hasura/graphql-engine · error · OrderByExpressionError

The type of the order by expression {order_by_expression_nam

Error message

The type of the order by expression {order_by_expression_name} referenced in field {field_name} does not match the field type. Order by expression type: {order_by_expression_type}; field type: {field_type}. 

What it means

The type produced by the order-by expression does not match the type of the field that references it. The message prints both the expression's type and the field's (qualified base) type; they must agree for ordering to type-check.

Source

Thrown at v3/crates/metadata-resolve/src/stages/order_by_expressions/error.rs:57

    #[error(
        "Invalid orderable field {field_name}. Exactly one of `enable_order_by_directions` or `order_by_expression_name` must be specified."
    )]
    InvalidOrderByExpressionOrderableField { field_name: FieldName },
    #[error(
        "The order by expression {order_by_expression_name} referenced in field {field_name} has not been defined"
    )]
    UnknownOrderByExpressionNameInOrderableField {
        order_by_expression_name: OrderByExpressionName,
        field_name: FieldName,
    },
    #[error(
        "The order by expression {order_by_expression_name} referenced in orderable relationship {relationship_name} has not been defined"
    )]
    UnknownOrderByExpressionNameInOrderableRelationship {
        order_by_expression_name: OrderByExpressionName,
        relationship_name: RelationshipName,
    },
    #[error(
        "The type of the order by expression {order_by_expression_name} referenced in field {field_name} does not match the field type. Order by expression type: {order_by_expression_type}; field type: {field_type}. "
    )]
    OrderableFieldTypeError {
        order_by_expression_name: OrderByExpressionName,
        order_by_expression_type: TypeName,
        field_type: QualifiedBaseType,
        field_name: FieldName,
    },
    #[error("{0}")]
    GraphqlConfigError(#[from] graphql_config::GraphqlConfigError),
    #[error("{message}")]
    UnsupportedFeature { message: String },
}

#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
#[allow(clippy::enum_variant_names)]
pub enum OrderableRelationshipError {
    #[error(

View on GitHub (pinned to 724551b9ae)

Solutions

1. Align the expression's output type with the field's declared type (cast inside the expression or adjust the expression)
2. Re-check the field's type mapping if it recently changed
3. If the expression intentionally orders differently, give the field a matching type or use a dedicated expression/field pair

// Ensure expression output type equals the field's type
const exprType = resolveExpressionType(orderByExpressions[name]);
if (!typeNameEquals(exprType, fieldBaseType(field.type))) throw new Error(`Type mismatch for order-by expression ${name}`);

When it happens

Trigger: An order_by_expression returns e.g. a computed String while the field is typed as a timestamp scalar, or the expression was written against a different column/type than the field it is attached to.

Common situations: Expressions returning a coerced/cast value differing from the column type; changing a field's type without updating its expression; connector type mapping differences making resolved types diverge.

Related errors

• Column order by target path did not end in a column field va
• the type of the comparable field '{field_name}' ({field_type
• The field {field_name:} has type {field_type:} but the field
• the aggregate expression '{aggregate_expression}' is used wi
• the field {field_name:} in {type_name:} should have the type

AI-assisted analysis of hasura/graphql-engine@724551b9ae (2026-08-28). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9409607d412a3b50. Report an issue: GitHub.