Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.7 → 0.31.0-beta.8

fix(python): use namespace-backed rust connection for namespace tables (#3286 )
So far, I have been using a hacky approach that creates and opens namespace-backed table, by getting its location and use a temporary lancedb connection to create or open it. This was working for features like credentials vending but is no longer fully working for the managed versioning feature, recently geneva tests have been failing here and there and various patches are not addressing the root cause. This PR fully fixes this and implements proper rust binding for it. Specifically: - build a real Rust namespace-backed connection from the Python namespace client - route namespace table create/open through that connection instead of resolved-location temp connections - keep namespace client naming consistent in the Rust bridge and preserve federated namespace + DuckDB behavior
2026-06-11 00:00:43 +00:00 · 2026-04-19 04:18:45 +00:00 · 2026-04-18 21:17:52 -07:00 · 2026-04-17 08:12:27 +00:00 · 2026-04-17 08:12:03 +00:00 · 2026-04-17 01:11:18 -07:00
69 changed files with 2337 additions and 1060 deletions
--- a/.bumpversion.toml
+++ b/.bumpversion.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tool.bumpversion]
-current_version = "0.28.0-beta.0"
+current_version = "0.28.0-beta.7"
 parse = """(?x)
    (?P<major>0|[1-9]\\d*)\\.
    (?P<minor>0|[1-9]\\d*)\\.
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/documentation.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/documentation.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@ body:
      label: Link
      description: >
        Provide a link to the existing documentation, if applicable.
-      placeholder: ex. https://lancedb.com/docs/tables/...
+      placeholder: ex. https://docs.lancedb.com/tables/...
    validations:
      required: false
--- a/.github/workflows/nodejs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nodejs.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ on:
    paths:
      - Cargo.toml
      - Cargo.lock
+      - rust-toolchain.toml
      - nodejs/**
      - rust/**
      - docs/src/js/**
--- a/.github/workflows/python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ on:
    paths:
      - Cargo.toml
      - Cargo.lock
+      - rust-toolchain.toml
      - python/**
      - rust/**
      - .github/workflows/python.yml
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ on:
    paths:
      - Cargo.toml
      - Cargo.lock
+      - rust-toolchain.toml
      - rust/**
      - .github/workflows/rust.yml

--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -137,15 +137,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "object",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "arc-swap"
-version = "1.9.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "a07d1f37ff60921c83bdfc7407723bdefe89b44b98a9b772f225c8f9d67141a6"
-dependencies = [
- "rustversion",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "argminmax"
 version = "0.6.3"
@@ -302,7 +293,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "arrow-schema",
 "arrow-select",
 "flatbuffers",
- "lz4_flex 0.12.1",
+ "lz4_flex",
 "zstd",
 ]

@@ -1278,31 +1269,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "generic-array",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "bon"
-version = "3.9.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f47dbe92550676ee653353c310dfb9cf6ba17ee70396e1f7cf0a2020ad49b2fe"
-dependencies = [
- "bon-macros",
- "rustversion",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "bon-macros"
-version = "3.9.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "519bd3116aeeb42d5372c29d982d16d0170d3d4a5ed85fc7dd91642ffff3c67c"
-dependencies = [
- "darling 0.20.11",
- "ident_case",
- "prettyplease",
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "rustversion",
- "syn 2.0.117",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "brotli"
 version = "3.5.0"
@@ -1472,12 +1438,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "shlex",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "census"
-version = "0.4.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4f4c707c6a209cbe82d10abd08e1ea8995e9ea937d2550646e02798948992be0"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "cfg-if"
 version = "1.0.4"
@@ -1795,7 +1755,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "crossterm_winapi",
 "document-features",
 "parking_lot",
- "rustix 1.1.4",
+ "rustix",
 "winapi",
 ]

@@ -2714,12 +2674,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "litrs",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "downcast-rs"
-version = "2.0.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "117240f60069e65410b3ae1bb213295bd828f707b5bec6596a1afc8793ce0cbc"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "dtor"
 version = "0.1.1"
@@ -2955,12 +2909,6 @@ version = "0.2.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "f8eb564c5c7423d25c886fb561d1e4ee69f72354d16918afa32c08811f6b6a55"

-[[package]]
-name = "fastdivide"
-version = "0.4.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9afc2bd4d5a73106dd53d10d73d3401c2f32730ba2c0b93ddb888a8983680471"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "fastrand"
 version = "2.3.0"
@@ -3054,16 +3002,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "percent-encoding",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "fs4"
-version = "0.8.4"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f7e180ac76c23b45e767bd7ae9579bc0bb458618c4bc71835926e098e61d15f8"
-dependencies = [
- "rustix 0.38.44",
- "windows-sys 0.52.0",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "fs_extra"
 version = "1.3.0"
@@ -3072,8 +3010,8 @@ checksum = "42703706b716c37f96a77aea830392ad231f44c9e9a67872fa5548707e11b11c"

 [[package]]
 name = "fsst"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "rand 0.9.2",
@@ -3560,12 +3498,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "htmlescape"
-version = "0.3.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e9025058dae765dee5070ec375f591e2ba14638c63feff74f13805a72e523163"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "http"
 version = "0.2.12"
@@ -4134,13 +4066,14 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-arith",
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
+ "arrow-cast",
 "arrow-ipc",
 "arrow-ord",
 "arrow-row",
@@ -4177,12 +4110,14 @@ dependencies = [
 "lance-linalg",
 "lance-namespace",
 "lance-table",
+ "lance-tokenizer",
 "log",
 "moka",
 "object_store",
 "permutation",
 "pin-project",
 "prost",
+ "prost-build",
 "prost-types",
 "rand 0.9.2",
 "roaring",
@@ -4190,7 +4125,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "serde",
 "serde_json",
 "snafu 0.9.0",
- "tantivy",
 "tokio",
 "tokio-stream",
 "tokio-util",
@@ -4201,13 +4135,14 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-arrow"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
 "arrow-cast",
 "arrow-data",
+ "arrow-ipc",
 "arrow-ord",
 "arrow-schema",
 "arrow-select",
@@ -4222,8 +4157,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-bitpacking"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrayref",
 "paste",
@@ -4232,8 +4167,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-core"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -4270,12 +4205,13 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-datafusion"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
+ "arrow-cast",
 "arrow-ord",
 "arrow-schema",
 "arrow-select",
@@ -4301,8 +4237,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-datagen"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -4320,8 +4256,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-encoding"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-arith",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -4358,8 +4294,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-file"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-arith",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -4391,8 +4327,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-index"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-arith",
@@ -4429,6 +4365,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "lance-io",
 "lance-linalg",
 "lance-table",
+ "lance-tokenizer",
 "libm",
 "log",
 "ndarray",
@@ -4446,7 +4383,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "serde_json",
 "smallvec",
 "snafu 0.9.0",
- "tantivy",
 "tempfile",
 "tokio",
 "tracing",
@@ -4456,8 +4392,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-io"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-arith",
@@ -4501,8 +4437,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-linalg"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -4518,8 +4454,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-namespace"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "async-trait",
@@ -4532,8 +4468,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-namespace-impls"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-ipc",
@@ -4578,8 +4514,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-table"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -4618,8 +4554,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-testing"
-version = "5.0.0-beta.4"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v5.0.0-beta.4#d9068e76a301df9e21d7282419f24f61a11375ac"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-schema",
@@ -4628,9 +4564,19 @@ dependencies = [
 "rand 0.9.2",
 ]

+[[package]]
+name = "lance-tokenizer"
+version = "6.0.0-beta.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v6.0.0-beta.1#c7a7d3a0e944646e793d297d4a2e2cf7e4fb28a3"
+dependencies = [
+ "rust-stemmers",
+ "serde",
+ "unicode-normalization",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lancedb"
-version = "0.27.2"
+version = "0.28.0-beta.7"
 dependencies = [
 "ahash",
 "anyhow",
@@ -4712,7 +4658,7 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lancedb-nodejs"
-version = "0.27.2"
+version = "0.28.0-beta.7"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -4734,7 +4680,7 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lancedb-python"
-version = "0.30.2"
+version = "0.31.0-beta.7"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "async-trait",
@@ -4772,12 +4718,6 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "09edd9e8b54e49e587e4f6295a7d29c3ea94d469cb40ab8ca70b288248a81db2"

-[[package]]
-name = "levenshtein_automata"
-version = "0.2.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0c2cdeb66e45e9f36bfad5bbdb4d2384e70936afbee843c6f6543f0c551ebb25"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "lexical-core"
 version = "1.0.6"
@@ -4866,12 +4806,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "libc",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "linux-raw-sys"
-version = "0.4.15"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d26c52dbd32dccf2d10cac7725f8eae5296885fb5703b261f7d0a0739ec807ab"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "linux-raw-sys"
 version = "0.12.1"
@@ -4952,12 +4886,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "libc",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "lz4_flex"
-version = "0.11.6"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "373f5eceeeab7925e0c1098212f2fbc4d416adec9d35051a6ab251e824c1854a"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "lz4_flex"
 version = "0.12.1"
@@ -5032,15 +4960,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "digest",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "measure_time"
-version = "0.9.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "51c55d61e72fc3ab704396c5fa16f4c184db37978ae4e94ca8959693a235fc0e"
-dependencies = [
- "log",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "memchr"
 version = "2.8.0"
@@ -5194,12 +5113,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "target-features",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "murmurhash32"
-version = "0.3.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2195bf6aa996a481483b29d62a7663eed3fe39600c460e323f8ff41e90bdd89b"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "napi"
 version = "3.8.3"
@@ -5488,12 +5401,6 @@ version = "1.70.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "384b8ab6d37215f3c5301a95a4accb5d64aa607f1fcb26a11b5303878451b4fe"

-[[package]]
-name = "oneshot"
-version = "0.1.13"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "269bca4c2591a28585d6bf10d9ed0332b7d76900a1b02bec41bdc3a2cdcda107"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "onig"
 version = "6.5.1"
@@ -5583,15 +5490,6 @@ version = "0.5.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "1a80800c0488c3a21695ea981a54918fbb37abf04f4d0720c453632255e2ff0e"

-[[package]]
-name = "ownedbytes"
-version = "0.9.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2fbd56f7631767e61784dc43f8580f403f4475bd4aaa4da003e6295e1bab4a7e"
-dependencies = [
- "stable_deref_trait",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "p256"
 version = "0.11.1"
@@ -7046,19 +6944,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "semver",
 ]

-[[package]]
-name = "rustix"
-version = "0.38.44"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "fdb5bc1ae2baa591800df16c9ca78619bf65c0488b41b96ccec5d11220d8c154"
-dependencies = [
- "bitflags",
- "errno",
- "libc",
- "linux-raw-sys 0.4.15",
- "windows-sys 0.59.0",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "rustix"
 version = "1.1.4"
@@ -7068,7 +6953,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "bitflags",
 "errno",
 "libc",
- "linux-raw-sys 0.12.1",
+ "linux-raw-sys",
 "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]

@@ -7533,15 +7418,6 @@ version = "1.0.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b2aa850e253778c88a04c3d7323b043aeda9d3e30d5971937c1855769763678e"

-[[package]]
-name = "sketches-ddsketch"
-version = "0.3.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0c6f73aeb92d671e0cc4dca167e59b2deb6387c375391bc99ee743f326994a2b"
-dependencies = [
- "serde",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "slab"
 version = "0.4.12"
@@ -7914,152 +7790,6 @@ version = "0.2.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7b2093cf4c8eb1e67749a6762251bc9cd836b6fc171623bd0a9d324d37af2417"

