The error appears when a CREATE or ALTER statement defines a table, view, index, or column with conflicting, unsupported, or ill-formed options.
PostgreSQL Error 42P17 invalid_object_definition occurs when a DDL statement includes contradictory or unsupported options, such as combining an IDENTITY column with a GENERATED expression. Remove the conflicting clause or rewrite the definition to follow PostgreSQL syntax to fix the issue.
PostgreSQL Error 42P17
PostgreSQL raises error 42P17 invalid_object_definition when a DDL command attempts to create or alter an object with options that violate syntax rules or internal constraints. Typical triggers include contradictory column attributes or features not supported by the current server version.
The server immediately aborts the statement because it cannot build a valid catalog entry.
Addressing the definition and re-running the command resolves the problem and prevents partial schema changes.
Conflicting column attributes, such as specifying both GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY and a GENERATED stored expression on the same column, produce the error.
Unsupported combinations like DEFAULT with IDENTITY, or a UNIQUE constraint on a system column, also trigger invalid_object_definition.
Using features introduced in newer PostgreSQL releases on an older server (for example GENERATED columns before 12) results in the same error code.
Identify the exact clause PostgreSQL flags by re-reading the CREATE or ALTER statement and checking server logs.
Remove or rewrite the clause so that each attribute follows documented syntax.
Validate the object definition in a staging database or in Galaxy’s AI-powered SQL editor, which highlights invalid combinations before execution.
Identity plus default: Drop the DEFAULT keyword or convert the column to a plain SERIAL type.
Generated column conflicts: Keep only one GENERATED clause and move derived logic into a second column if needed.
Unsupported feature on old version: Upgrade PostgreSQL or rewrite the definition using features available in your current version.
Read the official CREATE TABLE and ALTER TABLE manuals for your exact PostgreSQL version before using new options.
Test DDL in Galaxy’s workspace where endorsed snippets surface known-good patterns, reducing invalid definitions in production.
Use CI pipelines that run pg_dump -s or pg_verify against new migrations to catch syntax issues early.
42P16 invalid_table_definition appears when table-level constraints conflict.
0A000 feature_not_supported fires when using a keyword unavailable on the server. They differ from 42P17 by the scope of violation but share similar remediation steps.
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Yes. PostgreSQL aborts the entire DDL statement. If the command was inside an explicit transaction block, the block is marked failed and must be rolled back.
No. PostgreSQL will not create a partially valid object. You must correct the definition and rerun the statement.
Upgrading only helps if the error was caused by using syntax unsupported by the old version. Conflicting clauses still need manual correction.
Galaxy’s SQL editor validates DDL in real time, highlights conflicting options, and lets teams endorse correct patterns, reducing invalid definitions before deployment.
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