refactor(python): use namespace-backed rust connection

python/python/lancedb/namespace.py

@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ through a namespace abstraction.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import asyncio
 import sys
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, Iterable, List, Optional, Union
 
@@ -25,7 +24,24 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 from datetime import timedelta
 import pyarrow as pa
 
-from lancedb.db import DBConnection, LanceDBConnection
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.json_arrow_data_type import JsonArrowDataType
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.json_arrow_field import JsonArrowField
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.json_arrow_schema import JsonArrowSchema
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request import QueryTableRequest
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request_columns import (
+    QueryTableRequestColumns,
+)
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request_full_text_query import (
+    QueryTableRequestFullTextQuery,
+)
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request_vector import (
+    QueryTableRequestVector,
+)
+from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.string_fts_query import StringFtsQuery
+from lance_namespace.errors import TableNotFoundError
+from lancedb._lancedb import connect_namespace_client as _connect_namespace_client
+from lancedb.background_loop import LOOP
+from lancedb.db import AsyncConnection, DBConnection
 from lancedb.namespace_utils import (
     _normalize_create_namespace_mode,
     _normalize_drop_namespace_mode,
@@ -40,14 +56,11 @@ from lance_namespace import (
     ListNamespacesResponse,
     ListTablesResponse,
     ListTablesRequest,
-    DescribeTableRequest,
     DescribeNamespaceRequest,
     DropTableRequest,
     ListNamespacesRequest,
     CreateNamespaceRequest,
     DropNamespaceRequest,
-    DeclareTableRequest,
-    CreateTableRequest,
 )
 from lancedb.table import AsyncTable, LanceTable, Table
 from lancedb.util import validate_table_name
@@ -56,21 +69,6 @@ from lancedb.pydantic import LanceModel
 from lancedb.embeddings import EmbeddingFunctionConfig
 from ._lancedb import Session
 
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.json_arrow_schema import JsonArrowSchema
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.json_arrow_field import JsonArrowField
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.json_arrow_data_type import JsonArrowDataType
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request import QueryTableRequest
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request_vector import (
-    QueryTableRequestVector,
-)
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request_columns import (
-    QueryTableRequestColumns,
-)
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.query_table_request_full_text_query import (
-    QueryTableRequestFullTextQuery,
-)
-from lance_namespace_urllib3_client.models.string_fts_query import StringFtsQuery
-
 
 def _query_to_namespace_request(
     table_id: List[str],
@@ -424,6 +422,23 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
         )
         self._namespace_client_impl = namespace_client_impl
         self._namespace_client_properties = namespace_client_properties
+        self._inner = AsyncConnection(
+            _connect_namespace_client(
+                namespace_client,
+                read_consistency_interval=(
+                    read_consistency_interval.total_seconds()
+                    if read_consistency_interval is not None
+                    else None
+                ),
+                storage_options=self.storage_options or None,
+                session=session,
+                namespace_client_pushdown_operations=(
+                    list(self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations)
+                ),
+                namespace_client_impl=namespace_client_impl,
+                namespace_client_properties=namespace_client_properties,
+            )
+        )
 
