prestodb/presto · error · TypeError

no abstract type PlanNode

Error message

 no abstract type PlanNode 

What it means

to_json for std::shared_ptr<PlanNode> serializes a polymorphic plan node by reading the node's _type key and dispatching to the matching concrete class (AggregationNode, RPCNode, etc.). If the plan node's subclass key matches none of the registered PlanNode subclasses, the serializer throws TypeError('<type> no abstract type PlanNode'). This indicates a PlanNode subtype present in memory that this build of the protocol library cannot serialize.

Source

Thrown at presto-native-execution/presto_cpp/presto_protocol/core/presto_protocol_core.cpp:800

  }
  if (type == ".MergeJoinNode") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<MergeJoinNode>(p);
    return;
  }
  if (type == ".WindowNode") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<WindowNode>(p);
    return;
  }
  if (type == ".CallDistributedProcedureNode") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<CallDistributedProcedureNode>(p);
    return;
  }
  if (type == "com.facebook.presto.sql.planner.plan.RPCNode") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<RPCNode>(p);
    return;
  }

  throw TypeError(type + " no abstract type PlanNode ");
}

void from_json(const json& j, std::shared_ptr<PlanNode>& p) {
  String type;
  try {
    type = p->getSubclassKey(j);
  } catch (json::parse_error& e) {
    throw ParseError(std::string(e.what()) + " PlanNode  PlanNode");
  }

  if (type == ".AggregationNode") {
    std::shared_ptr<AggregationNode> k = std::make_shared<AggregationNode>();
    j.get_to(*k);
    p = std::static_pointer_cast<PlanNode>(k);
    return;
  }
  if (type == "com.facebook.presto.sql.planner.plan.GroupIdNode") {
    std::shared_ptr<GroupIdNode> k = std::make_shared<GroupIdNode>();

View on GitHub (pinned to 55bb57d202)

Solutions

1. Align versions: rebuild/upgrade presto-native-execution to the version matching the coordinator so the PlanNode subclass is registered.
2. Log/inspect the node's _type value in the error and check whether the corresponding if (type == "...") branch exists in to_json for PlanNode.
3. Disable or avoid the feature/connector producing the unsupported plan node until support lands.
4. Add the missing branch (construct + serialize the concrete class) in the PlanNode to_json function for the new subtype.

Example fix

// before: to_json has branches only up to RPCNode; a new node RemoteSourceNode with _type="RemoteSourceNode" fails
// after: add to the to_json(PlanNode) dispatch chain:
// if (type == "RemoteSourceNode") {
//   j = *std::static_pointer_cast<RemoteSourceNode>(p);
//   return;
// }

// Pre-check node subclass key before serialization
bool isRegisteredPlanNodeType(const facebook::presto::protocol::PlanNode& node) {
  static const std::set<std::string> kTypes = {".AggregationNode" /*, ...all registered keys...*/, "com.facebook.presto.sql.planner.plan.RPCNode"};
  return kTypes.count(node.getSubclassKey()) > 0;
}

bool isSerializable(const std::shared_ptr<facebook::presto::protocol::PlanNode>& p) {
  return p != nullptr && !p->getSubclassKey().empty();
}

try {
  to_json(j, planNode);
} catch (const facebook::presto::protocol::TypeError& e) {
  LOG(ERROR) << "Unserializable PlanNode subtype: " << e.what();
  // abort task submission or fall back to a supported plan
}

When it happens

Trigger: Serializing (to_json on a std::shared_ptr<PlanNode>) a node whose getSubclassKey() value is not among the implemented if-branches (e.g. a newly added or connector-specific plan node missing from the registry). Reached from plan serialization paths such as sending plan fragments to native workers.

Common situations: New coordinator emits a plan node type added after the native library was built; custom/enterprise plan nodes (like RPCNode) used with an open-source build; version skew between coordinator and native worker; manually constructed PlanNode subclasses in tests with unexpected _type.

Related errors

• {type} no abstract type ExecutionWriterTarget
• PlanNode PlanNode
• DRUID_PUSHDOWN_UNSUPPORTED_EXPRESSION
• no abstract type ColumnHandle
• no abstract type ColumnHandle

AI-assisted analysis of prestodb/presto@55bb57d202 (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a6a42371f0220e8c. Report an issue: GitHub.