no SQL/JSON item

Category: Data ExceptionVersions: Postgres 14+

What this means

SQLSTATE 22035 is raised when a SQL/JSON path expression in a strict mode context matches no items and an error should be raised rather than returning an empty result.

Why it happens

1A SQL/JSON path query in strict mode finds no matching elements in the JSON value

How to reproduce

SQL/JSON strict mode path with no match.

trigger — this will ERROR

SELECT jsonb_path_query('{"a":1}'::jsonb, 'strict $.b');

ERROR: jsonpath member accessor can only be applied to an object

Fix 1: Use lax mode (default) to return empty set instead of error

When the path may not match and an empty result is acceptable.

fix

SELECT jsonb_path_query('{"a":1}'::jsonb, 'lax $.b');

Why this works

Lax mode suppresses errors for missing keys and returns an empty sequence, which is usually more practical.

Fix 2: Check for key existence before accessing

When the key may be optional.

fix

SELECT jsonb_path_query('{"a":1}'::jsonb, '$.b') WHERE '{"a":1}'::jsonb ? 'b';

Why this works

The ? operator checks for key existence before the path query.

Version notes

Postgres 14+Strict/lax mode distinction refined in Postgres 14.

Sources

📚 Official docs: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/errcodes-appendix.html

🔧 Source ref: Class 22 — Data Exception

Confidence assessment

✅ HIGH confidence

Standard SQLSTATE for SQL/JSON strict mode no-match. Stable since Postgres 14.