     @override
     def serialize(self) -> str:
@@ -497,13 +512,10 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
         if mode.lower() not in ["create", "overwrite"]:
             raise ValueError("mode must be either 'create' or 'overwrite'")
         validate_table_name(name)
-
+        async_table = LOOP.run(
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
+            self._inner.create_table(
-
+                name,
-        if "CreateTable" in self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations:
+                data,
-            return self._create_table_server_side(
-                name=name,
-                data=data,
                 schema=schema,
                 mode=mode,
                 exist_ok=exist_ok,
@@ -513,130 +525,15 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
                 namespace_path=namespace_path,
                 storage_options=storage_options,
             )
-
-        # Local create path: declare_table + local write
-        # Step 1: Get the table location and storage options from namespace
-        # In overwrite mode, if table exists, use describe_table to get
-        # existing location. Otherwise, call create_empty_table to reserve
-        # a new location
-        location = None
-        namespace_storage_options = None
-        if mode.lower() == "overwrite":
-            # Try to describe the table first to see if it exists
-            try:
-                describe_request = DescribeTableRequest(id=table_id)
-                describe_response = self._namespace_client.describe_table(
-                    describe_request
-                )
-                location = describe_response.location
-                namespace_storage_options = describe_response.storage_options
-            except Exception:
-                # Table doesn't exist, will create a new one below
-                pass
-
-        if location is None:
-            # Table doesn't exist or mode is "create", reserve a new location
-            declare_request = DeclareTableRequest(
-                id=table_id,
-                location=None,
-                properties=self.storage_options if self.storage_options else None,
-            )
-            declare_response = self._namespace_client.declare_table(declare_request)
-
-            if not declare_response.location:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "Table location is missing from declare_table response"
-                )
-
-            location = declare_response.location
-            namespace_storage_options = declare_response.storage_options
-
-        # Merge storage options: self.storage_options < user options < namespace options
-        merged_storage_options = dict(self.storage_options)
-        if storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(storage_options)
-        if namespace_storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(namespace_storage_options)
-
-        # Step 2: Create table using LanceTable.create with the location
-        # We need a temporary connection for the LanceTable.create method
-        temp_conn = LanceDBConnection(
-            location,  # Use the actual location as the connection URI
-            read_consistency_interval=self.read_consistency_interval,
-            storage_options=merged_storage_options,
-            session=self.session,
         )
 
-        # Note: storage_options_provider is auto-created in Rust from namespace_client
+        return LanceTable(
-        tbl = LanceTable.create(
+            self,
-            temp_conn,
             name,
-            data,
-            schema,
-            mode=mode,
-            exist_ok=exist_ok,
-            on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
-            fill_value=fill_value,
-            embedding_functions=embedding_functions,
             namespace_path=namespace_path,
-            storage_options=merged_storage_options,
-            location=location,
             namespace_client=self._namespace_client,
             pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
-        )
+            _async=async_table,
-
-        return tbl
-
-    def _create_table_server_side(
-        self,
-        name: str,
-        data: Optional[DATA],
-        schema: Optional[Union[pa.Schema, LanceModel]],
-        mode: str,
-        exist_ok: bool,
-        on_bad_vectors: str,
-        fill_value: float,
-        embedding_functions: Optional[List[EmbeddingFunctionConfig]],
-        namespace_path: Optional[List[str]],
-        storage_options: Optional[Dict[str, str]],
-    ) -> Table:
-        """Create a table using server-side namespace.create_table()."""
-        if namespace_path is None:
-            namespace_path = []
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-
-        arrow_ipc_bytes = _data_to_arrow_ipc(
-            data=data,
-            schema=schema,
-            embedding_functions=embedding_functions,
-            on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
-            fill_value=fill_value,
-        )
-
-        merged = dict(self.storage_options or {})
-        if storage_options:
-            merged.update(storage_options)
-        request = CreateTableRequest(
-            id=table_id,
-            mode=_normalize_create_table_mode(mode),
-            properties=merged or None,
-        )
-
-        try:
-            self._namespace_client.create_table(request, arrow_ipc_bytes)
-        except Exception as e:
-            if exist_ok and "already exists" in str(e).lower():
-                return self.open_table(
-                    name,
-                    namespace_path=namespace_path,
-                    storage_options=storage_options,
-                )
-            raise
-
-        return self.open_table(
-            name,
-            namespace_path=namespace_path,
-            storage_options=storage_options,
         )
 