-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy"
-version = "0.24.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "64a966cb0e76e311f09cf18507c9af192f15d34886ee43d7ba7c7e3803660c43"
-dependencies = [
- "aho-corasick",
- "arc-swap",
- "base64 0.22.1",
- "bitpacking",
- "bon",
- "byteorder",
- "census",
- "crc32fast",
- "crossbeam-channel",
- "downcast-rs",
- "fastdivide",
- "fnv",
- "fs4",
- "htmlescape",
- "hyperloglogplus",
- "itertools 0.14.0",
- "levenshtein_automata",
- "log",
- "lru",
- "lz4_flex 0.11.6",
- "measure_time",
- "memmap2 0.9.10",
- "once_cell",
- "oneshot",
- "rayon",
- "regex",
- "rust-stemmers",
- "rustc-hash",
- "serde",
- "serde_json",
- "sketches-ddsketch",
- "smallvec",
- "tantivy-bitpacker",
- "tantivy-columnar",
- "tantivy-common",
- "tantivy-fst",
- "tantivy-query-grammar",
- "tantivy-stacker",
- "tantivy-tokenizer-api",
- "tempfile",
- "thiserror 2.0.18",
- "time",
- "uuid",
- "winapi",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-bitpacker"
-version = "0.8.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "1adc286a39e089ae9938935cd488d7d34f14502544a36607effd2239ff0e2494"
-dependencies = [
- "bitpacking",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-columnar"
-version = "0.5.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "6300428e0c104c4f7db6f95b466a6f5c1b9aece094ec57cdd365337908dc7344"
-dependencies = [
- "downcast-rs",
- "fastdivide",
- "itertools 0.14.0",
- "serde",
- "tantivy-bitpacker",
- "tantivy-common",
- "tantivy-sstable",
- "tantivy-stacker",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-common"
-version = "0.9.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e91b6ea6090ce03dc72c27d0619e77185d26cc3b20775966c346c6d4f7e99d7f"
-dependencies = [
- "async-trait",
- "byteorder",
- "ownedbytes",
- "serde",
- "time",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-fst"
-version = "0.5.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d60769b80ad7953d8a7b2c70cdfe722bbcdcac6bccc8ac934c40c034d866fc18"
-dependencies = [
- "byteorder",
- "regex-syntax",
- "utf8-ranges",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-query-grammar"
-version = "0.24.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e810cdeeebca57fc3f7bfec5f85fdbea9031b2ac9b990eb5ff49b371d52bbe6a"
-dependencies = [
- "nom 7.1.3",
- "serde",
- "serde_json",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-sstable"
-version = "0.5.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "709f22c08a4c90e1b36711c1c6cad5ae21b20b093e535b69b18783dd2cb99416"
-dependencies = [
- "futures-util",
- "itertools 0.14.0",
- "tantivy-bitpacker",
- "tantivy-common",
- "tantivy-fst",
- "zstd",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-stacker"
-version = "0.5.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2bcdebb267671311d1e8891fd9d1301803fdb8ad21ba22e0a30d0cab49ba59c1"
-dependencies = [
- "murmurhash32",
- "rand_distr 0.4.3",
- "tantivy-common",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "tantivy-tokenizer-api"
-version = "0.5.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "dfa942fcee81e213e09715bbce8734ae2180070b97b33839a795ba1de201547d"
-dependencies = [
- "serde",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "tap"
 version = "1.0.1"
@@ -8087,7 +7817,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "fastrand",
 "getrandom 0.4.2",
 "once_cell",
- "rustix 1.1.4",
+ "rustix",
 "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]

@@ -8539,6 +8269,15 @@ version = "1.0.24"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "e6e4313cd5fcd3dad5cafa179702e2b244f760991f45397d14d4ebf38247da75"

+[[package]]
+name = "unicode-normalization"
+version = "0.1.25"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5fd4f6878c9cb28d874b009da9e8d183b5abc80117c40bbd187a1fde336be6e8"
+dependencies = [
+ "tinyvec",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "unicode-normalization-alignments"
 version = "0.1.12"
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,20 +15,20 @@ categories = ["database-implementations"]
 rust-version = "1.91.0"

 [workspace.dependencies]
-lance = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", default-features = false, "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-core = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-datagen = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-file = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-io = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", default-features = false, "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-index = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-linalg = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-namespace = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-namespace-impls = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", default-features = false, "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-table = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-testing = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-datafusion = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-encoding = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-arrow = { "version" = "=5.0.0-beta.4", "tag" = "v5.0.0-beta.4", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", default-features = false, "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-core = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-datagen = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-file = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-io = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", default-features = false, "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-index = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-linalg = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-namespace = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-namespace-impls = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", default-features = false, "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-table = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-testing = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-datafusion = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-encoding = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-arrow = { "version" = "=6.0.0-beta.1", "tag" = "v6.0.0-beta.1", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
 ahash = "0.8"
 # Note that this one does not include pyarrow
 arrow = { version = "57.2", optional = false }
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@

 # **The Multimodal AI Lakehouse**

-[**How to Install** ](#how-to-install) ✦ [**Detailed Documentation**](https://lancedb.com/docs) ✦ [**Tutorials and Recipes**](https://github.com/lancedb/vectordb-recipes/tree/main) ✦  [**Contributors**](#contributors) 
+[**How to Install** ](#how-to-install) ✦ [**Detailed Documentation**](https://docs.lancedb.com) ✦ [**Tutorials and Recipes**](https://github.com/lancedb/vectordb-recipes/tree/main) ✦  [**Contributors**](#contributors) 

 **The ultimate multimodal data platform for AI/ML applications.** 

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ LanceDB is a central location where developers can build, train and analyze thei

 ## **How to Install**:

-Follow the [Quickstart](https://lancedb.com/docs/quickstart/) doc to set up LanceDB locally. 
+Follow the [Quickstart](https://docs.lancedb.com/quickstart) doc to set up LanceDB locally. 

 **API & SDK:** We also support Python, Typescript and Rust SDKs

--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # LanceDB Documentation

-LanceDB docs are available at [lancedb.com/docs](https://lancedb.com/docs).
+LanceDB docs are available at [docs.lancedb.com](https://docs.lancedb.com).

 The SDK docs are built and deployed automatically by [Github Actions](../.github/workflows/docs.yml)
 whenever a commit is pushed to the `main` branch. So it is possible for the docs to show
--- a/docs/src/java/java.md
+++ b/docs/src/java/java.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Add the following dependency to your `pom.xml`:
 <dependency>
    <groupId>com.lancedb</groupId>
    <artifactId>lancedb-core</artifactId>
-    <version>0.28.0-beta.0</version>
+    <version>0.28.0-beta.7</version>
 </dependency>
 ```

--- a/docs/src/js/README.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const results = await table.vectorSearch([0.1, 0.3]).limit(20).toArray();
 console.log(results);
 ```

-The [quickstart](https://lancedb.com/docs/quickstart/basic-usage/) contains more complete examples.
+The [quickstart](https://docs.lancedb.com/quickstart/) contains more complete examples.

 ## Development

--- a/docs/src/js/interfaces/ClientConfig.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/interfaces/ClientConfig.md
@@ -53,3 +53,18 @@ optional tlsConfig: TlsConfig;
 ```ts
 optional userAgent: string;
 ```
+
+***
+
+### userId?
+
+```ts
+optional userId: string;
+```
+
+User identifier for tracking purposes.
+
+This is sent as the `x-lancedb-user-id` header in requests to LanceDB Cloud/Enterprise.
+It can be set directly, or via the `LANCEDB_USER_ID` environment variable.
+Alternatively, set `LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY` to specify another environment
+variable that contains the user ID value.
--- a/docs/src/js/interfaces/ConnectionOptions.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/interfaces/ConnectionOptions.md
@@ -89,4 +89,4 @@ optional storageOptions: Record<string, string>;

 (For LanceDB OSS only): configuration for object storage.

-The available options are described at https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/
+The available options are described at https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/
--- a/docs/src/js/interfaces/CreateTableOptions.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/interfaces/CreateTableOptions.md
@@ -97,4 +97,4 @@ Configuration for object storage.
 Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
 but can be overridden here.

-The available options are described at https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/
+The available options are described at https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/
--- a/docs/src/js/interfaces/OpenTableOptions.md
+++ b/docs/src/js/interfaces/OpenTableOptions.md
@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ Configuration for object storage.
 Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
 but can be overridden here.

-The available options are described at https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/
+The available options are described at https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/
--- a/java/lancedb-core/pom.xml
+++ b/java/lancedb-core/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
    <parent>
      <groupId>com.lancedb</groupId>
      <artifactId>lancedb-parent</artifactId>
-      <version>0.28.0-beta.0</version>
+      <version>0.28.0-beta.7</version>
      <relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>
    </parent>

--- a/java/pom.xml
+++ b/java/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@

