diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 25586e622..995424b20 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -7583,7 +7583,7 @@ version = "0.14.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "343d3bd7056eda839b03204e68deff7d1b13aba7af2b2fd16890697274262ee7"
 dependencies = [
- "heck 0.5.0",
+ "heck 0.4.1",
  "itertools 0.14.0",
  "log",
  "multimap",
@@ -8498,9 +8498,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rkyv"
-version = "0.8.16"
+version = "0.8.17"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "73389e0c99e664f919275ab5b5b0471391fe9a8de61e1dff9b1eaf56a90f16e3"
+checksum = "815cc8a37159a463064825246cadb07961e25cd9885908606f6d08a98d8f8874"
 dependencies = [
  "bytecheck",
  "bytes",
@@ -8517,9 +8517,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rkyv_derive"
-version = "0.8.16"
+version = "0.8.17"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "5d2ed0b54125315fb36bd021e82d314d1c126548f871634b483f46b31d13cac6"
+checksum = "c0ed1a78a1b19d184b0daa629dd9a024573173ec7d485b287cb369fb3607cc1c"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -9277,7 +9277,7 @@ version = "0.8.9"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c1c97747dbf44bb1ca44a561ece23508e99cb592e862f22222dcf42f51d1e451"
 dependencies = [
- "heck 0.5.0",
+ "heck 0.4.1",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.117",
@@ -9289,7 +9289,7 @@ version = "0.9.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "54254b8531cafa275c5e096f62d48c81435d1015405a91198ddb11e967301d40"
 dependencies = [
- "heck 0.5.0",
+ "heck 0.4.1",
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.117",
@@ -9730,7 +9730,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "32497e9a4c7b38532efcdebeef879707aa9f794296a4f0244f6f69e9bc8574bd"
 dependencies = [
  "fastrand",
- "getrandom 0.4.2",
+ "getrandom 0.3.4",
  "once_cell",
  "rustix",
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
diff --git a/nodejs/src/table.rs b/nodejs/src/table.rs
index 7dd902e19..2ac2fecb2 100644
--- a/nodejs/src/table.rs
+++ b/nodejs/src/table.rs
@@ -339,7 +339,9 @@ impl Table {
         let transforms = NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(transforms);
         let res = self
             .inner_ref()?
-            .add_columns(transforms, None)
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(transforms)
+            .execute()
             .await
             .default_error()?;
         Ok(res.into())
@@ -356,7 +358,9 @@ impl Table {
         let transforms = NewColumnTransform::AllNulls(schema);
         let res = self
             .inner_ref()?
-            .add_columns(transforms, None)
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(transforms)
+            .execute()
             .await
             .default_error()?;
         Ok(res.into())
diff --git a/python/src/table.rs b/python/src/table.rs
index d69609093..f20bcf2bf 100644
--- a/python/src/table.rs
+++ b/python/src/table.rs
@@ -1375,7 +1375,12 @@ impl Table {
 
         let inner = self_.inner_ref()?.clone();
         future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
-            let result = inner.add_columns(definitions, None).await.infer_error()?;
+            let result = inner
+                .add_columns()
+                .transform(definitions)
+                .execute()
+                .await
+                .infer_error()?;
             Ok(AddColumnsResult::from(result))
         })
     }
@@ -1389,7 +1394,12 @@ impl Table {
 
         let inner = self_.inner_ref()?.clone();
         future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
-            let result = inner.add_columns(transform, None).await.infer_error()?;
+            let result = inner
+                .add_columns()
+                .transform(transform)
+                .execute()
+                .await
+                .infer_error()?;
             Ok(AddColumnsResult::from(result))
         })
     }
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs
index de3bbc94a..5fefabeb2 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/table.rs
@@ -3089,10 +3089,12 @@ mod tests {
             Box::pin(table.delete("false").map_ok(|_| ())),
             Box::pin(
                 table
-                    .add_columns(
-                        NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("x".into(), "y".into())]),
-                        None,
-                    )
+                    .add_columns()
+                    .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                        "x".into(),
+                        "y".into(),
+                    )]))
+                    .execute()
                     .map_ok(|_| ()),
             ),
             Box::pin(async {
@@ -6388,13 +6390,12 @@ mod tests {
         });
 