     @override
@@ -650,30 +547,28 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
     ) -> Table:
         if namespace_path is None:
             namespace_path = []
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
+        try:
-        request = DescribeTableRequest(id=table_id)
+            async_table = LOOP.run(
-        response = self._namespace_client.describe_table(request)
+                self._inner.open_table(
+                    name,
+                    namespace_path=namespace_path,
+                    storage_options=storage_options,
+                    index_cache_size=index_cache_size,
+                )
+            )
+        except RuntimeError as e:
+            if "Table not found" in str(e):
+                table_id = namespace_path + [name]
+                raise TableNotFoundError(f"Table not found: {'$'.join(table_id)}")
+            raise
 
-        # Merge storage options: self.storage_options < user options < namespace options
+        return LanceTable(
-        merged_storage_options = dict(self.storage_options)
+            self,
-        if storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(storage_options)
-        if response.storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(response.storage_options)
-
-        # Pass managed_versioning to avoid redundant describe_table call in Rust.
-        # Convert None to False since we already have the answer from describe_table.
-        managed_versioning = response.managed_versioning is True
-
-        # Note: storage_options_provider is auto-created in Rust from namespace_client
-        return self._lance_table_from_uri(
             name,
-            response.location,
             namespace_path=namespace_path,
-            storage_options=merged_storage_options,
-            index_cache_size=index_cache_size,
             namespace_client=self._namespace_client,
-            managed_versioning=managed_versioning,
+            pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+            _async=async_table,
         )
 
     @override
@@ -897,33 +792,34 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
         namespace_client: Optional[Any] = None,
         managed_versioning: Optional[bool] = None,
     ) -> LanceTable:
-        # Open a table directly from a URI using the location parameter
+        # Open a table directly from the namespace-resolved physical location.
-        # Note: storage_options should already be merged by the caller
+        #
-        # Note: storage_options_provider is auto-created in Rust from namespace_client
+        # Open the table through the Rust namespace-backed connection.  The Rust
+        # layer keeps the logical namespace path and namespace client intact.
         if namespace_path is None:
             namespace_path = []
-        temp_conn = LanceDBConnection(
+
-            table_uri,  # Use the table location as the connection URI
+        async_table = LOOP.run(
-            read_consistency_interval=self.read_consistency_interval,
+            self._inner.open_table(
-            storage_options=storage_options if storage_options is not None else {},
+                name,
-            session=self.session,
+                namespace_path=namespace_path,
+                storage_options=storage_options,
+                index_cache_size=index_cache_size,
+                location=None,
+                namespace_client=namespace_client,
+                managed_versioning=managed_versioning,
+            )
         )
 
-        # Open the table using the temporary connection with the location parameter
+        return LanceTable(
-        # Pass namespace_client to enable managed versioning support and auto-create
+            self,
-        # storage options provider
-        # Pass managed_versioning to avoid redundant describe_table call
-        # Pass pushdown_operations if configured on this connection
-        return LanceTable.open(
-            temp_conn,
             name,
             namespace_path=namespace_path,
-            storage_options=storage_options,
-            index_cache_size=index_cache_size,
             location=table_uri,
             namespace_client=namespace_client,
             managed_versioning=managed_versioning,
             pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+            _async=async_table,
         )
 
     @override
@@ -990,6 +886,23 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
         self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations = set(
             namespace_client_pushdown_operations or []
         )
+        self._inner = AsyncConnection(
+            _connect_namespace_client(
+                namespace_client,
+                read_consistency_interval=(
+                    read_consistency_interval.total_seconds()
+                    if read_consistency_interval is not None
+                    else None
+                ),
+                storage_options=self.storage_options or None,
+                session=session,
+                namespace_client_pushdown_operations=(
+                    list(self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations)
+                ),
+                namespace_client_impl=None,
+                namespace_client_properties=None,
+            )
+        )
 