    <groupId>com.lancedb</groupId>
    <artifactId>lancedb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.28.0-beta.0</version>
+    <version>0.28.0-beta.7</version>
    <packaging>pom</packaging>
    <name>${project.artifactId}</name>
    <description>LanceDB Java SDK Parent POM</description>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
    <properties>
        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
        <arrow.version>15.0.0</arrow.version>
-        <lance-core.version>5.0.0-beta.4</lance-core.version>
+        <lance-core.version>6.0.0-beta.1</lance-core.version>
        <spotless.skip>false</spotless.skip>
        <spotless.version>2.30.0</spotless.version>
        <spotless.java.googlejavaformat.version>1.7</spotless.java.googlejavaformat.version>
--- a/nodejs/Cargo.toml
+++ b/nodejs/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 name = "lancedb-nodejs"
 edition.workspace = true
-version = "0.28.0-beta.0"
+version = "0.28.0-beta.7"
 license.workspace = true
 description.workspace = true
 repository.workspace = true
--- a/nodejs/README.md
+++ b/nodejs/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ const results = await table.vectorSearch([0.1, 0.3]).limit(20).toArray();
 console.log(results);
 ```

-The [quickstart](https://lancedb.com/docs/quickstart/basic-usage/) contains more complete examples.
+The [quickstart](https://docs.lancedb.com/quickstart/) contains more complete examples.

 ## Development

--- a/nodejs/lancedb/connection.ts
+++ b/nodejs/lancedb/connection.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export interface CreateTableOptions {
   * Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
   * but can be overridden here.
   *
-   * The available options are described at https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/
+   * The available options are described at https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/
   */
  storageOptions?: Record<string, string>;

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export interface OpenTableOptions {
   * Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
   * but can be overridden here.
   *
-   * The available options are described at https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/
+   * The available options are described at https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/
   */
  storageOptions?: Record<string, string>;
  /**
--- a/nodejs/npm/darwin-arm64/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/darwin-arm64/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-darwin-arm64",
-	"version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+	"version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
 	"os": ["darwin"],
 	"cpu": ["arm64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.darwin-arm64.node",
--- a/nodejs/npm/linux-arm64-gnu/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/linux-arm64-gnu/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-arm64-gnu",
-	"version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+	"version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["arm64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-arm64-gnu.node",
--- a/nodejs/npm/linux-arm64-musl/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/linux-arm64-musl/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-arm64-musl",
-	"version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+	"version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["arm64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-arm64-musl.node",
--- a/nodejs/npm/linux-x64-gnu/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/linux-x64-gnu/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-x64-gnu",
-	"version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+	"version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["x64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-x64-gnu.node",
--- a/nodejs/npm/linux-x64-musl/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/linux-x64-musl/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-x64-musl",
-	"version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+	"version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["x64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-x64-musl.node",
--- a/nodejs/npm/win32-arm64-msvc/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/win32-arm64-msvc/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@lancedb/lancedb-win32-arm64-msvc",
-  "version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+  "version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
  "os": [
    "win32"
  ],
--- a/nodejs/npm/win32-x64-msvc/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/npm/win32-x64-msvc/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-win32-x64-msvc",
-	"version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+	"version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
 	"os": ["win32"],
 	"cpu": ["x64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.win32-x64-msvc.node",
--- a/nodejs/package-lock.json
+++ b/nodejs/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
  "name": "@lancedb/lancedb",
-  "version": "0.27.2",
+  "version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
  "lockfileVersion": 3,
  "requires": true,
  "packages": {
    "": {
      "name": "@lancedb/lancedb",
-      "version": "0.27.2",
+      "version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
      "cpu": [
        "x64",
        "arm64"
--- a/nodejs/package.json
+++ b/nodejs/package.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
    "ann"
  ],
  "private": false,
-  "version": "0.28.0-beta.0",
+  "version": "0.28.0-beta.7",
  "main": "dist/index.js",
  "exports": {
    ".": "./dist/index.js",
--- a/nodejs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/nodejs/src/lib.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub struct ConnectionOptions {
    pub read_consistency_interval: Option<f64>,
    /// (For LanceDB OSS only): configuration for object storage.
    ///
-    /// The available options are described at https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/
+    /// The available options are described at https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/
    pub storage_options: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
    /// (For LanceDB OSS only): the session to use for this connection. Holds
    /// shared caches and other session-specific state.
--- a/nodejs/src/remote.rs
+++ b/nodejs/src/remote.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,13 @@ pub struct ClientConfig {
    pub extra_headers: Option<HashMap<String, String>>,
    pub id_delimiter: Option<String>,
    pub tls_config: Option<TlsConfig>,
+    /// User identifier for tracking purposes.
+    ///
+    /// This is sent as the `x-lancedb-user-id` header in requests to LanceDB Cloud/Enterprise.
+    /// It can be set directly, or via the `LANCEDB_USER_ID` environment variable.
+    /// Alternatively, set `LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY` to specify another environment
+    /// variable that contains the user ID value.
+    pub user_id: Option<String>,
 }

 impl From<TimeoutConfig> for lancedb::remote::TimeoutConfig {
@@ -145,6 +152,7 @@ impl From<ClientConfig> for lancedb::remote::ClientConfig {
            id_delimiter: config.id_delimiter,
            tls_config: config.tls_config.map(Into::into),
            header_provider: None, // the header provider is set separately later
+            user_id: config.user_id,
        }
    }
 }
--- a/python/.bumpversion.toml
+++ b/python/.bumpversion.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tool.bumpversion]
-current_version = "0.31.0-beta.0"
+current_version = "0.31.0-beta.8"
 parse = """(?x)
    (?P<major>0|[1-9]\\d*)\\.
    (?P<minor>0|[1-9]\\d*)\\.
--- a/python/Cargo.toml
+++ b/python/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "lancedb-python"
-version = "0.31.0-beta.0"
+version = "0.31.0-beta.8"
 edition.workspace = true
 description = "Python bindings for LanceDB"
 license.workspace = true
--- a/python/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/pyproject.toml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ repository = "https://github.com/lancedb/lancedb"

 [project.optional-dependencies]
 pylance = [
-    "pylance>=5.0.0b3",
+    "pylance>=5.0.0b5",
 ]
 tests = [
    "aiohttp>=3.9.0",
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ tests = [
    "polars>=0.19, <=1.3.0",
    "tantivy>=0.20.0",
    "pyarrow-stubs>=16.0",
-    "pylance>=5.0.0b3",
+    "pylance>=5.0.0b5",
    "requests>=2.31.0",
    "datafusion>=52,<53",
 ]
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ embeddings = [
    "colpali-engine>=0.3.10",
    "huggingface_hub>=0.19.0",
    "InstructorEmbedding>=1.0.1",
-    "google.generativeai>=0.3.0",
+    "google-genai>=1.0.0",
    "boto3>=1.28.57",
    "awscli>=1.44.38",
    "botocore>=1.31.57",
--- a/python/python/lancedb/init.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/init.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def connect(
        default configuration is used.
    storage_options: dict, optional
        Additional options for the storage backend. See available options at
-        <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+        <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    session: Session, optional
        (For LanceDB OSS only)
        A session to use for this connection. Sessions allow you to configure
@@ -215,6 +215,85 @@ def connect(
    )


+WORKER_PROPERTY_PREFIX = "_lancedb_worker_"
+
+
+def _apply_worker_overrides(props: dict[str, str]) -> dict[str, str]:
+    """Apply worker property overrides.
+
+    Any key starting with ``_lancedb_worker_`` is extracted, the prefix
+    is stripped, and the resulting key-value pair is put back into the
+    map (overriding the existing value if present).  The original
+    prefixed key is removed.
+    """
+    worker_keys = [k for k in props if k.startswith(WORKER_PROPERTY_PREFIX)]
+    if not worker_keys:
+        return props
+    result = dict(props)
+    for key in worker_keys:
+        value = result.pop(key)
+        real_key = key[len(WORKER_PROPERTY_PREFIX) :]
+        result[real_key] = value
+    return result
+
+
+def deserialize_conn(
+    data: str,
+    *,
+    for_worker: bool = False,
+) -> DBConnection:
+    """Reconstruct a DBConnection from a serialized string.
+
+    The string must have been produced by
+    :meth:`DBConnection.serialize`.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    data : str
+        String produced by ``serialize()``.
+    for_worker : bool, default False
+        When ``True``, any namespace client property whose key starts
+        with ``_lancedb_worker_`` has that prefix stripped and the
+        value overrides the corresponding property.  For example,
+        ``_lancedb_worker_uri`` replaces ``uri``.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    DBConnection
+        A new connection matching the serialized state.
+    """
+    import json
+
+    parsed = json.loads(data)
+    connection_type = parsed.get("connection_type")
+
+    rci_secs = parsed.get("read_consistency_interval_seconds")
+    rci = timedelta(seconds=rci_secs) if rci_secs is not None else None
+    storage_options = parsed.get("storage_options")
+
+    if connection_type == "namespace":
+        props = dict(parsed.get("namespace_client_properties") or {})
+        if for_worker:
+            props = _apply_worker_overrides(props)
+        return connect_namespace(
+            namespace_client_impl=parsed["namespace_client_impl"],
+            namespace_client_properties=props,
+            read_consistency_interval=rci,
+            storage_options=storage_options,
+            namespace_client_pushdown_operations=parsed.get(
+                "namespace_client_pushdown_operations"
+            ),
+        )
+    elif connection_type == "local":
+        return LanceDBConnection(
+            parsed["uri"],
+            read_consistency_interval=rci,
+            storage_options=storage_options,
+        )
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f"Unknown connection_type: {connection_type}")
+
+
 async def connect_async(
    uri: URI,
    *,
@@ -257,7 +336,7 @@ async def connect_async(
        default configuration is used.
    storage_options: dict, optional
        Additional options for the storage backend. See available options at
-        <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+        <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    session: Session, optional
        (For LanceDB OSS only)
        A session to use for this connection. Sessions allow you to configure
--- a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
@@ -151,6 +151,9 @@ class Connection(object):
    async def drop_all_tables(
        self, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None
    ) -> None: ...
+    async def namespace_client_config(
+        self,
+    ) -> Dict[str, Any]: ...

 class Table:
    def name(self) -> str: ...
--- a/python/python/lancedb/common.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/common.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def data_to_reader(
            f"Unknown data type {type(data)}. "
            "Supported types: list of dicts, pandas DataFrame, polars DataFrame, "
            "pyarrow Table/RecordBatch, or Pydantic models. "
-            "See https://lancedb.com/docs/tables/ for examples."
+            "See https://docs.lancedb.com/tables/ for examples."
        )


--- a/python/python/lancedb/db.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/db.py
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@ from lancedb.embeddings.registry import EmbeddingFunctionRegistry
 from lancedb.common import data_to_reader, sanitize_uri, validate_schema
 from lancedb.background_loop import LOOP
 from lance_namespace import (
+    LanceNamespace,
    ListNamespacesResponse,
    CreateNamespaceResponse,
    DropNamespaceResponse,
    DescribeNamespaceResponse,
    ListTablesResponse,
+    connect as namespace_connect,
 )

 from . import __version__
@@ -280,7 +282,7 @@ class DBConnection(EnforceOverrides):
            Additional options for the storage backend. Options already set on the
            connection will be inherited by the table, but can be overridden here.
            See available options at
-            <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+            <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>

            To enable stable row IDs (row IDs remain stable after compaction,
            update, delete, and merges), set `new_table_enable_stable_row_ids`
@@ -431,7 +433,7 @@ class DBConnection(EnforceOverrides):
            Additional options for the storage backend. Options already set on the
            connection will be inherited by the table, but can be overridden here.
            See available options at
-            <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+            <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>

        Returns
        -------
@@ -507,6 +509,39 @@ class DBConnection(EnforceOverrides):
    def uri(self) -> str:
        return self._uri

+    def namespace_client(self) -> LanceNamespace:
+        """Get the equivalent namespace client for this connection.
+
+        For native storage connections, this returns a DirectoryNamespace
+        pointing to the same root with the same storage options.
+
+        For namespace connections, this returns the backing namespace client.
+
+        For enterprise (remote) connections, this returns a RestNamespace
+        with the same URI and authentication headers.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        LanceNamespace
+            The namespace client for this connection.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            "namespace_client is not supported for this connection type"
+        )
+
+    def serialize(self) -> str:
+        """Serialize this connection for reconstruction.
+
+        The returned string can be passed to :func:`lancedb.deserialize_conn`
+        to recreate an equivalent connection, e.g. in a remote worker.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        str
+            Serialized representation of this connection.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError("serialize is not supported for this connection type")
+

 class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
    """
@@ -559,6 +594,7 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
    ):
        if _inner is not None:
            self._conn = _inner
+            self._cached_namespace_client = None
            return

        if not isinstance(uri, Path):
