SQLSTATE[42000]: Syntax error or access violation: 1075 Incorrect table definition; there can be only one auto column and it must be defined as a key
Stefan Izdrail
Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29
Title: SQLSTATE[42000]: Syntax error or access violation - Understanding and Resolving Incorrect Table Definition Issues in Laravel
Introduction
The "SQLSTATE[42000]: Syntax error or access violation" error is a common issue faced by developers when creating tables with multiple auto-incrementing primary keys. This blog post will explain the problem, its possible causes, and provide a solution to resolve this issue in Laravel. To start off, let's take a closer look at the error message:
The Error Message
- "[Illuminate\Database\QueryException] SQLSTATE[42000]: Syntax error or access violation: 1075 Incorrect table definition; there can be only one auto column and it must be defined as a key (SQL: create table
jadwal_praks (id int unsigned not null auto_increment primary key, thnajrn_id int unsigned not null auto_increment primary key, prak_id int unsigned not null auto _increment primary key, hari_id int unsigned not null auto_increment primary key, jam_id int unsigned not nul l auto_increment primary key, ruang_id int unsigned not null auto_increment primary key, kap_id int unsigned not null auto_increment primary key, created_at timestamp null, updated_at timestamp null, remember_token varchar(100) null) default character set utf8 collate utf8_unicode_ci)"
This error refers to a violation of the database rule that states there can be only one auto-incrementing primary key per table. The given example has seven auto-incrementing columns, which causes this issue.
The Problem and Possible Causes
Often, developers make the mistake of defining multiple auto-incrementing primary keys in their database tables thinking that it will provide more flexibility or control over data. However, having too many auto-incrementing columns can lead to inconsistencies and performance issues. Here are some possible causes for this problem:
1. Unclear understanding of the concept of auto-incrementing primary keys resulting in multiple auto-incrementing columns in a single table.
2. Lack of attention during database design, causing oversights that lead to multiple auto-incrementing columns.
3. Incorrect usage or inappropriate cascade deleting rules within the foreign key relations.
4. Duplicated primary keys across multiple tables for the same entity.
5. Database schema changes without considering existing data and its impact on performance.
The Solution - Refactoring the Schema Design
To solve this issue, the table design needs to be refined to adhere to the database rules regarding auto-incrementing primary keys. Here's a suggested solution for a table that has multiple columns with auto-incrementing values:
public function up()
{
Schema::create('jadwal_praks', function (Blueprint $table) {
// Primary Key Definition
$table->bigIncrements('id');
// Other Columns Definition with Non-Auto-Incrementing Values
...
$table->timestamps();
$table->rememberToken();
});
}