     async def table_names(
         self,
@@ -1041,148 +954,16 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
         if mode.lower() not in ["create", "overwrite"]:
             raise ValueError("mode must be either 'create' or 'overwrite'")
         validate_table_name(name)
-
+        return await self._inner.create_table(
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-
-        if "CreateTable" in self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations:
-            return await self._create_table_server_side(
-                name=name,
-                data=data,
-                schema=schema,
-                mode=mode,
-                exist_ok=exist_ok,
-                on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
-                fill_value=fill_value,
-                embedding_functions=embedding_functions,
-                namespace_path=namespace_path,
-                storage_options=storage_options,
-            )
-
-        # Local create path: declare_table + local write
-        # Step 1: Get the table location and storage options from namespace
-        location = None
-        namespace_storage_options = None
-        if mode.lower() == "overwrite":
-            # Try to describe the table first to see if it exists
-            try:
-                describe_request = DescribeTableRequest(id=table_id)
-                describe_response = self._namespace_client.describe_table(
-                    describe_request
-                )
-                location = describe_response.location
-                namespace_storage_options = describe_response.storage_options
-            except Exception:
-                # Table doesn't exist, will create a new one below
-                pass
-
-        if location is None:
-            # Table doesn't exist or mode is "create", reserve a new location
-            declare_request = DeclareTableRequest(
-                id=table_id,
-                location=None,
-                properties=self.storage_options if self.storage_options else None,
-            )
-            declare_response = self._namespace_client.declare_table(declare_request)
-
-            if not declare_response.location:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "Table location is missing from declare_table response"
-                )
-
-            location = declare_response.location
-            namespace_storage_options = declare_response.storage_options
-
-        # Merge storage options: self.storage_options < user options < namespace options
-        merged_storage_options = dict(self.storage_options)
-        if storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(storage_options)
-        if namespace_storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(namespace_storage_options)
-
-        # Step 2: Create table using LanceTable.create with the location
-        # Run the sync operation in a thread
-        def _create_table():
-            temp_conn = LanceDBConnection(
-                location,
-                read_consistency_interval=self.read_consistency_interval,
-                storage_options=merged_storage_options,
-                session=self.session,
-            )
-
-            # storage_options_provider is auto-created in Rust from namespace_client
-            return LanceTable.create(
-                temp_conn,
-                name,
-                data,
-                schema,
-                mode=mode,
-                exist_ok=exist_ok,
-                on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
-                fill_value=fill_value,
-                embedding_functions=embedding_functions,
-                namespace_path=namespace_path,
-                storage_options=merged_storage_options,
-                location=location,
-                namespace_client=self._namespace_client,
-                pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
-            )
-
-        lance_table = await asyncio.to_thread(_create_table)
-        # Get the underlying async table from LanceTable
-        return lance_table._table
-
-    async def _create_table_server_side(
-        self,
-        name: str,
-        data: Optional[DATA],
-        schema: Optional[Union[pa.Schema, LanceModel]],
-        mode: str,
-        exist_ok: bool,
-        on_bad_vectors: str,
-        fill_value: float,
-        embedding_functions: Optional[List[EmbeddingFunctionConfig]],
-        namespace_path: Optional[List[str]],
-        storage_options: Optional[Dict[str, str]],
-    ) -> AsyncTable:
-        """Create a table using server-side namespace.create_table()."""
-        if namespace_path is None:
-            namespace_path = []
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-
-        def _prepare_and_create():
-            arrow_ipc_bytes = _data_to_arrow_ipc(
-                data=data,
-                schema=schema,
-                embedding_functions=embedding_functions,
-                on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
-                fill_value=fill_value,
-            )
-
-            merged = dict(self.storage_options or {})
-            if storage_options:
-                merged.update(storage_options)
-            request = CreateTableRequest(
-                id=table_id,
-                mode=_normalize_create_table_mode(mode),
-                properties=merged or None,
-            )
-
-            self._namespace_client.create_table(request, arrow_ipc_bytes)
-
-        try:
-            await asyncio.to_thread(_prepare_and_create)
-        except Exception as e:
-            if exist_ok and "already exists" in str(e).lower():
-                return await self.open_table(
-                    name,
-                    namespace_path=namespace_path,
-                    storage_options=storage_options,
-                )
-            raise
-
-        return await self.open_table(
             name,
+            data,
+            schema=schema,
+            mode=mode,
+            exist_ok=exist_ok,
+            on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
+            fill_value=fill_value,
             namespace_path=namespace_path,
+            embedding_functions=embedding_functions,
             storage_options=storage_options,
         )
 
