<p>MySQL raises ER_SIZE_OVERFLOW_ERROR when a column or data size definition exceeds the maximum limit of 2,147,483,647 units.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1532: ER_SIZE_OVERFLOW_ERROR occurs when you declare a column length larger than MySQL’s 2-billion-unit limit. Lower the size specification or pick a more suitable data type to eliminate the error.</p>
The size number was correct but we don't allow the digit
MySQL throws ER_SIZE_OVERFLOW_ERROR with SQLSTATE HY000 when it parses a column definition whose declared size is greater than 2,147,483,647 units. The engine aborts the CREATE or ALTER statement and returns the message "The size number was correct but we don't allow the digit part to be more than 2 billion."
This safeguard protects the dictionary and storage layer from impossible allocations. Understanding the limit lets you choose the right data type and avoid costly deployment interruptions.
The error appears most often when developers specify VARCHAR, VARBINARY, BIT or BLOB lengths above the signed-int ceiling of 2,147,483,647.
Automated ORM migrations and code generators occasionally calculate exaggerated sizes by multiplying character length and byte width, silently overshooting the limit.
Bulk schema refactors that concatenate multiple length parameters or mis-convert units from kilobytes to bytes can also breach the threshold and trigger the overflow check.
First, inspect the failing DDL statement and locate every length specifier. Reduce any value above 2147483647 to a realistic size, or switch to an un-sized LONGBLOB/LONGTEXT if your data truly exceeds the cap.
If the number was generated in application code, add validation logic or clamp the value before emitting SQL. Re-run the CREATE or ALTER once the sizes fall below the limit.
-- Incorrect
CREATE TABLE big_strings (
payload VARCHAR(3000000000) -- 3B exceeds limit
);
-- Fixed
CREATE TABLE big_strings (
payload LONGTEXT -- unlimited text storage without explicit size
);
Bulk import tables - Switch oversized VARCHAR columns to TEXT or MEDIUMTEXT before loading data.
ORM migrations - Configure the length attribute in the model to a safe default such as 65535 and regenerate migrations.
Generated bitmaps - Replace BIT(3000000000) with BLOB to store large binary flags without a length literal.
Validate column sizes in CI pipelines using lint rules or MySQL INFORMATION_SCHEMA checks.
Reject any DDL that specifies lengths above one billion.
Use semantic types (TEXT, BLOB, JSON) instead of guessing large VARCHAR sizes. Let the storage engine handle allocation.
Galaxy’s AI copilot highlights MySQL limits in real time, flagging oversize declarations inside the editor so you can fix them before commit.
Error 1074 (ER_TOO_BIG_DISPLAY_WIDTH) - Triggered when a column display width exceeds the allowed range.
Reduce the display width parameter.
Error 1118 (ER_TOO_BIG_ROWSIZE) - Indicates that the combined row length is too large. Convert long VARCHAR columns to TEXT.
Error 139 (ER_TOO_BIG_SCALE) - Occurs when DECIMAL scale is greater than precision. Adjust precision or scale values.
Lengths above 2147483647 for character or binary columns immediately raise ER_SIZE_OVERFLOW_ERROR.
Specifying BIT(n) with n in the billions breaches the same limit and fails.
Automatic migration tools that multiply byte widths can exceed allowable sizes without developer awareness.
Confusing kilobytes with bytes when calculating length can inflate numbers into the overflow zone.
Raised when display width for integer types is too large. Reduce width or omit it.
Occurs when total row size exceeds the internal 65 KB limit. Convert large VARCHAR columns to TEXT.
Thrown when DECIMAL scale is larger than precision. Adjust precision or scale values.
Indicates attempt to insert NULL into a NOT NULL column. Provide a non-null value or change the column definition.
No. It also impacts VARBINARY, BIT, and any type that takes an explicit length argument above 2,147,483,647.
No server parameter removes the hard cap. You must redesign the schema or switch to a type that does not need a length literal.
Galaxy’s context-aware linting flags oversize length declarations while you type and suggests TEXT or BLOB replacements.
InnoDB stores large TEXT separately from the main row but fetches it on demand. Performance is usually acceptable and avoids the size overflow.
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