         let result = table
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![
-                    ("b".into(), "a + 1".into()),
-                    ("x".into(), "cast(NULL as int32)".into()),
-                ]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![
+                ("b".into(), "a + 1".into()),
+                ("x".into(), "cast(NULL as int32)".into()),
+            ]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -7119,10 +7120,12 @@ mod tests {
             }
             "add_columns" => {
                 let _ = table
-                    .add_columns(
-                        NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("c".into(), "a + 1".into())]),
-                        None,
-                    )
+                    .add_columns()
+                    .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                        "c".into(),
+                        "a + 1".into(),
+                    )]))
+                    .execute()
                     .await;
             }
             "drop_columns" => {
@@ -9880,10 +9883,12 @@ mod tests {
             .await
             .unwrap();
         branch
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("b".into(), "a + 1".into())]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                "b".into(),
+                "a + 1".into(),
+            )]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
         branch
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
index 6f8ecaf14..0d8a8e8b9 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ use crate::utils::{PatchReadParam, PatchWriteParam, resolve_arrow_field_path};
 use self::dataset::DatasetConsistencyWrapper;
 use self::merge::MergeInsertBuilder;
 
+pub mod add_columns;
 mod add_data;
 pub mod branch_merge;
 mod create_index;
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ pub mod schema_evolution;
 pub mod update;
 pub mod write_progress;
 use crate::index::waiter::wait_for_index;
+pub use add_columns::AddColumnsBuilder;
 #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
 pub(crate) use add_data::PreprocessingOutput;
 pub use add_data::{AddDataBuilder, AddDataMode, AddResult, NaNVectorBehavior};
@@ -1620,12 +1622,8 @@ impl Table {
     }
 
     /// Add new columns to the table, providing values to fill in.
-    pub async fn add_columns(
-        &self,
-        transforms: NewColumnTransform,
-        read_columns: Option<Vec<String>>,
-    ) -> Result<AddColumnsResult> {
-        self.inner.add_columns(transforms, read_columns).await
+    pub fn add_columns(&self) -> AddColumnsBuilder {
+        AddColumnsBuilder::new(self.inner.clone())
     }
 