@@ -1197,45 +978,18 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
         """Open an existing table from the namespace."""
         if namespace_path is None:
             namespace_path = []
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
+        try:
-        request = DescribeTableRequest(id=table_id)
+            return await self._inner.open_table(
-        response = self._namespace_client.describe_table(request)
-
-        # Merge storage options: self.storage_options < user options < namespace options
-        merged_storage_options = dict(self.storage_options)
-        if storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(storage_options)
-        if response.storage_options:
-            merged_storage_options.update(response.storage_options)
-
-        # Capture managed_versioning from describe response.
-        # Convert None to False since we already have the answer from describe_table.
-        managed_versioning = response.managed_versioning is True
-
-        # Open table in a thread
-        # Note: storage_options_provider is auto-created in Rust from namespace_client
-        def _open_table():
-            temp_conn = LanceDBConnection(
-                response.location,
-                read_consistency_interval=self.read_consistency_interval,
-                storage_options=merged_storage_options,
-                session=self.session,
-            )
-
-            return LanceTable.open(
-                temp_conn,
                 name,
                 namespace_path=namespace_path,
-                storage_options=merged_storage_options,
+                storage_options=storage_options,
                 index_cache_size=index_cache_size,
-                location=response.location,
-                namespace_client=self._namespace_client,
-                managed_versioning=managed_versioning,
-                pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
             )
-
+        except RuntimeError as e:
-        lance_table = await asyncio.to_thread(_open_table)
+            if "Table not found" in str(e):
-        return lance_table._table
+                table_id = namespace_path + [name]
+                raise TableNotFoundError(f"Table not found: {'$'.join(table_id)}")
+            raise
 
     async def drop_table(self, name: str, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None):
         """Drop a table from the namespace."""

python/src/connection.rs

@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The LanceDB Authors
 
-use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Arc, time::Duration};
+use std::{
+    collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
+    sync::Arc,
+    time::Duration,
+};
 
 use arrow::{datatypes::Schema, ffi_stream::ArrowArrayStreamReader, pyarrow::FromPyArrow};
 use lancedb::{
     connection::Connection as LanceConnection,
+    connection::NamespaceClientPushdownOperation,
+    database::namespace::LanceNamespaceDatabase,
     database::{CreateTableMode, Database, ReadConsistency},
 };
 use pyo3::{
@@ -39,6 +45,29 @@ impl Connection {
     }
 }
 
+fn parse_namespace_client_pushdown_operations(
+    operations: Option<Vec<String>>,
+) -> PyResult<HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>> {
+    let mut parsed = HashSet::new();
+    for operation in operations.unwrap_or_default() {
+        match operation.as_str() {
+            "QueryTable" => {
+                parsed.insert(NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::QueryTable);
+            }
+            "CreateTable" => {
+                parsed.insert(NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::CreateTable);
+            }
+            _ => {
+                return Err(PyValueError::new_err(format!(
+                    "Invalid pushdown operation: {}",
+                    operation
+                )));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(parsed)
+}
+
 impl Connection {
     fn parse_create_mode_str(mode: &str) -> PyResult<CreateTableMode> {
         match mode {
@@ -538,6 +567,52 @@ pub fn connect(
     })
 }
 