@@ -606,6 +642,7 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        # beyond _conn.
        self.storage_options = storage_options
        self._conn = AsyncConnection(LOOP.run(do_connect()))
+        self._cached_namespace_client: Optional[LanceNamespace] = None

    @property
    def read_consistency_interval(self) -> Optional[timedelta]:
@@ -630,6 +667,22 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        val += ")"
        return val

+    @override
+    def serialize(self) -> str:
+        import json
+
+        rci = self.read_consistency_interval
+        return json.dumps(
+            {
+                "connection_type": "local",
+                "uri": self.uri,
+                "storage_options": self.storage_options,
+                "read_consistency_interval_seconds": (
+                    rci.total_seconds() if rci else None
+                ),
+            }
+        )
+
    async def _async_get_table_names(self, start_after: Optional[str], limit: int):
        conn = AsyncConnection(await lancedb_connect(self.uri))
        return await conn.table_names(start_after=start_after, limit=limit)
@@ -665,10 +718,10 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        """
        if namespace_path is None:
            namespace_path = []
-        return LOOP.run(
-            self._conn.list_namespaces(
-                namespace_path=namespace_path, page_token=page_token, limit=limit
-            )
+        return self._namespace_conn().list_namespaces(
+            namespace_path=namespace_path,
+            page_token=page_token,
+            limit=limit,
        )

    @override
@@ -678,27 +731,10 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        mode: Optional[str] = None,
        properties: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
    ) -> CreateNamespaceResponse:
-        """Create a new namespace.
-
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        namespace_path: List[str]
-            The namespace identifier to create.
-        mode: str, optional
-            Creation mode - "create" (fail if exists), "exist_ok" (skip if exists),
-            or "overwrite" (replace if exists). Case insensitive.
-        properties: Dict[str, str], optional
-            Properties to set on the namespace.
-
-        Returns
-        -------
-        CreateNamespaceResponse
-            Response containing the properties of the created namespace.
-        """
-        return LOOP.run(
-            self._conn.create_namespace(
-                namespace_path=namespace_path, mode=mode, properties=properties
-            )
+        return self._namespace_conn().create_namespace(
+            namespace_path=namespace_path,
+            mode=mode,
+            properties=properties,
        )

    @override
@@ -708,46 +744,19 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        mode: Optional[str] = None,
        behavior: Optional[str] = None,
    ) -> DropNamespaceResponse:
-        """Drop a namespace.
-
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        namespace_path: List[str]
-            The namespace identifier to drop.
-        mode: str, optional
-            Whether to skip if not exists ("SKIP") or fail ("FAIL"). Case insensitive.
-        behavior: str, optional
-            Whether to restrict drop if not empty ("RESTRICT") or cascade ("CASCADE").
-            Case insensitive.
-
-        Returns
-        -------
-        DropNamespaceResponse
-            Response containing properties and transaction_id if applicable.
-        """
-        return LOOP.run(
-            self._conn.drop_namespace(
-                namespace_path=namespace_path, mode=mode, behavior=behavior
-            )
+        return self._namespace_conn().drop_namespace(
+            namespace_path=namespace_path,
+            mode=mode,
+            behavior=behavior,
        )

    @override
    def describe_namespace(
        self, namespace_path: List[str]
    ) -> DescribeNamespaceResponse:
-        """Describe a namespace.
-
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        namespace_path: List[str]
-            The namespace identifier to describe.
-
-        Returns
-        -------
-        DescribeNamespaceResponse
-            Response containing the namespace properties.
-        """
-        return LOOP.run(self._conn.describe_namespace(namespace_path=namespace_path))
+        return self._namespace_conn().describe_namespace(
+            namespace_path=namespace_path,
+        )

    @override
    def list_tables(
@@ -776,6 +785,12 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        """
        if namespace_path is None:
            namespace_path = []
+        if namespace_path:
+            return self._namespace_conn().list_tables(
+                namespace_path=namespace_path,
+                page_token=page_token,
+                limit=limit,
+            )
        return LOOP.run(
            self._conn.list_tables(
                namespace_path=namespace_path, page_token=page_token, limit=limit
@@ -864,6 +879,22 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
            raise ValueError("mode must be either 'create' or 'overwrite'")
        validate_table_name(name)

+        if namespace_path:
+            return self._namespace_conn().create_table(
+                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,
+                data_storage_version=data_storage_version,
+                enable_v2_manifest_paths=enable_v2_manifest_paths,
+            )
+
        tbl = LanceTable.create(
            self,
            name,
@@ -879,6 +910,19 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        )
        return tbl

+    def _namespace_conn(self) -> DBConnection:
+        """Return a LanceNamespaceDBConnection backed by this connection's
+        directory namespace.  Used to delegate child-namespace operations."""
+        from lancedb.namespace import LanceNamespaceDBConnection
+
+        return LanceNamespaceDBConnection(
+            self.namespace_client(),
+            read_consistency_interval=self.read_consistency_interval,
+            storage_options=self.storage_options,
+            namespace_client_impl=None,
+            namespace_client_properties=None,
+        )
+
    @override
    def open_table(
        self,
@@ -895,7 +939,8 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        name: str
            The name of the table.
        namespace_path: List[str], optional
-            The namespace to open the table from.
+            The namespace to open the table from.  When non-empty, the
+            table is resolved through the directory namespace client.

        Returns
        -------
@@ -914,6 +959,14 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
                stacklevel=2,
            )

+        if namespace_path:
+            return self._namespace_conn().open_table(
+                name,
+                namespace_path=namespace_path,
+                storage_options=storage_options,
+                index_cache_size=index_cache_size,
+            )
+
        return LanceTable.open(
            self,
            name,
@@ -998,6 +1051,9 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        """
        if namespace_path is None:
            namespace_path = []
+        if namespace_path:
+            self._namespace_conn().drop_table(name, namespace_path=namespace_path)
+            return
        LOOP.run(
            self._conn.drop_table(
                name, namespace_path=namespace_path, ignore_missing=ignore_missing
@@ -1044,6 +1100,23 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
            )
        )

+    @override
+    def namespace_client(self) -> LanceNamespace:
+        """Get the equivalent namespace client for this connection.
+
+        Returns a DirectoryNamespace pointing to the same root with the
+        same storage options.  The result is cached for the lifetime of
+        this connection.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        LanceNamespace
+            The namespace client for this connection.
+        """
+        if self._cached_namespace_client is None:
+            self._cached_namespace_client = LOOP.run(self._conn.namespace_client())
+        return self._cached_namespace_client
+
    @deprecation.deprecated(
        deprecated_in="0.15.1",
        removed_in="0.17",
@@ -1317,6 +1390,7 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
        namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None,
        embedding_functions: Optional[List[EmbeddingFunctionConfig]] = None,
        location: Optional[str] = None,
+        namespace_client: Optional[Any] = None,
    ) -> AsyncTable:
        """Create an [AsyncTable][lancedb.table.AsyncTable] in the database.

@@ -1361,7 +1435,7 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
            Additional options for the storage backend. Options already set on the
            connection will be inherited by the table, but can be overridden here.
            See available options at
-            <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+            <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>

            To enable stable row IDs (row IDs remain stable after compaction,
            update, delete, and merges), set `new_table_enable_stable_row_ids`
@@ -1514,6 +1588,7 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
                namespace_path=namespace_path,
                storage_options=storage_options,
                location=location,
+                namespace_client=namespace_client,
            )
        else:
            data = data_to_reader(data, schema)
@@ -1524,6 +1599,7 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
                namespace_path=namespace_path,
                storage_options=storage_options,
                location=location,
+                namespace_client=namespace_client,
            )

        return AsyncTable(new_table)
@@ -1552,7 +1628,7 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
            Additional options for the storage backend. Options already set on the
            connection will be inherited by the table, but can be overridden here.
            See available options at
-            <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+            <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
        index_cache_size: int, default 256
            **Deprecated**: Use session-level cache configuration instead.
            Create a Session with custom cache sizes and pass it to lancedb.connect().
@@ -1716,6 +1792,25 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
            namespace_path = []
        await self._inner.drop_all_tables(namespace_path=namespace_path)

+    async def namespace_client(self) -> LanceNamespace:
+        """Get the equivalent namespace client for this connection.
+
+        For native storage connections, this returns a DirectoryNamespace
+        pointing to the same root with the same storage options.
+
+        For namespace connections, this returns the backing namespace client.
+
+        For enterprise (remote) connections, this returns a RestNamespace
+        with the same URI and authentication headers.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        LanceNamespace
+            The namespace client for this connection.
+        """
+        config = await self._inner.namespace_client_config()
+        return namespace_connect(config["impl"], config["properties"])
+
    @deprecation.deprecated(
        deprecated_in="0.15.1",
        removed_in="0.17",
--- a/python/python/lancedb/embeddings/gemini_text.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/embeddings/gemini_text.py
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ from .utils import TEXT, api_key_not_found_help
@register("gemini-text")
 class GeminiText(TextEmbeddingFunction):
    """
-    An embedding function that uses the Google's Gemini API. Requires GOOGLE_API_KEY to
+    An embedding function that uses Google's Gemini API. Requires GOOGLE_API_KEY to
    be set.

-    https://ai.google.dev/docs/embeddings_guide
+    https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/embeddings

    Supports various tasks types:
    | Task Type               | Description                                            |
@@ -46,9 +46,12 @@ class GeminiText(TextEmbeddingFunction):

    Parameters
    ----------
-    name: str, default "models/embedding-001"
-        The name of the model to use. See the Gemini documentation for a list of
-        available models.
+    name: str, default "gemini-embedding-001"
+        The name of the model to use. Supported models include:
+        - "gemini-embedding-001" (768 dimensions)
+
+        Note: The legacy "models/embedding-001" format is also supported but
+        "gemini-embedding-001" is recommended.

    query_task_type: str, default "retrieval_query"
        Sets the task type for the queries.
@@ -77,7 +80,7 @@ class GeminiText(TextEmbeddingFunction):

    """

-    name: str = "models/embedding-001"
+    name: str = "gemini-embedding-001"
    query_task_type: str = "retrieval_query"
    source_task_type: str = "retrieval_document"

@@ -114,23 +117,48 @@ class GeminiText(TextEmbeddingFunction):
        texts: list[str] or np.ndarray (of str)
            The texts to embed
        """
-        if (
-            kwargs.get("task_type") == "retrieval_document"
-        ):  # Provide a title to use existing API design
-            title = "Embedding of a document"
-            kwargs["title"] = title
+        from google.genai import types

-        return [
-            self.client.embed_content(model=self.name, content=text, **kwargs)[
-                "embedding"
-            ]
-            for text in texts
-        ]
+        task_type = kwargs.get("task_type")
+
+        # Build content objects for embed_content
+        contents = []
+        for text in texts:
+            if task_type == "retrieval_document":
+                # Provide a title for retrieval_document task
+                contents.append(
+                    {"parts": [{"text": "Embedding of a document"}, {"text": text}]}
+                )
+            else:
+                contents.append({"parts": [{"text": text}]})
+
+        # Build config
+        config_kwargs = {}
+        if task_type:
+            config_kwargs["task_type"] = task_type.upper()  # API expects uppercase
+
+        # Call embed_content for each content
+        embeddings = []
+        for content in contents:
+            config = (
+                types.EmbedContentConfig(**config_kwargs) if config_kwargs else None
+            )
+            response = self.client.models.embed_content(
+                model=self.name,
+                contents=content,
+                config=config,
+            )
+            embeddings.append(response.embeddings[0].values)
+
+        return embeddings

    @cached_property
    def client(self):
-        genai = attempt_import_or_raise("google.generativeai", "google.generativeai")
+        attempt_import_or_raise("google.genai", "google-genai")

        if not os.environ.get("GOOGLE_API_KEY"):
            api_key_not_found_help("google")
-        return genai
+
+        from google import genai as genai_module
+
+        return genai_module.Client(api_key=os.environ.get("GOOGLE_API_KEY"))
--- a/python/python/lancedb/namespace.py
+++ b/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],
@@ -381,6 +379,8 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
        storage_options: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
        session: Optional[Session] = None,
        namespace_client_pushdown_operations: Optional[List[str]] = None,
+        namespace_client_impl: Optional[str] = None,
+        namespace_client_properties: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
    ):
        """
        Initialize a namespace-based LanceDB connection.
@@ -406,12 +406,60 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
              namespace.create_table() instead of using declare_table + local write.

            Default is None (no pushdown, all operations run locally).
+        namespace_client_impl : Optional[str]
+            The namespace implementation name used to create this connection.
+            Stored for serialization purposes.
+        namespace_client_properties : Optional[Dict[str, str]]
+            The namespace properties used to create this connection.
+            Stored for serialization purposes.
        """
        self._namespace_client = namespace_client
        self.read_consistency_interval = read_consistency_interval
        self.storage_options = storage_options or {}
        self.session = session
-        self._pushdown_operations = set(namespace_client_pushdown_operations or [])
