laravel/framework · error · RuntimeException

This database engine does not support inserting while ignori

Error message

This database engine does not support inserting while ignoring errors.

What it means

The base Grammar::compileInsertOrIgnore() throws because this engine has no INSERT IGNORE equivalent. SQLite, MySQL, and Postgres override compileInsertOrIgnore; SQL Server does not, so insertOrIgnore() on SQL Server reaches this base throw.

Source

Thrown at src/Illuminate/Database/Query/Grammars/Grammar.php:1275

        $parameters = (new Collection($values))
            ->map(fn ($record) => '('.$this->parameterize($record).')')
            ->implode(', ');

        return "insert into $table ($columns) values $parameters";
    }

    /**
     * Compile an insert ignore statement into SQL.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Database\Query\Builder  $query
     * @param  array  $values
     * @return string
     *
     * @throws \RuntimeException
     */
    public function compileInsertOrIgnore(Builder $query, array $values)
    {
        throw new RuntimeException('This database engine does not support inserting while ignoring errors.');
    }

    /**
     * Compile an insert or ignore statement with a returning clause into SQL.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Database\Query\Builder  $query
     * @param  array  $values
     * @param  array  $returning
     * @param  array|null  $uniqueBy
     * @return string
     *
     * @throws \RuntimeException
     */
    public function compileInsertOrIgnoreReturning(Builder $query, array $values, array $returning, ?array $uniqueBy)
    {
        throw new RuntimeException('This database engine does not support insert or ignore with returning.');
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to bd6b5437e6)

Solutions

1. On SQL Server, wrap the insert in a try/catch around the duplicate-key error (2627/2601) or use a MERGE/NOT EXISTS pre-check.
2. Pre-filter rows with a WHERE NOT EXISTS subquery before inserting.
3. Restrict insertOrIgnore usage to MySQL/Postgres/SQLite connections.

Example fix

// before
DB::table('tags')->insertOrIgnore($rows);

// after (SQL Server compatible)
foreach ($rows as $row) {
    DB::table('tags')->insertOrIgnore([$row]);
}
// or pre-check:
DB::table('tags')->insert(
    collect($rows)->filter(fn ($r) => ! DB::table('tags')->where('name', $r['name'])->exists())->all()
);

$driver = DB::getDriverName();
if ($driver === 'sqlsrv') {
    throw new \LogicException('insertOrIgnore is not supported on SQL Server; pre-check duplicates.');
}
DB::table('tags')->insertOrIgnore($rows);

function supportsInsertOrIgnore(\Illuminate\Database\Connection $connection): bool
{
    return ! ($connection instanceof \Illuminate\Database\SqlServerConnection);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling DB::table(..)->insertOrIgnore($values) (or Model::insertOrIgnore) on a sqlsrv connection.

Common situations: Sharing seeding/import code that uses insertOrIgnore between a MySQL/Postgres app and a SQL Server deployment. Running cross-engine migrations that intentionally ignore duplicate-key errors.

Related errors

• This database engine does not support insert or ignore with
• This database engine does not support case sensitive like op
• This database engine does not support fulltext search operat
• Cannot use saveOrIgnore on an existing model.
• The unique columns must not be empty.

AI-assisted analysis of laravel/framework@bd6b5437e6 (2026-08-06). Data as JSON: /data/errors/e172515511d006d5.json. Report an issue: GitHub.