&
		strings.Contains(field.DefaultValue, ")") || strings.ToLower(field.DefaultValue) == "null" || field.DefaultValue == ""
	switch reflect.Indirect(fieldValue).Kind() {
	case reflect.Bool:
		field.DataType = Bool
		if field.HasDefaultValue && !skipParseDefaultValue {
			if field.DefaultValueInterface, err = strconv.ParseBool(field.DefaultValue); err != nil {
				schema.err = fmt.Errorf("failed to parse %s as default value for bool, got error: %v", field.DefaultValue, err)
			}
		}
	case reflect.Int, reflect.Int8, reflect.Int16, reflect.Int32, reflect.Int64:
		field.DataType = Int
		if field.HasDefaultValue && !skipParseDefaultValue {
			if field.DefaultValueInterface, err = strconv.ParseInt(field.DefaultValue, 0, 64); err != nil {
				schema.err = fmt.Errorf("failed to parse %s as default value for int, got error: %v", field.DefaultValue, err)
			}
		}
	case reflect.Uint, reflect.Uint8, reflect.Uint16, reflect.Uint32, reflect.Uint64:
		field.DataType = Uint
		if field.HasDefaultValue && !skipParseDefaultValue {
			if field.DefaultValueInterface, err = strconv.ParseUint(field.DefaultValue, 0, 64); err != nil {
				schema.err = fmt.Errorf("failed to parse %s as default value for uint, got error: %v", field.DefaultValue, err)
			}
		}
	case reflect.Float32, reflect.Float64:
		field.DataType = Float

View on GitHub (pinned to 1d6ce99528)

Solutions

1. Use a valid boolean literal in the default tag, e.g. `gorm:"default:true"`.
2. Remove or correct the default tag value so strconv.ParseBool accepts it.
3. Quote the default value correctly in the struct tag.

Example fix

Use a valid bool literal in the default tag: `gorm:"default:true"` or `default:false`.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at schema/field.go:238 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

Understand the failure class

• Parsing and encoding errors: unexpected token, malformed input — why parsers reject input and how to find the real culprit.

AI-assisted analysis of go-gorm/gorm@1d6ce99528 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/71c35c456dd719b4. Report an issue: GitHub.