prestodb/presto · error · PrestoException

SYNTAX_ERROR

SYNTAX_ERROR

Error message

Constraint name '%s' specified more than once

What it means

Two or more named constraints in the same CREATE TABLE share the same constraint name. After converting ConstraintSpecifications, the task groups named constraints and throws SYNTAX_ERROR if any name has count > 1.

Source

Thrown at presto-main-base/src/main/java/com/facebook/presto/execution/CreateTableTask.java:208

                        });
            }
            else if (element instanceof ConstraintSpecification) {
                accessControl.checkCanAddConstraints(session.getRequiredTransactionId(), session.getIdentity(), session.getAccessControlContext(), tableName);
                constraints.add(convertToTableConstraint(metadata, session, connectorId, (ConstraintSpecification) element, warningCollector, query));
            }
            else {
                throw new PrestoException(GENERIC_INTERNAL_ERROR, "Invalid TableElement: " + element.getClass().getName());
            }
        }

        accessControl.checkCanCreateTable(session.getRequiredTransactionId(), session.getIdentity(), session.getAccessControlContext(), tableName);

        constraints.stream()
                .filter(c -> c.getName().isPresent())
                .collect(Collectors.groupingBy(c -> c.getName().get(), Collectors.counting()))
                .forEach((constraintName, count) -> {
                    if (count > 1) {
                        throw new PrestoException(SYNTAX_ERROR, format("Constraint name '%s' specified more than once", constraintName));
                    }
                });

        if (constraints.stream()
                .filter(PrimaryKeyConstraint.class::isInstance)
                .collect(Collectors.groupingBy(c -> c.getName().orElse(""), Collectors.counting()))
                .size() > 1) {
            throw new PrestoException(SYNTAX_ERROR, "Multiple primary key constraints are not allowed");
        }

        Map<String, Expression> sqlProperties = mapFromProperties(statement.getProperties());
        Map<String, Object> properties = metadata.getTablePropertyManager().getProperties(
                connectorId,
                tableName.getCatalogName(),
                sqlProperties,
                session,
                metadata,
                parameterLookup);

View on GitHub (pinned to 55bb57d202)

Solutions

1. Rename one of the duplicate constraints so all constraint names are unique.
2. Remove the redundant constraint if both are unintentionally identical.
3. Let the engine generate names by omitting the CONSTRAINT <name> clause where supported.

Example fix

// before
CREATE TABLE t (a BIGINT, b BIGINT, CONSTRAINT c1 PRIMARY KEY (a), CONSTRAINT c1 UNIQUE (b));
// after
CREATE TABLE t (a BIGINT, b BIGINT, CONSTRAINT c1 PRIMARY KEY (a), CONSTRAINT c2 UNIQUE (b));

Map<String, Long> counts = constraints.stream()
    .filter(c -> c.getName().isPresent())
    .collect(Collectors.groupingBy(c -> c.getName().get(), Collectors.counting()));
if (counts.values().stream().anyMatch(n -> n > 1)) {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException("duplicate constraint name");
}

null

try {
    future = createTableTask.execute(statement, ...);
} catch (PrestoException e) {
    if (e.getErrorCode() == SYNTAX_ERROR.toErrorCode() && e.getMessage().contains("Constraint name")) {
        // regenerate DDL with unique constraint names
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: CREATE TABLE t (... , CONSTRAINT pk1 PRIMARY KEY (a), CONSTRAINT pk1 UNIQUE (b)); — any two constraints with identical names (primary key, unique, foreign key).

Common situations: Copy-pasting constraint blocks without renaming; templated DDL generators emitting the same placeholder constraint name; merging table definitions from multiple sources.

Related errors

• TYPE_MISMATCH
• DUPLICATE_COLUMN_NAME
• NOT_SUPPORTED
• GENERIC_INTERNAL_ERROR
• TABLE_ALREADY_EXISTS

AI-assisted analysis of prestodb/presto@55bb57d202 (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ec54f4240c8f9402. Report an issue: GitHub.