hasura/graphql-engine · error

error while applying seeds for database '%s': %w

Error message

error while applying seeds for database '%s': %w

What it means

Thrown when applying seed SQL files to a Hasura metadata source database fails. The underlying error comes from ApplyOnSource, which executes the seed files against the source database. It is suppressed only when no seed files were specified and the error is fs.ErrNotExist (i.e., no seeds directory exists).

Source

Thrown at cli/commands/seed_apply.go:121

	if o.EC.AllDatabases && o.EC.Config.Version >= cli.V3 {
		sourcesAndKind, err := metadatautil.GetSourcesAndKind(
			o.EC.APIClient.V1Metadata.ExportMetadata,
		)
		if err != nil {
			return errors.E(op, fmt.Errorf("got error while getting the sources list : %w", err))
		}

		for _, source := range sourcesAndKind {
			o.Source = cli.Source(source)

			err := o.ApplyOnSource()
			if err != nil {
				// skip error if no seed files are specified and no seeds are present
				if len(o.FileNames) > 0 || !stderrors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
					return errors.E(
						op,
						fmt.Errorf(
							"error while applying seeds for database '%s': %w",
							o.Source.Name,
							err,
						),
					)
				} else {
					o.EC.Logger.Infof("No seed data to plant for database: %s", o.Source.Name)
				}
			} else {
				o.EC.Logger.Infof("Seed data planted for database: %s", o.Source.Name)
			}
		}
	} else {
		o.Source = o.EC.Source

		err := o.ApplyOnSource()
		if err != nil {
			return errors.E(op, err)

View on GitHub (pinned to 724551b9ae)

Solutions

1. Verify the seeds directory exists (default seeds/) or that every --file/--enum-files path passed is correct and readable
2. Check the wrapped error: if it's a SQL error, run the seed file manually against the source database (psql) to find the failing statement
3. Confirm the source database connection (Hasura metadata DB env / --database-url) is reachable and credentials are valid
4. If seeds are intentionally absent, run without --file so the fs.ErrNotExist suppression path applies

Example fix

// before
hasura seed apply --file ./seeds/missing_file.sql
// after
mkdir -p seeds && echo 'INSERT INTO users ...;' > seeds/users.sql
hasura seed apply --file ./seeds/users.sql

// before invoking seed apply
if len(seedFileNames) > 0 {
    for _, f := range seedFileNames {
        if _, err := os.Stat(f); err != nil {
            return fmt.Errorf("seed file %s not accessible: %w", f, err)
        }
    }
} else if _, err := os.Stat("seeds"); os.IsNotExist(err) {
    // no seeds dir and no files: skip apply entirely
    return nil
}

// Inspect the wrapped error to distinguish fs.ErrNotExist from SQL failures
if err := seedApply.Run(); err != nil {
    var pathErr *fs.PathError
    if errors.As(err, &pathErr) && errors.Is(pathErr.Err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
        // missing seeds directory — safe to ignore or log info
        return nil
    }
    return err
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `hasura seed apply` (or code calling SeedApply.Run) where the seeds directory or specified --file paths cannot be read, the SQL fails to execute against the source database, or the source connection is unreachable. Suppression only applies when len(o.FileNames) == 0 and the error is fs.ErrNotExist.

Common situations: Typos in --file paths, seeds/ directory missing while explicit file names were passed, malformed seed SQL (syntax errors, constraint violations), wrong DATABASE_URL or unreachable Postgres, MSSQL/Citus sources where seed ops differ.

Related errors

• exporting seed data: %w
• cannot find default editor from env: %w
• failed to create seed file: %w
• error serving console: %w
• operation failed: %w

AI-assisted analysis of hasura/graphql-engine@724551b9ae (2026-08-28). Data as JSON: /api/errors/46ebb898f57fa7f4. Report an issue: GitHub.