Error: dynamodb list_append returns true but does not work

Answered by Rafal Wilinski
What's Causing This Error
This is not exactly an error but can likely be caused due to a programmer-introduced bug. The list_append()
function accepts two parameters: the initial list and the value to append.
If you provide an empty array to append to it, the function will still execute successfully, but nothing will change in the database, which might make you feel like the function does not work.
Solution: Here's How To Resolve It
To resolve the error, carefully provide the arguments for the function as shown below:
const params = { TableName: 'test-table', UpdateExpression: 'SET users = list_append(:users, newUser)'. ExpressionAttributeValues: { // append an array, as DynamoDB will join the arrays while it saves. newUser: [{name: 'Jake'}] } }
Other Common DynamoDB Errors (with Solutions)
- dynamodb text contents could not be decoded
- dynamodb could not be mapped for type string
- DynamoDB local is not available for stage dev
- DynamoDB BatchWriteItem error
- com amazonaws services dynamodbv2 model resourcenotfoundexception
- dynamodb cannot read property 's' of undefined
- dynamodb put function not working
- DynamoDB is already installed on a path
- AWS DynamoDB Provisioning Error
- DynamoDB Auto Scaling Not Working
- could not unconvert attribute dynamodb
- dynamodb list_append if_not_exists not working
- DynamoDB local is not available for stage test
- resourcenotfoundexception dynamodb nodejs
- DynamoDB Contains not working
Tired of AWS Console? Try Dynobase.
Try 7-day free trial. No strings attached.
Product Features
DynamoDB Tools
DynamoDB Info
© 2025 Dynobase