The issue

Unable to insert blank value in a field on which default '' (blank) is set.

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Steps to reproduce the problem

Run command to create a Laravel project:

• composer create-project laravel/laravel Laravel-Err

Change value of DB_CONNECTION from sqlite to mysql in .env file:

• DB_CONNECTION=mysql

Uncomment all DB_* parameters in the .env file and assign proper values.

Open \database\migrations\0001_01_01_000000_create_users_table.php and make the following changes in it and save the file:

• Here is the main thing: Change the line from $table->string('name'); to $table->string('name')->default('');.
• Remove these fields from the users's schema/table: email, email_verified_at, password, rememberToken.
• Remove whole schema/table password_reset_tokens.

Open \app\Models\User.php and make the following changes and save the file.

• Remove email and password from the $fillable property.
• Remove $hidden property.
• Remove casts function.

In web.php, I have set the following in post route:

Route::post('/', function (\Illuminate\Http\Request $request) {
	// other code
})->withoutMiddleware(ConvertEmptyStringsToNull::class);

Notice the withoutMiddleware(ConvertEmptyStringsToNull::class), so that Laravel does not convert empty strings to null.

Open Terminal and run the command php artisan migrate.

---

---

When the following is specified:

$validated = $request->validate([
	'name' => 'max:255'
]);

The following error is occurring:

SQLSTATE[23000]: Integrity constraint violation: 1048 Column 'name' cannot be null (Connection: mysql, SQL: `insert into users (name, updated_at, created_at) values (?, 2025-09-06 11:14:02, 2025-09-06 11:14:02)`)

This error is occurring also if I remove $request->validate([...]); and specify User::create($request->all());

---

And when string is specified in the validation rule:

$validated = $request->validate([
	'name' => 'string|max:255'
]);

The following error is occurring:

The name field must be a string.

In both the cases, Laravel seems to be changing the value of the name field to null at different stages.

My question is what to do to insert blank '' value into a NOT NULL field?