Error
Error Code:
1113
MariaDB Error 1113: Table Must Have Columns
Description
Error 1113 indicates that you are attempting to create a new table in MariaDB without defining any columns. Database tables fundamentally require at least one column to store data, making an empty table definition invalid and preventing table creation.
Error Message
A table must have at least 1 column
Known Causes
4 known causesMissing Column Definitions
The `CREATE TABLE` statement was executed without specifying any column names, data types, or constraints within the parentheses.
Syntax Errors in CREATE TABLE
Incorrect syntax within the `CREATE TABLE` statement, such as misplaced commas or parentheses, caused all column definitions to be unrecognized or ignored.
Empty Table Like Clause
Attempting to create a table using `CREATE TABLE ... LIKE` where the source table either does not exist or has an unexpected structure that results in no columns being copied.
Dynamic SQL Generation Flaw
When constructing `CREATE TABLE` statements dynamically in an application, a bug or logical error resulted in an empty list of columns being passed to MariaDB.
Solutions
3 solutions available1. Add a Column to the Table Definition easy
The most direct fix is to add at least one column to the table's definition.
1
Identify the table that is causing the error. This is usually evident from the context of the query or application log that triggered the error.
2
Connect to your MariaDB server using a client like `mysql` or a GUI tool.
mysql -u your_user -p your_database3
Use the `ALTER TABLE` statement to add a column to the table. A simple integer column is often sufficient. Replace `your_table_name` and `your_column_name` with your actual table and desired column names.
ALTER TABLE your_table_name ADD COLUMN your_column_name INT;4
Verify the table structure to confirm the column has been added.
DESCRIBE your_table_name;2. Correct the `CREATE TABLE` Statement easy
If you're encountering this during table creation, ensure your `CREATE TABLE` statement includes column definitions.
1
Locate the `CREATE TABLE` statement that is failing. This is typically found in SQL scripts, migration files, or application code.
2
Examine the `CREATE TABLE` statement and ensure that it has at least one column defined within the parentheses. The definition should include a column name and its data type.
CREATE TABLE your_table_name (
column1 INT,
column2 VARCHAR(255)
);3
If the statement is missing column definitions, add them. For example, if you intended to create a table with just an ID, it should look like this:
CREATE TABLE your_table_name (
id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY
);4
Re-run the corrected `CREATE TABLE` statement.
3. Review Application Code for Table Creation/Manipulation medium
If the error occurs during application runtime, the issue might be in how the application is interacting with the database.
1
Identify the specific part of your application code that is performing database operations, especially those involving table creation or modification.
2
Look for any SQL statements generated by your application that create or alter tables. These are often dynamically generated.
3
Verify that the generated SQL for table creation includes at least one column. Many ORMs or database abstraction layers can generate incorrect SQL if not configured properly or if there's a bug.
4
If you find an incorrect SQL statement, either fix the application code generating it or manually create/alter the table with the correct structure in MariaDB before running the application.