syntax_error syntax error at or near “…” — 42601

Symptoms

The PostgreSQL parser could not make sense of your SQL at the indicated token. The caret (^) in the log points at — or just after — the spot where parsing broke, which is usually the first thing after the real mistake.

• The statement never executes; it fails during parsing with SQLSTATE 42601.
• The named token is often a red herring — the real error is just before it.
• Common right after editing SQL or porting it from another database.

What the server log shows

ERROR:  syntax error at or near "FROM"
LINE 1: SELECT id name FROM users;
                       ^
STATEMENT:  SELECT id name FROM users;

Why PostgreSQL raises this — what the manual says

As Appendix A PostgreSQL Error Codes explains:

This is SQLSTATE class 42 (syntax error or access rule violation); the parser reached a token it could not fit into a valid statement — the actual mistake is usually just before the quoted location, often a misspelled keyword, a missing comma, or an unbalanced parenthesis.

The grammar parser scans tokens left to right; when the stream stops matching any valid production it stops and reports the current token. The genuine error is frequently the token before the one named — a missing comma, an unbalanced parenthesis, or a reserved keyword used as an identifier.

Common causes

• A missing comma between select-list items or columns.
• An unbalanced parenthesis or quote.
• A reserved keyword used unquoted as a table/column name (e.g. user, order).
• A trailing comma before FROM or a closing paren.
• Mixing dialects — syntax valid in MySQL/SQL Server but not PostgreSQL.

How to fix it

1. Read the caret position, then inspect the token just before it.
2. Quote reserved words used as identifiers: "user", "order".
3. Check for a missing comma, extra comma, or unmatched parenthesis.
4. Run the statement in psql to see the exact LINE and caret.

Related & next steps

• SQLSTATE 42601 — Syntax Error (full reference)
• Message: syntax error at end of input
• Message: subquery in FROM must have an alias

Reference: PostgreSQL 18 Appendix A — Class 42 (Syntax Error).