+#[pyfunction]
+#[pyo3(signature = (
+    namespace_client,
+    read_consistency_interval=None,
+    storage_options=None,
+    session=None,
+    namespace_client_pushdown_operations=None,
+    namespace_client_impl=None,
+    namespace_client_properties=None,
+))]
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+pub fn connect_namespace_client(
+    py: Python<'_>,
+    namespace_client: Py<PyAny>,
+    read_consistency_interval: Option<f64>,
+    storage_options: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
+    session: Option<crate::session::Session>,
+    namespace_client_pushdown_operations: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    namespace_client_impl: Option<String>,
+    namespace_client_properties: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
+) -> PyResult<Connection> {
+    let namespace_client = extract_namespace_arc(py, namespace_client)?;
+    let read_consistency_interval = read_consistency_interval.map(Duration::from_secs_f64);
+    let namespace_client_pushdown_operations =
+        parse_namespace_client_pushdown_operations(namespace_client_pushdown_operations)?;
+    let ns_impl = namespace_client_impl.unwrap_or_else(|| "python".to_string());
+    let ns_properties = namespace_client_properties.unwrap_or_default();
+    let storage_options = storage_options.unwrap_or_default();
+    let session = session.map(|s| s.inner.clone());
+
+    let database = LanceNamespaceDatabase::from_namespace_client(
+        namespace_client,
+        ns_impl,
+        ns_properties,
+        storage_options,
+        read_consistency_interval,
+        session,
+        namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+    );
+
+    Ok(Connection::new(LanceConnection::new(
+        Arc::new(database),
+        Arc::new(lancedb::embeddings::MemoryRegistry::new()),
+    )))
+}
+
 #[derive(FromPyObject)]
 pub struct PyClientConfig {
     user_agent: String,

python/src/lib.rs

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The LanceDB Authors
 
 use arrow::RecordBatchStream;
-use connection::{Connection, connect};
+use connection::{Connection, connect, connect_namespace_client};
 use env_logger::Env;
 use expr::{PyExpr, expr_col, expr_func, expr_lit};
 use index::IndexConfig;
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ pub fn _lancedb(_py: Python, m: &Bound<'_, PyModule>) -> PyResult<()> {
     m.add_class::<PyPermutationReader>()?;
     m.add_class::<PyExpr>()?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(connect, m)?)?;
+    m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(connect_namespace_client, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(permutation::async_permutation_builder, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(util::validate_table_name, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(query::fts_query_to_json, m)?)?;

rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs

@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ use std::collections::HashSet;
 /// These operations will be executed on the namespace server instead of locally
 /// when enabled via [`ConnectNamespaceBuilder::pushdown_operations`].
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
-pub enum PushdownOperation {
+pub enum NamespaceClientPushdownOperation {
     /// Execute queries on the namespace server via `query_table()` instead of locally.
     QueryTable,
     /// Execute table creation on the namespace server via `create_table()`
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ pub struct ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
     read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
     embedding_registry: Option<Arc<dyn EmbeddingRegistry>>,
     session: Option<Arc<lance::session::Session>>,
-    pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+    pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
 }
 
 impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
@@ -1029,11 +1029,11 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
     /// and leveraging server-side compute resources.
     ///
     /// Available operations:
-    /// - [`PushdownOperation::QueryTable`]: Execute queries via `namespace.query_table()`
+    /// - [`NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::QueryTable`]: Execute queries via `namespace.query_table()`
-    /// - [`PushdownOperation::CreateTable`]: Execute table creation via `namespace.create_table()`
+    /// - [`NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::CreateTable`]: Execute table creation via `namespace.create_table()`
     ///
     /// By default, no operations are pushed down (all executed locally).
-    pub fn pushdown_operation(mut self, operation: PushdownOperation) -> Self {
+    pub fn pushdown_operation(mut self, operation: NamespaceClientPushdownOperation) -> Self {
         self.pushdown_operations.insert(operation);
         self
     }
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
     /// See [`Self::pushdown_operation`] for details.
     pub fn pushdown_operations(
         mut self,
-        operations: impl IntoIterator<Item = PushdownOperation>,
+        operations: impl IntoIterator<Item = NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
     ) -> Self {
         self.pushdown_operations.extend(operations);
         self

rust/lancedb/src/database/namespace.rs

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use lance_namespace_impls::ConnectBuilder;
 use lance_table::io::commit::CommitHandler;
 use lance_table::io::commit::external_manifest::ExternalManifestCommitHandler;
 