     /// Change a column's name or nullability.
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_columns.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_columns.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d410cd04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_columns.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The LanceDB Authors
+
+//! Builder for adding columns to a table.
+
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+use lance::dataset::NewColumnTransform;
+
+use super::BaseTable;
+use super::schema_evolution::AddColumnsResult;
+use crate::{Error, Result};
+
+/// Adds columns to a table. See [`Table::add_columns`](super::Table::add_columns).
+pub struct AddColumnsBuilder {
+    parent: Arc<dyn BaseTable>,
+    transform: Option<NewColumnTransform>,
+    read_columns: Option<Vec<String>>,
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Debug for AddColumnsBuilder {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_struct("AddColumnsBuilder")
+            .field("parent", &self.parent)
+            .field("has_transform", &self.transform.is_some())
+            .field("read_columns", &self.read_columns)
+            .finish()
+    }
+}
+
+impl AddColumnsBuilder {
+    pub(crate) fn new(parent: Arc<dyn BaseTable>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            parent,
+            transform: None,
+            read_columns: None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Set how the new columns' values are produced. Required.
+    pub fn transform(mut self, transform: NewColumnTransform) -> Self {
+        self.transform = Some(transform);
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Limit which existing columns a [`NewColumnTransform::BatchUDF`] mapper
+    /// receives. Every other transform determines what it reads, so setting
+    /// this alongside one is an error rather than a silent no-op.
+    pub fn read_columns(mut self, columns: impl IntoIterator<Item = impl Into<String>>) -> Self {
+        self.read_columns = Some(columns.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect());
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Add the columns.
+    pub async fn execute(self) -> Result<AddColumnsResult> {
+        let Self {
+            parent,
+            transform,
+            read_columns,
+        } = self;
+
+        let Some(transform) = transform else {
+            return Err(Error::InvalidInput {
+                message: "add_columns requires a transform".into(),
+            });
+        };
+
+        if read_columns.is_some() && !matches!(transform, NewColumnTransform::BatchUDF(_)) {
+            return Err(Error::InvalidInput {
+                message: "read_columns applies only to a BatchUDF transform; \
+                          every other transform determines what it reads"
+                    .into(),
+            });
+        }
+
+        parent.add_columns(transform, read_columns).await
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use std::sync::Arc;
+
+    use arrow_array::{Int32Array, RecordBatch, record_batch};
+    use arrow_schema::{DataType, Field, Schema};
+    use lance::dataset::{BatchUDF, NewColumnTransform};
+
+    use crate::Table;
+    use crate::connect;
+
+    async fn table_with_two_columns(name: &str) -> Table {
+        let conn = connect("memory://").execute().await.unwrap();
+        let batch = record_batch!(("x", Int32, [1, 2, 3]), ("y", Int32, [10, 20, 30])).unwrap();
+        conn.create_table(name, batch).execute().await.unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_requires_a_transform() {
+        let table = table_with_two_columns("no_transform").await;
+        let err = table.add_columns().execute().await.unwrap_err();
+        assert!(
+            err.to_string().contains("requires a transform"),
+            "got: {err}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_read_columns_with_sql_expressions_is_rejected() {
+        let table = table_with_two_columns("read_cols_sql").await;
+        let err = table
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                "doubled".into(),
+                "x * 2".into(),
+            )]))
+            .read_columns(["x"])
+            .execute()
+            .await
+            .unwrap_err();
+        assert!(err.to_string().contains("BatchUDF"), "got: {err}");
+
+        let schema = table.schema().await.unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            schema.field_with_name("doubled").is_err(),
+            "a rejected call must not commit"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_read_columns_limits_what_a_batch_udf_sees() {
+        let table = table_with_two_columns("read_cols_udf").await;
+
+        let output_schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![Field::new("sum", DataType::Int32, true)]));
+        let mapper_schema = output_schema.clone();
+        let udf = BatchUDF {
+            mapper: Box::new(move |batch: &RecordBatch| {
+                assert!(batch.column_by_name("x").is_some());
+                assert!(batch.column_by_name("y").is_none(), "y was not requested");
+                let x = batch["x"].as_any().downcast_ref::<Int32Array>().unwrap();
+                let doubled: Int32Array = x.iter().map(|v| v.map(|v| v * 2)).collect();
+                Ok(RecordBatch::try_new(
+                    mapper_schema.clone(),
+                    vec![Arc::new(doubled)],
+                )?)
+            }),
+            output_schema,
+            result_checkpoint: None,
+        };
+
+        table
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::BatchUDF(udf))
+            .read_columns(["x"])
+            .execute()
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let schema = table.schema().await.unwrap();
+        assert!(schema.field_with_name("sum").is_ok());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_data.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_data.rs
index b5b2f5b19..11ba43dd6 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_data.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/table/add_data.rs
@@ -576,10 +576,12 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Add a new physical column AFTER the embedding column.
         table
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("score".into(), "42.0".into())]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                "score".into(),
+                "42.0".into(),
+            )]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -683,7 +685,9 @@ mod tests {
             true,
         )]));
         table
-            .add_columns(NewColumnTransform::AllNulls(nested_schema), None)
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::AllNulls(nested_schema))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/table/schema_evolution.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/table/schema_evolution.rs
index 52c8c191f..ce208111a 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table/schema_evolution.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/table/schema_evolution.rs
@@ -193,10 +193,12 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Add a computed column
         let result = table
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("doubled".into(), "id * 2".into())]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                "doubled".into(),
+                "id * 2".into(),
+            )]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -251,13 +253,12 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Add multiple columns at once
         table
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![
-                    ("y".into(), "x + 1".into()),
-                    ("z".into(), "x * x".into()),
-                ]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![
+                ("y".into(), "x + 1".into()),
+                ("z".into(), "x * x".into()),
+            ]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -283,10 +284,12 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Add a column with a constant value
         table
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("constant".into(), "42".into())]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                "constant".into(),
+                "42".into(),
+            )]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -659,10 +662,12 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Add column increments version
         let add_result = table
-            .add_columns(
-                NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![("c".into(), "a + b".into())]),
-                None,
-            )
+            .add_columns()
+            .transform(NewColumnTransform::SqlExpressions(vec![(
+                "c".into(),
+                "a + b".into(),
+            )]))
+            .execute()
             .await
             .unwrap();
         assert!(add_result.version > v1);