PostgresDB 23505: Unique Violation

Duplicate value violates a unique constraint.
  1. Identify the table and column(s) involved in the unique constraint violation by reviewing the error message closely. The error message typically includes the name of the constraint that was violated.
  2. Use the following SQL query to get more details about the constraint, replacing your_constraint_name with the actual constraint name from the error message:
  3. SELECT conname, conrelid::regclass AS table_name, pg_get_constraintdef(c.oid)
    FROM pg_constraint c
    WHERE conname = 'your_constraint_name';
  4. Check the existing data in the table for any duplicates regarding the unique constraint. Here's an example query, adjust the table_name and column_name:
  5. SELECT column_name, COUNT(*)
    FROM table_name
    GROUP BY column_name
    HAVING COUNT(*) > 1;
  6. Compare the data you're trying to insert with the existing values retrieved from the previous step to understand why the unique violation occurred.
  7. If your insert operation should be unique and it's failing due to existing data, consider whether the data needs to be updated instead of inserted. To update existing records, use an UPDATE statement where appropriate.
  8. If the operation involves inserting a new record and it's failing due to an unintended duplicate, adjust the data to ensure uniqueness according to the constraint rules, then try the insert operation again.
  9. For operations that are intended to either insert or update based on the existence of a record, consider using the ON CONFLICT clause available in PostgreSQL's INSERT statement to handle the unique violation gracefully by specifying either an update to the existing record or another action.
  10. Log detailed information about the violation and the data causing it for further analysis and to assist in preventing similar issues in the future.

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