-use crate::connection::PushdownOperation;
+use crate::connection::NamespaceClientPushdownOperation;
 use crate::database::ReadConsistency;
 use crate::error::{Error, Result};
 use crate::table::NativeTable;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pub struct LanceNamespaceDatabase {
     // database URI
     uri: String,
     // Operations to push down to the namespace server
-    pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+    pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
     // Namespace implementation type (e.g., "dir", "rest")
     ns_impl: String,
     // Namespace properties used to construct the namespace client
@@ -52,13 +52,34 @@ pub struct LanceNamespaceDatabase {
 }
 
 impl LanceNamespaceDatabase {
+    pub fn from_namespace_client(
+        namespace_client: Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>,
+        namespace_client_impl: String,
+        namespace_client_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
+        storage_options: HashMap<String, String>,
+        read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
+        session: Option<Arc<lance::session::Session>>,
+        namespace_client_pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            namespace: namespace_client,
+            storage_options,
+            read_consistency_interval,
+            session,
+            uri: format!("namespace://{}", namespace_client_impl),
+            pushdown_operations: namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+            ns_impl: namespace_client_impl,
+            ns_properties: namespace_client_properties,
+        }
+    }
+
     pub async fn connect(
         ns_impl: &str,
         ns_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
         storage_options: HashMap<String, String>,
         read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
         session: Option<Arc<lance::session::Session>>,
-        pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+        pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let mut builder = ConnectBuilder::new(ns_impl);
         for (key, value) in ns_properties.clone() {
@@ -163,22 +184,15 @@ impl Database for LanceNamespaceDatabase {
     async fn create_table(&self, request: DbCreateTableRequest) -> Result<Arc<dyn BaseTable>> {
         let mut table_id = request.namespace_path.clone();
         table_id.push(request.name.clone());
-        let describe_request = DescribeTableRequest {
-            id: Some(table_id.clone()),
-            ..Default::default()
-        };
-
-        let describe_result = self.namespace.describe_table(describe_request).await;
 
         match request.mode {
-            CreateTableMode::Create => {
+            CreateTableMode::Create => {}
-                if describe_result.is_ok() {
-                    return Err(Error::TableAlreadyExists {
-                        name: request.name.clone(),
-                    });
-                }
-            }
             CreateTableMode::Overwrite => {
+                let describe_request = DescribeTableRequest {
+                    id: Some(table_id.clone()),
+                    ..Default::default()
+                };
+                let describe_result = self.namespace.describe_table(describe_request).await;
                 if describe_result.is_ok() {
                     // Drop the existing table - must succeed
                     let drop_request = DropTableRequest {
@@ -194,6 +208,11 @@ impl Database for LanceNamespaceDatabase {
                 }
             }
             CreateTableMode::ExistOk(_) => {
+                let describe_request = DescribeTableRequest {
+                    id: Some(table_id.clone()),
+                    ..Default::default()
+                };
+                let describe_result = self.namespace.describe_table(describe_request).await;
                 if describe_result.is_ok() {
                     let native_table = NativeTable::open_from_namespace(
                         self.namespace.clone(),
@@ -221,7 +240,26 @@ impl Database for LanceNamespaceDatabase {
         };
 