+        self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations = set(
+            namespace_client_pushdown_operations or []
+        )
+        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:
+        import json
+
+        return json.dumps(
+            {
+                "connection_type": "namespace",
+                "namespace_client_impl": self._namespace_client_impl,
+                "namespace_client_properties": self._namespace_client_properties,
+                "namespace_client_pushdown_operations": sorted(
+                    self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations
+                ),
+                "storage_options": self.storage_options or None,
+                "read_consistency_interval_seconds": (
+                    self.read_consistency_interval.total_seconds()
+                    if self.read_consistency_interval
+                    else None
+                ),
+            }
+        )

    @override
    def table_names(
@@ -464,13 +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)
-
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-
-        if "CreateTable" in self._pushdown_operations:
-            return self._create_table_server_side(
-                name=name,
-                data=data,
+        async_table = LOOP.run(
+            self._inner.create_table(
+                name,
+                data,
                schema=schema,
                mode=mode,
                exist_ok=exist_ok,
@@ -480,127 +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
-        tbl = LanceTable.create(
-            temp_conn,
+        return LanceTable(
+            self,
            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._pushdown_operations,
-        )
-
-        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,
-        )
-
-        request = CreateTableRequest(
-            id=table_id,
-            mode=_normalize_create_table_mode(mode),
-            properties=self.storage_options if self.storage_options else 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,
+            pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+            _async=async_table,
        )

    @override
@@ -614,30 +547,28 @@ class LanceNamespaceDBConnection(DBConnection):
    ) -> Table:
        if namespace_path is None:
            namespace_path = []
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-        request = DescribeTableRequest(id=table_id)
-        response = self._namespace_client.describe_table(request)
+        try:
+            async_table = LOOP.run(
+                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
-        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)
-
-        # 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(
+        return LanceTable(
+            self,
            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
@@ -861,35 +792,50 @@ 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
-        # Note: storage_options should already be merged by the caller
-        # Note: storage_options_provider is auto-created in Rust from namespace_client
+        # Open a table directly from the namespace-resolved physical location.
+        #
+        # 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
-            read_consistency_interval=self.read_consistency_interval,
-            storage_options=storage_options if storage_options is not None else {},
-            session=self.session,
+
+        async_table = LOOP.run(
+            self._inner.open_table(
+                name,
+                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
-        # Pass namespace_client to enable managed versioning support and auto-create
-        # 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,
+        return LanceTable(
+            self,
            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._pushdown_operations,
+            pushdown_operations=self._namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+            _async=async_table,
        )

+    @override
+    def namespace_client(self) -> LanceNamespace:
+        """Get the namespace client for this connection.
+
+        For namespace connections, this returns the backing namespace client
+        that was provided during construction.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        LanceNamespace
+            The namespace client for this connection.
+        """
+        return self._namespace_client
+

 class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
    """
@@ -937,7 +883,26 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
        self.read_consistency_interval = read_consistency_interval
        self.storage_options = storage_options or {}
        self.session = session
-        self._pushdown_operations = set(namespace_client_pushdown_operations or [])
+        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,
@@ -989,145 +954,16 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
        if mode.lower() not in ["create", "overwrite"]:
            raise ValueError("mode must be either 'create' or 'overwrite'")
        validate_table_name(name)
-
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-
-        if "CreateTable" in self._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._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,
-            )
-
-            request = CreateTableRequest(
-                id=table_id,
-                mode=_normalize_create_table_mode(mode),
-                properties=self.storage_options if self.storage_options else 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(
+        return await self._inner.create_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,
        )

@@ -1142,45 +978,18 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
        """Open an existing table from the namespace."""
        if namespace_path is None:
            namespace_path = []
-        table_id = namespace_path + [name]
-        request = DescribeTableRequest(id=table_id)
-        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,
+        try:
+            return await self._inner.open_table(
                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._pushdown_operations,
            )
-
-        lance_table = await asyncio.to_thread(_open_table)
-        return lance_table._table
+        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

    async def drop_table(self, name: str, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None):
        """Drop a table from the namespace."""
@@ -1387,6 +1196,19 @@ class AsyncLanceNamespaceDBConnection:
            page_token=response.page_token,
        )

+    async def namespace_client(self) -> LanceNamespace:
+        """Get the namespace client for this connection.
+
+        For namespace connections, this returns the backing namespace client
+        that was provided during construction.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        LanceNamespace
+            The namespace client for this connection.
+        """
+        return self._namespace_client
+

 def connect_namespace(
    namespace_client_impl: str,
@@ -1445,6 +1267,8 @@ def connect_namespace(
        storage_options=storage_options,
        session=session,
        namespace_client_pushdown_operations=namespace_client_pushdown_operations,
+        namespace_client_impl=namespace_client_impl,
+        namespace_client_properties=namespace_client_properties,
    )


--- a/python/python/lancedb/permutation.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/permutation.py
@@ -284,9 +284,8 @@ class Permutations:
        self.permutation_table = permutation_table

        if permutation_table.schema.metadata is not None:
-            split_names = permutation_table.schema.metadata.get(
-                b"split_names", None
-            ).decode("utf-8")
+            raw = permutation_table.schema.metadata.get(b"split_names")
+            split_names = raw.decode("utf-8") if raw is not None else None
            if split_names is not None:
                self.split_names = json.loads(split_names)
                self.split_dict = {
@@ -460,9 +459,8 @@ class Permutation:
                        f"Cannot create a permutation on split `{split}`"
                        " because no split names are defined in the permutation table"
                    )
-                split_names = permutation_table.schema.metadata.get(
-                    b"split_names", None
-                ).decode("utf-8")
+                raw = permutation_table.schema.metadata.get(b"split_names")
+                split_names = raw.decode("utf-8") if raw is not None else None
                if split_names is None:
                    raise ValueError(
                        f"Cannot create a permutation on split `{split}`"
--- a/python/python/lancedb/pydantic.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/pydantic.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import sys
 import types
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from datetime import date, datetime
+from enum import Enum
 from typing import (
    TYPE_CHECKING,
    Any,
@@ -314,6 +315,19 @@ def _pydantic_type_to_arrow_type(tp: Any, field: FieldInfo) -> pa.DataType:
                return pa.list_(pa.list_(tp.value_arrow_type(), tp.dim()))
            # For regular Vector
            return pa.list_(tp.value_arrow_type(), tp.dim())
+        if _safe_issubclass(tp, Enum):
+            # Map Enum to the Arrow type of its value.
+            # For string-valued enums, use dictionary encoding for efficiency.
+            # For integer enums, use the native type.
+            # Fall back to utf8 for mixed-type or empty enums.
+            value_types = {type(m.value) for m in tp}
+            if len(value_types) == 1:
+                value_type = value_types.pop()
+                if value_type is str:
+                    # Use dictionary encoding for string enums
+                    return pa.dictionary(pa.int32(), pa.utf8())
+                return _py_type_to_arrow_type(value_type, field)
+            return pa.utf8()
    return _py_type_to_arrow_type(tp, field)


--- a/python/python/lancedb/remote/init.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/remote/init.py
@@ -145,6 +145,33 @@ class TlsConfig:

@dataclass
 class ClientConfig:
+    """Configuration for the LanceDB Cloud HTTP client.
+
+    Attributes
+    ----------
+    user_agent: str
+        User agent string sent with requests.
+    retry_config: RetryConfig
+        Configuration for retrying failed requests.
+    timeout_config: Optional[TimeoutConfig]
+        Configuration for request timeouts.
+    extra_headers: Optional[dict]
+        Additional headers to include in requests.
+    id_delimiter: Optional[str]
+        The delimiter to use when constructing object identifiers.
+    tls_config: Optional[TlsConfig]
+        TLS/mTLS configuration for secure connections.
+    header_provider: Optional[HeaderProvider]
+        Provider for dynamic headers to be added to each request.
+    user_id: Optional[str]
+        User identifier for tracking purposes. This is sent as the
+        `x-lancedb-user-id` header in requests to LanceDB Cloud/Enterprise.
+
+        This can also be set via the `LANCEDB_USER_ID` environment variable.
+        Alternatively, set `LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY` to specify another
+        environment variable that contains the user ID value.
+    """
+
    user_agent: str = f"LanceDB-Python-Client/{__version__}"
    retry_config: RetryConfig = field(default_factory=RetryConfig)
    timeout_config: Optional[TimeoutConfig] = field(default_factory=TimeoutConfig)
@@ -152,6 +179,7 @@ class ClientConfig:
    id_delimiter: Optional[str] = None
    tls_config: Optional[TlsConfig] = None
    header_provider: Optional["HeaderProvider"] = None
+    user_id: Optional[str] = None

    def __post_init__(self):
        if isinstance(self.retry_config, dict):
--- a/python/python/lancedb/remote/db.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/remote/db.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from ..common import DATA
 from ..db import DBConnection, LOOP
 from ..embeddings import EmbeddingFunctionConfig
 from lance_namespace import (
+    LanceNamespace,
    CreateNamespaceResponse,
    DescribeNamespaceResponse,
    DropNamespaceResponse,
@@ -570,6 +571,19 @@ class RemoteDBConnection(DBConnection):
            )
        )

+    @override
+    def namespace_client(self) -> LanceNamespace:
+        """Get the equivalent namespace client for this connection.
+
+        Returns a RestNamespace with the same URI and authentication headers.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        LanceNamespace
+            The namespace client for this connection.
+        """
+        return LOOP.run(self._conn.namespace_client())
+
    async def close(self):
        """Close the connection to the database."""
        self._conn.close()
--- a/python/python/lancedb/table.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/table.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def _into_pyarrow_reader(
            f"Unknown data type {type(data)}. "
            "Supported types: list of dicts, pandas DataFrame, polars DataFrame, "
            "pyarrow Table/RecordBatch, or Pydantic models. "
-            "See https://lancedb.com/docs/tables/ for examples."
+            "See https://docs.lancedb.com/tables/ for examples."
        )


@@ -270,15 +270,17 @@ def _sanitize_data(
        reader,
        on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
        fill_value=fill_value,
+        target_schema=target_schema,
+        metadata=metadata,
    )

    if target_schema is None:
        target_schema, reader = _infer_target_schema(reader)

    if metadata:
-        new_metadata = target_schema.metadata or {}
-        new_metadata.update(metadata)
-        target_schema = target_schema.with_metadata(new_metadata)
+        target_schema = target_schema.with_metadata(
+            _merge_metadata(target_schema.metadata, metadata)
+        )

    _validate_schema(target_schema)
    reader = _cast_to_target_schema(reader, target_schema, allow_subschema)
@@ -294,7 +296,7 @@ def _cast_to_target_schema(
    # pa.Table.cast expects field order not to be changed.
    # Lance doesn't care about field order, so we don't need to rearrange fields
    # to match the target schema. We just need to correctly cast the fields.
-    if reader.schema == target_schema:
+    if reader.schema.equals(target_schema, check_metadata=True):
        # Fast path when the schemas are already the same
        return reader

@@ -314,7 +316,13 @@ def _cast_to_target_schema(
    def gen():
        for batch in reader:
            # Table but not RecordBatch has cast.
-            yield pa.Table.from_batches([batch]).cast(reordered_schema).to_batches()[0]
+            cast_batches = (
+                pa.Table.from_batches([batch]).cast(reordered_schema).to_batches()
+            )
+            if cast_batches:
+                yield pa.RecordBatch.from_arrays(
+                    cast_batches[0].columns, schema=reordered_schema
+                )

    return pa.RecordBatchReader.from_batches(reordered_schema, gen())

@@ -332,37 +340,51 @@ def _align_field_types(
        if target_field is None:
            raise ValueError(f"Field '{field.name}' not found in target schema")
        if pa.types.is_struct(target_field.type):
-            new_type = pa.struct(
-                _align_field_types(
-                    field.type.fields,
-                    target_field.type.fields,
+            if pa.types.is_struct(field.type):
+                new_type = pa.struct(
+                    _align_field_types(
+                        field.type.fields,
+                        target_field.type.fields,
+                    )
                )
-            )
+            else:
+                new_type = target_field.type
        elif pa.types.is_list(target_field.type):
-            new_type = pa.list_(
-                _align_field_types(
-                    [field.type.value_field],
-                    [target_field.type.value_field],
-                )[0]
-            )
+            if _is_list_like(field.type):
+                new_type = pa.list_(
+                    _align_field_types(
+                        [field.type.value_field],
+                        [target_field.type.value_field],
+                    )[0]
+                )
+            else:
+                new_type = target_field.type
        elif pa.types.is_large_list(target_field.type):
-            new_type = pa.large_list(
-                _align_field_types(
-                    [field.type.value_field],
-                    [target_field.type.value_field],
-                )[0]
