nats-io/nats-server · error

invalid sorting option: %s

Error message

invalid sorting option: %s

What it means

Returned by Connz when the monitoring endpoint's sort query parameter is not one of the recognized SortOption values (checked via sortOpt.IsValid). It fires before any connection data is collected, so the whole /connz request is rejected.

Source

Thrown at server/monitor.go:227

		subs    bool
		subsDet bool
		offset  int
		limit   = DefaultConnListSize
		cid     = uint64(0)
		state   = ConnOpen
		user    string
		acc     string
		a       *Account
		filter  string
		mqttCID string
	)

	if opts != nil {
		// If no sort option given or sort is by uptime, then sort by cid
		if opts.Sort != _EMPTY_ {
			sortOpt = opts.Sort
			if !sortOpt.IsValid() {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid sorting option: %s", sortOpt)
			}
		}

		// Auth specifics.
		auth = opts.Username
		user = opts.User
		acc = opts.Account
		mqttCID = opts.MQTTClient

		subs = opts.Subscriptions
		subsDet = opts.SubscriptionsDetail
		offset = opts.Offset
		if offset < 0 {
			offset = 0
		}
		limit = opts.Limit
		if limit <= 0 {
			limit = DefaultConnListSize

View on GitHub (pinned to 3a66a489d2)

Solutions

1. Use a valid sort value (e.g. cid, start, subs, pending, etc.) from the SortOption set
2. Check the NATS monitoring API docs for the supported sort options on the running server version

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at server/monitor.go:227 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of nats-io/nats-server@3a66a489d2 (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/7b684f0b5d93696e. Report an issue: GitHub.