         let (location, initial_storage_options, managed_versioning) = {
-            let response = self.namespace.declare_table(declare_request).await?;
+            let response = self
+                .namespace
+                .declare_table(declare_request)
+                .await
+                .map_err(|e| {
+                    let err_str = e.to_string();
+                    if matches!(request.mode, CreateTableMode::Create)
+                        && (err_str.contains("already exists")
+                            || err_str.contains("TableAlreadyExists")
+                            || err_str.contains("table already exists"))
+                    {
+                        Error::TableAlreadyExists {
+                            name: request.name.clone(),
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        Error::Runtime {
+                            message: format!("Failed to declare table: {}", e),
+                        }
+                    }
+                })?;
             let loc = response.location.ok_or_else(|| Error::Runtime {
                 message: "Table location is missing from declare_table response".to_string(),
             })?;

rust/lancedb/src/table.rs

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ use std::format;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
-use crate::connection::PushdownOperation;
+use crate::connection::NamespaceClientPushdownOperation;
 
 use crate::data::scannable::{PeekedScannable, Scannable, estimate_write_partitions};
 use crate::database::Database;
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ pub struct NativeTable {
     pub(crate) namespace_client: Option<Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>>,
     // Operations to push down to the namespace server.
     // pub(crate) so query.rs can access the field for server-side query execution.
-    pub(crate) pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+    pub(crate) pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
 }
 
 impl std::fmt::Debug for NativeTable {
@@ -1359,7 +1359,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         params: Option<ReadParams>,
         read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
         namespace_client: Option<Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>>,
-        pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+        pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
         managed_versioning: Option<bool>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let params = params.unwrap_or_default();
@@ -1470,7 +1470,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         write_store_wrapper: Option<Arc<dyn WrappingObjectStore>>,
         params: Option<ReadParams>,
         read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
-        pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+        pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
         session: Option<Arc<lance::session::Session>>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let mut params = params.unwrap_or_default();
@@ -1518,7 +1518,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         let id = Self::build_id(&namespace, name);
 
         let stored_namespace_client =
-            if pushdown_operations.contains(&PushdownOperation::QueryTable) {
+            if pushdown_operations.contains(&NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::QueryTable) {
                 Some(namespace_client)
             } else {
                 None
@@ -1588,7 +1588,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         params: Option<WriteParams>,
         read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
         namespace_client: Option<Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>>,
-        pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+        pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         // Default params uses format v1.
         let params = params.unwrap_or(WriteParams {
@@ -1635,7 +1635,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         params: Option<WriteParams>,
         read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
         namespace_client: Option<Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>>,
-        pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+        pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let data: Box<dyn Scannable> = Box::new(RecordBatch::new_empty(schema));
         Self::create(
@@ -1685,7 +1685,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         write_store_wrapper: Option<Arc<dyn WrappingObjectStore>>,
         params: Option<WriteParams>,
         read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
-        pushdown_operations: HashSet<PushdownOperation>,
+        pushdown_operations: HashSet<NamespaceClientPushdownOperation>,
         session: Option<Arc<lance::session::Session>>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         // Build table_id from namespace + name for the storage options provider
@@ -1738,7 +1738,7 @@ impl NativeTable {
         let id = Self::build_id(&namespace, name);
 
         let stored_namespace_client =
-            if pushdown_operations.contains(&PushdownOperation::QueryTable) {
+            if pushdown_operations.contains(&NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::QueryTable) {
                 Some(namespace_client)
             } else {
                 None

rust/lancedb/src/table/query.rs

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use super::NativeTable;
-use crate::connection::PushdownOperation;
+use crate::connection::NamespaceClientPushdownOperation;
 use crate::error::{Error, Result};
 use crate::expr::expr_to_sql_string;
 use crate::query::{
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pub async fn execute_query(
     // If QueryTable pushdown is enabled and namespace client is configured, use server-side query execution
     if table
         .pushdown_operations
-        .contains(&PushdownOperation::QueryTable)
+        .contains(&NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::QueryTable)
         && let Some(ref namespace_client) = table.namespace_client
     {
         return execute_namespace_query(table, namespace_client.clone(), query, options).await;