-            )
+            if _is_list_like(field.type):
+                new_type = pa.large_list(
+                    _align_field_types(
+                        [field.type.value_field],
+                        [target_field.type.value_field],
+                    )[0]
+                )
+            else:
+                new_type = target_field.type
        elif pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(target_field.type):
-            new_type = pa.list_(
-                _align_field_types(
-                    [field.type.value_field],
-                    [target_field.type.value_field],
-                )[0],
-                target_field.type.list_size,
-            )
+            if _is_list_like(field.type):
+                new_type = pa.list_(
+                    _align_field_types(
+                        [field.type.value_field],
+                        [target_field.type.value_field],
+                    )[0],
+                    target_field.type.list_size,
+                )
+            else:
+                new_type = target_field.type
        else:
            new_type = target_field.type
-        new_fields.append(pa.field(field.name, new_type, field.nullable))
+        new_fields.append(
+            pa.field(field.name, new_type, field.nullable, target_field.metadata)
+        )
    return new_fields


@@ -440,6 +462,7 @@ def sanitize_create_table(
            schema = data.schema

    if metadata:
+        metadata = _merge_metadata(schema.metadata, metadata)
        schema = schema.with_metadata(metadata)
        # Need to apply metadata to the data as well
        if isinstance(data, pa.Table):
@@ -492,9 +515,9 @@ def _append_vector_columns(
    vector columns to the table.
    """
    if schema is None:
-        metadata = metadata or {}
+        metadata = _merge_metadata(metadata)
    else:
-        metadata = schema.metadata or metadata or {}
+        metadata = _merge_metadata(schema.metadata, metadata)
    functions = EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance().parse_functions(metadata)

    if not functions:
@@ -2906,6 +2929,7 @@ class LanceTable(Table):
                namespace_path=namespace_path,
                storage_options=storage_options,
                location=location,
+                namespace_client=namespace_client,
            )
        )
        return self
@@ -3211,43 +3235,157 @@ def _handle_bad_vectors(
    reader: pa.RecordBatchReader,
    on_bad_vectors: Literal["error", "drop", "fill", "null"] = "error",
    fill_value: float = 0.0,
+    target_schema: Optional[pa.Schema] = None,
+    metadata: Optional[dict] = None,
 ) -> pa.RecordBatchReader:
-    vector_columns = []
+    vector_columns = _find_vector_columns(reader.schema, target_schema, metadata)
+    if not vector_columns:
+        return reader

-    for field in reader.schema:
-        # They can provide a 'vector' column that isn't yet a FSL
-        named_vector_col = (
-            (
-                pa.types.is_list(field.type)
-                or pa.types.is_large_list(field.type)
-                or pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type)
-            )
-            and pa.types.is_floating(field.type.value_type)
-            and field.name == VECTOR_COLUMN_NAME
-        )
-        # TODO: we're making an assumption that fixed size list of 10 or more
-        # is a vector column. This is definitely a bit hacky.
-        likely_vector_col = (
-            pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type)
-            and pa.types.is_floating(field.type.value_type)
-            and (field.type.list_size >= 10)
-        )
-
-        if named_vector_col or likely_vector_col:
-            vector_columns.append(field.name)
+    output_schema = _vector_output_schema(reader.schema, vector_columns)

    def gen():
        for batch in reader:
-            for name in vector_columns:
+            pending_dims = []
+            for vector_column in vector_columns:
+                dim = vector_column["expected_dim"]
+                if target_schema is not None and dim is None:
+                    dim = _infer_vector_dim(batch[vector_column["name"]])
+                    pending_dims.append(vector_column)
                batch = _handle_bad_vector_column(
                    batch,
-                    vector_column_name=name,
+                    vector_column_name=vector_column["name"],
                    on_bad_vectors=on_bad_vectors,
                    fill_value=fill_value,
+                    expected_dim=dim,
+                    expected_value_type=vector_column["expected_value_type"],
                )
-            yield batch
+            for vector_column in pending_dims:
+                if vector_column["expected_dim"] is None:
+                    vector_column["expected_dim"] = _infer_vector_dim(
+                        batch[vector_column["name"]]
+                    )
+            if batch.schema.equals(output_schema, check_metadata=True):
+                yield batch
+                continue

-    return pa.RecordBatchReader.from_batches(reader.schema, gen())
+            cast_batches = (
+                pa.Table.from_batches([batch]).cast(output_schema).to_batches()
+            )
+            if cast_batches:
+                yield pa.RecordBatch.from_arrays(
+                    cast_batches[0].columns,
+                    schema=output_schema,
+                )
+
+    return pa.RecordBatchReader.from_batches(output_schema, gen())
+
+
+def _find_vector_columns(
+    reader_schema: pa.Schema,
+    target_schema: Optional[pa.Schema],
+    metadata: Optional[dict],
+) -> List[dict]:
+    if target_schema is None:
+        vector_columns = []
+        for field in reader_schema:
+            named_vector_col = (
+                _is_list_like(field.type)
+                and pa.types.is_floating(field.type.value_type)
+                and field.name == VECTOR_COLUMN_NAME
+            )
+            likely_vector_col = (
+                pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type)
+                and pa.types.is_floating(field.type.value_type)
+                and (field.type.list_size >= 10)
+            )
+            if named_vector_col or likely_vector_col:
+                vector_columns.append(
+                    {
+                        "name": field.name,
+                        "expected_dim": None,
+                        "expected_value_type": None,
+                    }
+                )
+        return vector_columns
+
+    reader_column_names = set(reader_schema.names)
+    active_metadata = _merge_metadata(target_schema.metadata, metadata)
+    embedding_function_columns = set(
+        EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance().parse_functions(active_metadata).keys()
+    )
+    vector_columns = []
+    for field in target_schema:
+        if field.name not in reader_column_names:
+            continue
+        if not _is_list_like(field.type) or not pa.types.is_floating(
+            field.type.value_type
+        ):
+            continue
+
+        reader_field = reader_schema.field(field.name)
+        named_vector_col = (
+            field.name in embedding_function_columns
+            or field.name == VECTOR_COLUMN_NAME
+            or (field.name == "embedding" and pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type))
+        )
+        typed_fixed_vector_col = (
+            pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(reader_field.type)
+            and pa.types.is_floating(reader_field.type.value_type)
+            and reader_field.type.list_size >= 10
+        )
+
+        if named_vector_col or typed_fixed_vector_col:
+            vector_columns.append(
+                {
+                    "name": field.name,
+                    "expected_dim": (
+                        field.type.list_size
+                        if pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type)
+                        else None
+                    ),
+                    "expected_value_type": field.type.value_type,
+                }
+            )
+
+    return vector_columns
+
+
+def _vector_output_schema(
+    reader_schema: pa.Schema,
+    vector_columns: List[dict],
+) -> pa.Schema:
+    columns_by_name = {column["name"]: column for column in vector_columns}
+    fields = []
+    for field in reader_schema:
+        column = columns_by_name.get(field.name)
+        if column is None:
+            output_type = field.type
+        else:
+            output_type = _vector_output_type(field, column)
+        fields.append(pa.field(field.name, output_type, field.nullable, field.metadata))
+    return pa.schema(fields, metadata=reader_schema.metadata)
+
+
+def _vector_output_type(field: pa.Field, vector_column: dict) -> pa.DataType:
+    if not _is_list_like(field.type):
+        return field.type
+
+    if vector_column["expected_value_type"] is not None and (
+        pa.types.is_null(field.type.value_type)
+        or pa.types.is_integer(field.type.value_type)
+        or pa.types.is_unsigned_integer(field.type.value_type)
+    ):
+        return pa.list_(vector_column["expected_value_type"])
+
+    if (
+        vector_column["expected_dim"] is not None
+        and pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type)
+        and field.type.list_size != vector_column["expected_dim"]
+    ):
+        return pa.list_(field.type.value_type)
+
+    return field.type


 def _handle_bad_vector_column(
@@ -3255,6 +3393,8 @@ def _handle_bad_vector_column(
    vector_column_name: str,
    on_bad_vectors: str = "error",
    fill_value: float = 0.0,
+    expected_dim: Optional[int] = None,
+    expected_value_type: Optional[pa.DataType] = None,
 ) -> pa.RecordBatch:
    """
    Ensure that the vector column exists and has type fixed_size_list(float)
@@ -3271,14 +3411,39 @@ def _handle_bad_vector_column(
    fill_value: float, default 0.0
        The value to use when filling vectors. Only used if on_bad_vectors="fill".
    """
+    position = data.column_names.index(vector_column_name)
    vec_arr = data[vector_column_name]
+    if not _is_list_like(vec_arr.type):
+        return data

-    has_nan = has_nan_values(vec_arr)
+    if (
+        expected_dim is not None
+        and pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(vec_arr.type)
+        and vec_arr.type.list_size != expected_dim
+    ):
+        vec_arr = pa.array(vec_arr.to_pylist(), type=pa.list_(vec_arr.type.value_type))
+        data = data.set_column(position, vector_column_name, vec_arr)

-    if pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(vec_arr.type):
+    if expected_value_type is not None and (
+        pa.types.is_integer(vec_arr.type.value_type)
+        or pa.types.is_unsigned_integer(vec_arr.type.value_type)
+    ):
+        vec_arr = pa.array(vec_arr.to_pylist(), type=pa.list_(expected_value_type))
+        data = data.set_column(position, vector_column_name, vec_arr)
+
+    if pa.types.is_floating(vec_arr.type.value_type):
+        has_nan = has_nan_values(vec_arr)
+    else:
+        has_nan = pa.array([False] * len(vec_arr))
+
+    if expected_dim is not None:
+        dim = expected_dim
+    elif pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(vec_arr.type):
        dim = vec_arr.type.list_size
    else:
-        dim = _modal_list_size(vec_arr)
+        dim = _infer_vector_dim(vec_arr)
+        if dim is None:
+            return data
    has_wrong_dim = pc.not_equal(pc.list_value_length(vec_arr), dim)

    has_bad_vectors = pc.any(has_nan).as_py() or pc.any(has_wrong_dim).as_py()
@@ -3316,13 +3481,12 @@ def _handle_bad_vector_column(
                )
            vec_arr = pc.if_else(
                is_bad,
-                pa.scalar([fill_value] * dim),
+                pa.scalar([fill_value] * dim, type=vec_arr.type),
                vec_arr,
            )
        else:
            raise ValueError(f"Invalid value for on_bad_vectors: {on_bad_vectors}")

-    position = data.column_names.index(vector_column_name)
    return data.set_column(position, vector_column_name, vec_arr)


@@ -3343,6 +3507,28 @@ def has_nan_values(arr: Union[pa.ListArray, pa.ChunkedArray]) -> pa.BooleanArray
    return pc.is_in(indices, has_nan_indices)


+def _is_list_like(data_type: pa.DataType) -> bool:
+    return (
+        pa.types.is_list(data_type)
+        or pa.types.is_large_list(data_type)
+        or pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(data_type)
+    )
+
+
+def _merge_metadata(*metadata_dicts: Optional[dict]) -> dict:
+    merged = {}
+    for metadata in metadata_dicts:
+        if metadata is None:
+            continue
+        for key, value in metadata.items():
+            if isinstance(key, str):
+                key = key.encode("utf-8")
+            if isinstance(value, str):
+                value = value.encode("utf-8")
+            merged[key] = value
+    return merged
+
+
 def _name_suggests_vector_column(field_name: str) -> bool:
    """Check if a field name indicates a vector column."""
    name_lower = field_name.lower()
@@ -3410,6 +3596,16 @@ def _modal_list_size(arr: Union[pa.ListArray, pa.ChunkedArray]) -> int:
    return pc.mode(pc.list_value_length(arr))[0].as_py()["mode"]


+def _infer_vector_dim(arr: Union[pa.Array, pa.ChunkedArray]) -> Optional[int]:
+    if not _is_list_like(arr.type):
+        return None
+    lengths = pc.list_value_length(arr)
+    lengths = pc.filter(lengths, pc.greater(lengths, 0))
+    if len(lengths) == 0:
+        return None
+    return pc.mode(lengths)[0].as_py()["mode"]
+
+
 def _validate_schema(schema: pa.Schema):
    """
    Make sure the metadata is valid utf8
--- a/python/python/tests/test_db.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_db.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@


 import re
+import sys
 from datetime import timedelta
 import os

@@ -896,42 +897,22 @@ def test_bypass_vector_index_sync(tmp_db: lancedb.DBConnection):


 def test_local_namespace_operations(tmp_path):
-    """Test that local mode namespace operations behave as expected."""
-    # Create a local database connection
+    """Test that local mode namespace operations work via directory namespace."""
    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)

-    # Test list_namespaces returns empty list for root namespace
-    namespaces = db.list_namespaces().namespaces
-    assert namespaces == []
+    # Root namespace starts empty
+    assert db.list_namespaces().namespaces == []

-    # Test list_namespaces with non-empty namespace raises NotImplementedError
-    with pytest.raises(
-        NotImplementedError,
-        match="Namespace operations are not supported for listing database",
-    ):
-        db.list_namespaces(namespace_path=["test"])
+    # Create and list child namespace
+    db.create_namespace(["child"])
+    assert "child" in db.list_namespaces().namespaces

+    # List namespaces under child
+    assert db.list_namespaces(namespace_path=["child"]).namespaces == []

-def test_local_create_namespace_not_supported(tmp_path):
-    """Test that create_namespace is not supported in local mode."""
-    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
-
-    with pytest.raises(
-        NotImplementedError,
-        match="Namespace operations are not supported for listing database",
-    ):
-        db.create_namespace(["test_namespace"])
-
-
-def test_local_drop_namespace_not_supported(tmp_path):
-    """Test that drop_namespace is not supported in local mode."""
-    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
-
-    with pytest.raises(
-        NotImplementedError,
-        match="Namespace operations are not supported for listing database",
-    ):
-        db.drop_namespace(["test_namespace"])
+    # Drop namespace
+    db.drop_namespace(["child"])
+    assert db.list_namespaces().namespaces == []


 def test_clone_table_latest_version(tmp_path):
@@ -1048,3 +1029,59 @@ def test_clone_table_deep_clone_fails(tmp_path):
    source_uri = os.path.join(tmp_path, "source.lance")
    with pytest.raises(Exception, match="Deep clone is not yet implemented"):
        db.clone_table("cloned", source_uri, is_shallow=False)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="Namespace client issues")
+def test_namespace_client_native_storage(tmp_path):
+    """Test namespace_client() returns DirectoryNamespace for native storage."""
+    from lance.namespace import DirectoryNamespace
+
+    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
+    ns_client = db.namespace_client()
+
+    assert isinstance(ns_client, DirectoryNamespace)
+    assert str(tmp_path) in ns_client.namespace_id()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="Namespace client issues")
+def test_namespace_client_with_storage_options(tmp_path):
+    """Test namespace_client() preserves storage options."""
