This PR adds some support for `diff` / `merge` in the remote client as
for local tables we stay `NotSupported` until
https://github.com/lance-format/lance/issues/7263.
This wires the two review-and-land calls against the remote REST API:
- `POST /v1/table/{id}/branches/diff`
- `POST /v1/table/{id}/branches/merge`
Rust gets typed results (`BranchDiff`, `MergeBranchResult`). Python
returns the wire JSON, same shape as the REST response.
Merge here means promoting a branch's added columns onto `main`.
### Behavior
- Remote only. Local raises `NotSupported`.
- A rejected merge is not an exception. HTTP 409 still returns `Ok` / a
dict with `status="rejected"` and blockers in `diff.mergeBlockers`.
- Unknown blocker / status codes parse as `Unknown` so a newer server
does not break older clients.
- `MergePreview` tolerates missing fields for the same reason.
- Merge requests are not retried. 409 is final and carries the body you
need.
### Example
```python
table = db.open_table("images")
table.branches.create("exp")
exp = table.branches.checkout("exp")
exp.add_columns({"tag": "cast('draft' as string)"})
diff = table.branches.diff("exp")
preview = table.branches.merge("exp", dry_run=True)
result = table.branches.merge("exp", dry_run=False)
if result["status"] == "merged":
print("landed at", result["mainVersionAfter"])
elif result["status"] == "rejected":
print(result["diff"]["mergeBlockers"])
```
### Testing
cargo test -p lancedb --features remote diff_branch
cargo test -p lancedb --features remote merge_branch
---------
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
### Description
Stacked on #3490. Adds an optional version to branch checkout across the
Rust core and the Python and TypeScript SDKs, so you can open a specific
version on a branch ("version V of branch B"), not just the branch's
latest version
Rust
```rust
// Open version 3 of branch "exp" (a read-only view): check out from an
// existing table, or open it directly from the connection.
let exp_v3 = table.checkout_branch("exp", Some(3)).await?;
let exp_v3 = db.open_table("items").branch("exp").version(3).execute().await?;
// checkout_latest re-attaches to the branch's writable HEAD.
exp_v3.checkout_latest().await?;
// With no branch, a version opens main at that version.
let main_v3 = db.open_table("items").version(3).execute().await?;
```
Python
```python
# Open version 3 of branch "exp" (a read-only view): check out from an
# existing table, or open it directly from the connection.
branch_v3 = await table.branches.checkout("exp", version=3)
branch_v3 = await db.open_table("items", branch="exp", version=3)
# checkout_latest re-attaches to the branch's writable HEAD.
await branch_v3.checkout_latest()
# With no branch, a version opens main at that version.
main_v3 = await db.open_table("items", version=3)
```
TypeScript
```typescript
// Open version 3 of branch "exp" (a read-only view): check out from an
// existing table, or open it directly from the connection.
const branchV3 = await (await table.branches()).checkout("exp", 3);
const opened = await db.openTable("items", undefined, { branch: "exp", version: 3 });
// checkoutLatest re-attaches to the branch's writable HEAD.
await branchV3.checkoutLatest();
// With no branch, a version opens main at that version.
const mainV3 = await db.openTable("items", undefined, { version: 3 });
```
### Testing
- Added unit tests (Rust, Python sync + async, TypeScript):
branch-scoped resolution at a version number shared with `main` and with
another branch, read-only enforcement on a pinned handle,
`checkout_latest` recovery to the branch's HEAD, fork-point reads, and
the nonexistent-version/branch error paths.
- Ran smoke tests against the Python and TypeScript SDKs on local
machine.
### Description
Adds first-class support for table branches across the Rust core and the
Python and TypeScript SDKs.
Rust
```rust
use lance::dataset::refs::Ref;
// Create a branch from main and write to it — main is untouched.
let exp = table.create_branch("exp", Ref::Version(None, None)).await?;
exp.add(batches).await?;
// Reopen the branch later: check out from a table, or open it directly.
let exp = table.checkout_branch("exp").await?;
let exp = db.open_table("items").branch("exp").execute().await?;
let branches = table.list_branches().await?;
table.delete_branch("exp").await?;
```
Python
```python
# Create a branch from main and write to it
branch = await table.branches.create("exp", from_ref="main")
await branch.add(data)
# Reopen the branch later: check out from a table, or open it directly.
branch = await table.branches.checkout("exp")
branch = await db.open_table("items", branch="exp")
await table.branches.list()
await table.branches.delete("exp")
```
TypeScript
```typescript
const branches = await table.branches();
// Create a branch from main and write to it
const branch = await branches.create("exp");
await branch.add(data);
// Reopen the branch later: check out from a table, or open it directly.
const checkedOut = await branches.checkout("exp");
const opened = await db.openTable("items", undefined, { branch: "exp" });
await branches.list();
await branches.delete("exp");
```
### Testing
- Added unit tests
- ran smoke tests against python and typescript sdks on local machine
### Next steps
- Add RemoteTable support
- Add Branch Comparison support
- Merge Branching support
Drew Gallardo
Brendan Clement