quarkusio/quarkus · error · IllegalArgumentException

Using `UNF` requires `SORTABLE`

Error message

Using `UNF` requires `SORTABLE`

What it means

In RediSearch, the UNF (un-normalized) field option is only meaningful for SORTABLE fields because it controls how the sort normalization is applied. FieldOptions.toArgs() throws IllegalArgumentException when unnormalized() (UNF) is set without sortable().

Solutions

1. Add .sortable() before .unnormalized(), e.g. .asText().sortable().unnormalized()
2. Remove the unnormalized() call if sortedness is not needed

Example fix

// before
args.field("name").asText().unnormalized(); // throws
// after
args.field("name").asText().sortable().unnormalized();

if (wantUnf && !wantSortable) throw new IllegalStateException("UNF requires SORTABLE; add .sortable() or drop .unnormalized()");
FieldOptions opts = new FieldOptions().sortable();
if (wantUnf) opts.unnormalized();

boolean validUnf(boolean unf, boolean sortable) {
    return !unf || sortable;
}

try {
    args.field("name").asText(opts);
} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
    if (e.getMessage().contains("UNF requires")) {
        throw new IllegalStateException("Field option UNF used without SORTABLE", e);
    }
    throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling FieldOptions methods like .unnormalized() without .sortable() on the same options object, e.g. args.field("name").asText().unnormalized(), then using it in a CreateArgs schema.

Common situations: Copying options from Redis docs/examples piecemeal and missing SORTABLE; misunderstanding UNF as a standalone feature; refactoring that removed sortable() but kept unnormalized().

Related errors

• Cannot use descending and ascending order at the same time
• Cannot use `ON HASH` and `ON JSON` at the same time
• The schema cannot be empty, you configure the indexed fields
• ANY can only be used if COUNT is also set
• ANY can only be used if COUNT is also set

AI-assisted analysis of quarkusio/quarkus@e1c734241f (2026-09-05). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6eca59a5750dc17e. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at extensions/redis-client/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/redis/datasource/search/FieldOptions.java:231

        }
        if (distanceMetric != null) {
            list.add("DISTANCE_METRIC");
            list.add(distanceMetric.name());
        }
        if (initialCap != null) {
            list.add("INITIAL_CAP");
            list.add(initialCap.toString());
        }
        if (blockSize != null) {
            list.add("BLOCK_SIZE");
            list.add(blockSize.toString());
        }
        if (sortable) {
            list.add("SORTABLE");
        }
        if (unf) {
            if (!sortable) {
                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Using `UNF` requires `SORTABLE`");
            }
            list.add("UNF");
        }
        if (noStem) {
            list.add("NOSTEM");
        }
        if (noIndex) {
            list.add("NOINDEX");
        }
        if (phonetic != null) {
            list.add("PHONETIC");
            list.add(phonetic);
        }
        if (weight != -1) {
            list.add("WEIGHT");
            list.add(Double.toString(weight));
        }
        if (separator != 0) {

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