+    from lance.namespace import DirectoryNamespace
+
+    storage_options = {"timeout": "10s"}
+    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path, storage_options=storage_options)
+    ns_client = db.namespace_client()
+
+    assert isinstance(ns_client, DirectoryNamespace)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="Namespace client issues")
+def test_namespace_client_operations(tmp_path):
+    """Test that namespace_client() returns a functional namespace client."""
+    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
+    ns_client = db.namespace_client()
+
+    # Create a table through the main db connection
+    data = [{"id": 1, "text": "hello", "vector": [1.0, 2.0]}]
+    db.create_table("test_table", data=data)
+
+    # Verify the namespace client can see the table
+    from lance_namespace import ListTablesRequest
+
+    # id=[] means root namespace
+    response = ns_client.list_tables(ListTablesRequest(id=[]))
+    # Tables can be strings or objects with name attribute
+    table_names = [t.name if hasattr(t, "name") else t for t in response.tables]
+    assert "test_table" in table_names
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="Namespace client issues")
+def test_namespace_client_namespace_connection(tmp_path):
+    """Test namespace_client() returns the backing client for namespace connections."""
+    from lance.namespace import DirectoryNamespace
+
+    db = lancedb.connect_namespace("dir", {"root": str(tmp_path)})
+    ns_client = db.namespace_client()
+
+    assert isinstance(ns_client, DirectoryNamespace)
+    assert str(tmp_path) in ns_client.namespace_id()
--- a/python/python/tests/test_namespace.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_namespace.py
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ class TestPushdownOperations:
            {"root": self.temp_dir},
            namespace_client_pushdown_operations=["QueryTable"],
        )
-        assert "QueryTable" in db._pushdown_operations
+        assert "QueryTable" in db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations

    def test_create_table_pushdown_stored(self):
        """Test that CreateTable pushdown is stored on sync connection."""
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ class TestPushdownOperations:
            {"root": self.temp_dir},
            namespace_client_pushdown_operations=["CreateTable"],
        )
-        assert "CreateTable" in db._pushdown_operations
+        assert "CreateTable" in db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations

    def test_both_pushdowns_stored(self):
        """Test that both pushdown operations can be set together."""
@@ -699,13 +699,13 @@ class TestPushdownOperations:
            {"root": self.temp_dir},
            namespace_client_pushdown_operations=["QueryTable", "CreateTable"],
        )
-        assert "QueryTable" in db._pushdown_operations
-        assert "CreateTable" in db._pushdown_operations
+        assert "QueryTable" in db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations
+        assert "CreateTable" in db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations

    def test_pushdown_defaults_to_empty(self):
        """Test that pushdown operations default to empty."""
        db = lancedb.connect_namespace("dir", {"root": self.temp_dir})
-        assert len(db._pushdown_operations) == 0
+        assert len(db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations) == 0


@pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ class TestAsyncPushdownOperations:
            {"root": self.temp_dir},
            namespace_client_pushdown_operations=["QueryTable"],
        )
-        assert "QueryTable" in db._pushdown_operations
+        assert "QueryTable" in db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations

    async def test_async_create_table_pushdown_stored(self):
        """Test that CreateTable pushdown is stored on async connection."""
@@ -736,9 +736,9 @@ class TestAsyncPushdownOperations:
            {"root": self.temp_dir},
            namespace_client_pushdown_operations=["CreateTable"],
        )
-        assert "CreateTable" in db._pushdown_operations
+        assert "CreateTable" in db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations

    async def test_async_pushdown_defaults_to_empty(self):
        """Test that pushdown operations default to empty on async connection."""
        db = lancedb.connect_namespace_async("dir", {"root": self.temp_dir})
-        assert len(db._pushdown_operations) == 0
+        assert len(db._namespace_client_pushdown_operations) == 0
--- a/python/python/tests/test_namespace_integration.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_namespace_integration.py
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ Tests verify:
 """

 import copy
+import shutil
+import sys
+import tempfile
 import time
 import uuid
 from typing import Dict, Optional
@@ -387,6 +390,66 @@ def test_namespace_open_table_with_provider(s3_bucket: str, use_custom: bool):
    assert get_describe_call_count(inner_ns_client) == describe_count_after_open


+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    sys.platform == "win32",
+    reason="TODO: fix schema-only namespace metrics test on Windows",
+)
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_custom", [False, True], ids=["DirectoryNS", "CustomNS"])
+def test_namespace_create_schema_only_with_provider(use_custom: bool):
+    """
+    Test creating a schema-only table through namespace with storage options provider.
+
+    Verifies:
+    - declare_table is called once to reserve the location
+    - describe_table is not needed during create in create mode
+    - the table can be reopened successfully afterward
+    - opening the table triggers exactly one describe_table call
+    """
+    temp_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+    try:
+        ns_client, inner_ns_client = create_tracking_namespace(
+            bucket_name=temp_dir,
+            storage_options={},
+            credential_expires_in_seconds=3600,
+            use_custom=use_custom,
+        )
+
+        db = LanceNamespaceDBConnection(ns_client)
+
+        namespace_name = f"test_ns_{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}"
+        db.create_namespace([namespace_name])
+
+        table_name = f"test_table_{uuid.uuid4().hex}"
+        namespace_path = [namespace_name]
+        schema = pa.schema(
+            [
+                pa.field("id", pa.int64()),
+                pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32(), 2)),
+                pa.field("text", pa.string()),
+            ]
+        )
+
+        assert get_declare_call_count(inner_ns_client) == 0
+        assert get_describe_call_count(inner_ns_client) == 0
+
+        table = db.create_table(
+            table_name, schema=schema, namespace_path=namespace_path
+        )
+
+        assert table.name == table_name
+        assert table.namespace == namespace_path
+        assert get_declare_call_count(inner_ns_client) == 1
+        assert get_describe_call_count(inner_ns_client) == 0
+
+        reopened_table = db.open_table(table_name, namespace_path=namespace_path)
+
+        assert reopened_table.schema == schema
+        assert get_declare_call_count(inner_ns_client) == 1
+        assert get_describe_call_count(inner_ns_client) == 1
+    finally:
+        shutil.rmtree(temp_dir, ignore_errors=True)
+
+
@pytest.mark.s3_test
@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_custom", [False, True], ids=["DirectoryNS", "CustomNS"])
 def test_namespace_credential_refresh_on_read(s3_bucket: str, use_custom: bool):
--- a/python/python/tests/test_permutation.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_permutation.py
@@ -522,6 +522,50 @@ def test_no_split_names(some_table: Table):
    assert permutations[1].num_rows == 500


+def test_permutations_metadata_without_split_names_key(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    """Regression: schema metadata present but missing split_names key must not crash.
+
+    Previously, `.get(b"split_names", None).decode()` was called unconditionally,
+    so any permutation table whose metadata dict had other keys but no split_names
+    raised AttributeError: 'NoneType' has no attribute 'decode'.
+    """
+    base = mem_db.create_table("base_nosplit", pa.table({"x": range(10)}))
+
+    # Build a permutation-like table that carries some metadata but NOT split_names.
+    raw = pa.table(
+        {
+            "row_id": pa.array(range(10), type=pa.uint64()),
+            "split_id": pa.array([0] * 10, type=pa.uint32()),
+        }
+    ).replace_schema_metadata({b"other_key": b"other_value"})
+    perm_tbl = mem_db.create_table("perm_nosplit", raw)
+
+    permutations = Permutations(base, perm_tbl)
+    assert permutations.split_names == []
+    assert permutations.split_dict == {}
+
+
+def test_from_tables_string_split_missing_names_key(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    """Regression: from_tables() with a string split must raise ValueError, not
+    AttributeError.
+
+    Previously, `.get(b"split_names", None).decode()` crashed with AttributeError
+    when the metadata dict existed but had no split_names key.
+    """
+    base = mem_db.create_table("base_strsplit", pa.table({"x": range(10)}))
+
+    raw = pa.table(
+        {
+            "row_id": pa.array(range(10), type=pa.uint64()),
+            "split_id": pa.array([0] * 10, type=pa.uint32()),
+        }
+    ).replace_schema_metadata({b"other_key": b"other_value"})
+    perm_tbl = mem_db.create_table("perm_strsplit", raw)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="no split names are defined"):
+        Permutation.from_tables(base, perm_tbl, split="train")
+
+
@pytest.fixture
 def some_perm_table(some_table: Table) -> Table:
    return (
--- a/python/python/tests/test_pydantic.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_pydantic.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@

 import json
 from datetime import date, datetime
+from enum import Enum
 from typing import List, Optional, Tuple

 import pyarrow as pa
@@ -673,3 +674,29 @@ async def test_aliases_in_lance_model_async(mem_db_async):
    assert hasattr(model, "name")
    assert hasattr(model, "distance")
    assert model.distance < 0.01
+
+
+def test_enum_types():
+    """Enum fields should map to the Arrow type of their value (issue #1846)."""
+
+    class StrStatus(str, Enum):
+        PENDING = "pending"
+        RUNNING = "running"
+        DONE = "done"
+
+    class IntPriority(int, Enum):
+        LOW = 1
+        MEDIUM = 2
+        HIGH = 3
+
+    class TestModel(pydantic.BaseModel):
+        status: StrStatus
+        priority: IntPriority
+        opt_status: Optional[StrStatus] = None
+
+    schema = pydantic_to_schema(TestModel)
+
+    assert schema.field("status").type == pa.dictionary(pa.int32(), pa.utf8())
+    assert schema.field("priority").type == pa.int64()
+    assert schema.field("opt_status").type == pa.dictionary(pa.int32(), pa.utf8())
+    assert schema.field("opt_status").nullable
--- a/python/python/tests/test_table.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_table.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@


 import os
+import sys
 from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta
 from time import sleep
 from typing import List
@@ -1049,6 +1050,231 @@ def test_add_with_nans(mem_db: DBConnection):
    assert np.allclose(v, np.array([0.0, 0.0]))


+def test_add_with_empty_fixed_size_list_drops_bad_rows(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    class Schema(LanceModel):
+        text: str
+        embedding: Vector(16)
+
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_empty_embeddings", schema=Schema)
+    table.add(
+        [
+            {"text": "hello", "embedding": []},
+            {"text": "bar", "embedding": [0.1] * 16},
+        ],
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    )
+
+    data = table.to_arrow()
+    assert data["text"].to_pylist() == ["bar"]
+    assert np.allclose(data["embedding"].to_pylist()[0], np.array([0.1] * 16))
+
+
+def test_add_with_integer_embeddings_preserves_casting(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    class Schema(LanceModel):
+        text: str
+        embedding: Vector(4)
+
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_integer_embeddings", schema=Schema)
+    table.add(
+        [{"text": "foo", "embedding": [1, 2, 3, 4]}],
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    )
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["embedding"].to_pylist() == [[1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]]
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_does_not_handle_non_vector_fixed_size_lists(
+    mem_db: DBConnection,
+):
+    schema = pa.schema(
+        [
+            pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32(), 4)),
+            pa.field("bbox", pa.list_(pa.float32(), 4)),
+        ]
+    )
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_bbox_schema", schema=schema)
+
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="FixedSizeListType"):
+        table.add(
+            [{"vector": [1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0], "bbox": [0.0, 1.0]}],
+            on_bad_vectors="drop",
+        )
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_does_not_handle_custom_named_fixed_size_lists(
+    mem_db: DBConnection,
+):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("features", pa.list_(pa.float32(), 16))])
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_custom_named_fixed_size_vector", schema=schema)
+
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="FixedSizeListType"):
+        table.add(
+            [
+                {"features": []},
+                {"features": [0.1] * 16},
+            ],
+            on_bad_vectors="drop",
+        )
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_with_schema_list_vector_still_sanitizes(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32()))])
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_schema_list_vector", schema=schema)
+    table.add(
+        [
+            {"vector": [1.0, 2.0]},
+            {"vector": [3.0]},
+            {"vector": [4.0, 5.0]},
+        ],
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    )
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["vector"].to_pylist() == [[1.0, 2.0], [4.0, 5.0]]
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_handles_typed_custom_fixed_vectors_for_list_schema(
+    mem_db: DBConnection,
+):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vec", pa.list_(pa.float32()))])
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_typed_custom_fixed_vector", schema=schema)
+    data = pa.table(
+        {
+            "vec": pa.array(
+                [[float("nan")] * 16, [1.0] * 16],
+                type=pa.list_(pa.float32(), 16),
+            )
+        }
+    )
+
+    table.add(data, on_bad_vectors="drop")
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["vec"].to_pylist() == [[1.0] * 16]
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_fill_preserves_arrow_nested_vector_type(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32()))])
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_fill_arrow_nested_type", schema=schema)
+    data = pa.table(
+        {
+            "vector": pa.array(
+                [[1.0, 2.0], [float("nan"), 3.0]],
+                type=pa.list_(pa.float32(), 2),
+            )
+        }
+    )
+
+    table.add(
+        data,
+        on_bad_vectors="fill",
+        fill_value=0.0,
+    )
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["vector"].to_pylist() == [[1.0, 2.0], [0.0, 0.0]]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("table_name", "batch1", "expected"),
+    [
+        (
+            "test_schema_list_vector_empty_prefix",
+            pa.record_batch({"vector": [[], []]}),
+            [[], [], [1.0, 2.0], [3.0, 4.0]],
+        ),
+        (
+            "test_schema_list_vector_all_bad_prefix",
+            pa.record_batch({"vector": [[float("nan")] * 3, [float("nan")] * 3]}),
+            [[1.0, 2.0], [3.0, 4.0]],
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_on_bad_vectors_with_schema_list_vector_ignores_invalid_prefix_batches(
+    mem_db: DBConnection,
+    table_name: str,
+    batch1: pa.RecordBatch,
+    expected: list,
+):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32()))])
+    table = mem_db.create_table(table_name, schema=schema)
+    batch2 = pa.record_batch({"vector": [[1.0, 2.0], [3.0, 4.0]]})
+    reader = pa.RecordBatchReader.from_batches(batch1.schema, [batch1, batch2])
+
+    table.add(reader, on_bad_vectors="drop")
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["vector"].to_pylist() == expected
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_with_multiple_vectors_locks_dim_after_final_drop(
+    mem_db: DBConnection,
+):
+    registry = EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance()
+    func = MockTextEmbeddingFunction.create()
+    metadata = registry.get_table_metadata(
+        [
+            EmbeddingFunctionConfig(
+                source_column="text1", vector_column="vec1", function=func
+            ),
+            EmbeddingFunctionConfig(
+                source_column="text2", vector_column="vec2", function=func
+            ),
+        ]
+    )
+    schema = pa.schema(
+        [
+            pa.field("vec1", pa.list_(pa.float32())),
+            pa.field("vec2", pa.list_(pa.float32())),
+        ],
+        metadata=metadata,
+    )
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_multi_vector_dim_lock", schema=schema)
+    batch1 = pa.record_batch(
+        {
+            "vec1": [[1.0, 2.0, 3.0], [10.0, 11.0]],
+            "vec2": [[float("nan"), 0.0], [5.0, 6.0]],
+        }
+    )
+    batch2 = pa.record_batch(
+        {
+            "vec1": [[20.0, 21.0], [30.0, 31.0]],
+            "vec2": [[7.0, 8.0], [9.0, 10.0]],
+        }
+    )
+    reader = pa.RecordBatchReader.from_batches(batch1.schema, [batch1, batch2])
+
+    table.add(reader, on_bad_vectors="drop")
+
+    data = table.to_arrow()
+    assert data["vec1"].to_pylist() == [[10.0, 11.0], [20.0, 21.0], [30.0, 31.0]]
+    assert data["vec2"].to_pylist() == [[5.0, 6.0], [7.0, 8.0], [9.0, 10.0]]
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_does_not_handle_non_vector_list_columns(mem_db: DBConnection):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("embedding_history", pa.list_(pa.float32()))])
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_non_vector_list_schema", schema=schema)
+    table.add(
+        [
+            {"embedding_history": [1.0, 2.0]},
+            {"embedding_history": [3.0]},
+        ],
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    )
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["embedding_history"].to_pylist() == [
+        [1.0, 2.0],
+        [3.0],
+    ]
+
+
+def test_on_bad_vectors_all_null_schema_vector_batches_do_not_crash(
+    mem_db: DBConnection,
+):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32(), 2), nullable=True)])
+    table = mem_db.create_table("test_all_null_vector_batch", schema=schema)
+
+    table.add([{"vector": None}], on_bad_vectors="drop")
+
+    assert table.to_arrow()["vector"].to_pylist() == [None]
+
+
 def test_restore(mem_db: DBConnection):
    table = mem_db.create_table(
        "my_table",
@@ -1815,6 +2041,13 @@ def test_hybrid_search_metric_type(tmp_db: DBConnection):
@pytest.mark.parametrize(
    "consistency_interval", [None, timedelta(seconds=0), timedelta(seconds=0.1)]
 )
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    sys.platform == "win32",
+    reason=(
+        "TODO: directory namespace is not supported on Windows yet; "
+        "re-enable after that is fixed."
+    ),
+)
 def test_consistency(tmp_path, consistency_interval):
    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
    table = db.create_table("my_table", data=[{"id": 0}])
@@ -1835,7 +2068,6 @@ def test_consistency(tmp_path, consistency_interval):
    elif consistency_interval == timedelta(seconds=0):
        assert table2.version == table.version
    else:
-        # (consistency_interval == timedelta(seconds=0.1)
        assert table2.version == table.version - 1
        sleep(0.1)
        assert table2.version == table.version
--- a/python/python/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_util.py
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ from lancedb.table import (
    _cast_to_target_schema,
    _handle_bad_vectors,
    _into_pyarrow_reader,
-    _sanitize_data,
    _infer_target_schema,
+    _merge_metadata,
+    _sanitize_data,
+    sanitize_create_table,
 )
 import pyarrow as pa
 import pandas as pd
@@ -304,6 +306,117 @@ def test_handle_bad_vectors_noop():
    assert output["vector"] == vector


+def test_handle_bad_vectors_updates_reader_schema_for_target_schema():
+    data = pa.table({"vector": [[1, 2, 3, 4]]})
+    target_schema = pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32(), 4))])
+
+    output = _handle_bad_vectors(
+        data.to_reader(),
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+        target_schema=target_schema,
+    )
+
+    assert output.schema == pa.schema([pa.field("vector", pa.list_(pa.float32()))])
+    assert output.read_all()["vector"].to_pylist() == [[1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]]
+
+
+def test_sanitize_data_keeps_target_field_metadata():
+    source_field = pa.field(
+        "vector",
+        pa.list_(pa.float32(), 2),
+        metadata={b"source": b"drop-me"},
+    )
+    target_field = pa.field(
+        "vector",
+        pa.list_(pa.float32(), 2),
+        metadata={b"target": b"keep-me"},
+    )
+    data = pa.table(
+        {"vector": pa.array([[1.0, 2.0]], type=pa.list_(pa.float32(), 2))},
+        schema=pa.schema([source_field]),
+    )
+
+    output = _sanitize_data(
+        data,
+        target_schema=pa.schema([target_field]),
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    ).read_all()
+
+    assert output.schema.field("vector").metadata == {b"target": b"keep-me"}
+
+
+def test_sanitize_data_uses_separate_embedding_metadata_for_bad_vectors():
+    registry = EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance()
+    conf = EmbeddingFunctionConfig(
+        source_column="text",
+        vector_column="custom_vector",
+        function=MockTextEmbeddingFunction.create(),
+    )
+    metadata = registry.get_table_metadata([conf])
+    schema = pa.schema(
+        {
+            "text": pa.string(),
+            "custom_vector": pa.list_(pa.float32(), 10),
+        },
+        metadata={b"note": b"keep-me"},
+    )
+    data = pa.table(
+        {
+            "text": ["bad", "good"],
+            "custom_vector": [[1.0] * 9, [2.0] * 10],
+        }
+    )
+
+    output = _sanitize_data(
+        data,
+        target_schema=schema,
+        metadata=metadata,
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    ).read_all()
+
+    assert output["text"].to_pylist() == ["good"]
+    assert output.schema.metadata[b"note"] == b"keep-me"
+    assert b"embedding_functions" in output.schema.metadata
+
+
+def test_sanitize_create_table_merges_and_overrides_embedding_metadata():
+    registry = EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance()
+    old_conf = EmbeddingFunctionConfig(
+        source_column="text",
+        vector_column="old_vector",
+        function=MockTextEmbeddingFunction.create(),
+    )
+    new_conf = EmbeddingFunctionConfig(
+        source_column="text",
+        vector_column="custom_vector",
+        function=MockTextEmbeddingFunction.create(),
+    )
+    metadata = registry.get_table_metadata([new_conf])
+    schema = pa.schema(
+        {
+            "text": pa.string(),
+            "custom_vector": pa.list_(pa.float32(), 10),
+        },
+        metadata=_merge_metadata(
+            {b"note": b"keep-me"},
+            registry.get_table_metadata([old_conf]),
+        ),
+    )
+
+    data, schema = sanitize_create_table(
+        pa.table({"text": ["good"]}),
+        schema,
+        metadata=metadata,
+        on_bad_vectors="drop",
+    )
+
+    assert schema.metadata[b"note"] == b"keep-me"
+    assert b"embedding_functions" in schema.metadata
+    assert data.schema.metadata[b"note"] == b"keep-me"
+    funcs = EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance().parse_functions(schema.metadata)
+    assert set(funcs.keys()) == {"custom_vector"}
+
+
 class TestModel(lancedb.pydantic.LanceModel):
    a: Optional[int]
    b: Optional[int]
--- a/python/src/connection.rs
+++ b/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 {
@@ -474,6 +503,25 @@ impl Connection {
            })
        })
    }
+
+    /// Get the configuration for constructing an equivalent namespace client.
+    /// Returns a dict with:
+    /// - "impl": "dir" for DirectoryNamespace, "rest" for RestNamespace
+    /// - "properties": configuration properties for the namespace
+    #[pyo3(signature = ())]
+    pub fn namespace_client_config(self_: PyRef<'_, Self>) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyAny>> {
+        let inner = self_.get_inner()?.clone();
+        let py = self_.py();
+        future_into_py(py, async move {
+            let (impl_type, properties) = inner.namespace_client_config().await.infer_error()?;
+            Python::attach(|py| -> PyResult<Py<PyDict>> {
+                let dict = PyDict::new(py);
+                dict.set_item("impl", impl_type)?;
+                dict.set_item("properties", properties)?;
+                Ok(dict.unbind())
+            })
+        })
+    }
 }

 #[pyfunction]
@@ -519,6 +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,
@@ -528,6 +622,7 @@ pub struct PyClientConfig {
    id_delimiter: Option<String>,
    tls_config: Option<PyClientTlsConfig>,
    header_provider: Option<Py<PyAny>>,
+    user_id: Option<String>,
 }

 #[derive(FromPyObject)]
@@ -612,6 +707,7 @@ impl From<PyClientConfig> for lancedb::remote::ClientConfig {
            id_delimiter: value.id_delimiter,
            tls_config: value.tls_config.map(Into::into),
            header_provider,
+            user_id: value.user_id,
        }
    }
 }
--- a/python/src/lib.rs
+++ b/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)?)?;
--- a/rust-toolchain.toml
+++ b/rust-toolchain.toml
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 [toolchain]
-channel = "1.91.0"
+channel = "1.94.0"
--- a/rust/lancedb/Cargo.toml
+++ b/rust/lancedb/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "lancedb"
-version = "0.28.0-beta.0"
+version = "0.28.0-beta.7"
 edition.workspace = true
 description = "LanceDB: A serverless, low-latency vector database for AI applications"
 license.workspace = true
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ impl OpenTableBuilder {
    /// Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
    /// but can be overridden here.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_option(mut self, key: impl Into<String>, value: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
        let store_params = self
            .request
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ impl OpenTableBuilder {
    /// Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
    /// but can be overridden here.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_options(
        mut self,
        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
@@ -541,6 +541,16 @@ impl Connection {
        self.internal.namespace_client().await
    }

+    /// Get the configuration for constructing an equivalent namespace client.
+    /// Returns (impl_type, properties) where:
+    /// - impl_type: "dir" for DirectoryNamespace, "rest" for RestNamespace
+    /// - properties: configuration properties for the namespace
+    pub async fn namespace_client_config(
+        &self,
+    ) -> Result<(String, std::collections::HashMap<String, String>)> {
+        self.internal.namespace_client_config().await
+    }
+
    /// List tables with pagination support
    pub async fn list_tables(&self, request: ListTablesRequest) -> Result<ListTablesResponse> {
        self.internal.list_tables(request).await
@@ -572,6 +582,14 @@ pub struct ConnectRequest {
    /// Database specific options
    pub options: HashMap<String, String>,

+    /// Extra properties for the equivalent namespace client.
+    ///
+    /// For a local [`ListingDatabase`], these are merged into the backing
+    /// `DirectoryNamespace` properties. This is useful for namespace-specific
+    /// settings such as `table_version_tracking_enabled` that are distinct from
+    /// storage options.
+    pub namespace_client_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
+
    /// The interval at which to check for updates from other processes.
    ///
    /// If None, then consistency is not checked. For performance
@@ -611,6 +629,7 @@ impl ConnectBuilder {
                client_config: Default::default(),
                read_consistency_interval: None,
                options: HashMap::new(),
+                namespace_client_properties: HashMap::new(),
                session: None,
            },
            embedding_registry: None,
@@ -728,7 +747,7 @@ impl ConnectBuilder {

    /// Set an option for the storage layer.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_option(mut self, key: impl Into<String>, value: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
        self.request.options.insert(key.into(), value.into());
        self
@@ -736,7 +755,7 @@ impl ConnectBuilder {

    /// Set multiple options for the storage layer.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_options(
        mut self,
        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
@@ -747,6 +766,31 @@ impl ConnectBuilder {
        self
    }

+    /// Set an additional property for the equivalent namespace client.
+    pub fn namespace_client_property(
+        mut self,
+        key: impl Into<String>,
+        value: impl Into<String>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        self.request
+            .namespace_client_properties
+            .insert(key.into(), value.into());
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Set multiple additional properties for the equivalent namespace client.
+    pub fn namespace_client_properties(
+        mut self,
+        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        for (key, value) in pairs {
+            self.request
+                .namespace_client_properties
+                .insert(key.into(), value.into());
+        }
+        self
+    }
+
    /// The interval at which to check for updates from other processes. This
    /// only affects LanceDB OSS.
    ///
@@ -871,7 +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()`
@@ -883,10 +927,11 @@ pub struct ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
    ns_impl: String,
    properties: HashMap<String, String>,
    storage_options: HashMap<String, String>,
+    namespace_client_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
    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 {
@@ -895,6 +940,7 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
            ns_impl: ns_impl.to_string(),
            properties,
            storage_options: HashMap::new(),
+            namespace_client_properties: HashMap::new(),
            read_consistency_interval: None,
            embedding_registry: None,
            session: None,
@@ -904,7 +950,7 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {

    /// Set an option for the storage layer.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_option(mut self, key: impl Into<String>, value: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
        self.storage_options.insert(key.into(), value.into());
        self
@@ -912,7 +958,7 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {

    /// Set multiple options for the storage layer.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_options(
        mut self,
        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
@@ -923,6 +969,29 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
        self
    }

+    /// Set an additional namespace client property.
+    pub fn namespace_client_property(
+        mut self,
+        key: impl Into<String>,
+        value: impl Into<String>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        self.namespace_client_properties
+            .insert(key.into(), value.into());
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Set multiple additional namespace client properties.
+    pub fn namespace_client_properties(
+        mut self,
+        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        for (key, value) in pairs {
+            self.namespace_client_properties
+                .insert(key.into(), value.into());
+        }
+        self
+    }
+
    /// The interval at which to check for updates from other processes.
    ///
    /// If left unset, consistency is not checked. For maximum read
@@ -960,11 +1029,11 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
    /// and leveraging server-side compute resources.
    ///
    /// Available operations:
-    /// - [`PushdownOperation::QueryTable`]: Execute queries via `namespace.query_table()`
-    /// - [`PushdownOperation::CreateTable`]: Execute table creation via `namespace.create_table()`
+    /// - [`NamespaceClientPushdownOperation::QueryTable`]: Execute queries via `namespace.query_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
    }
@@ -974,7 +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
@@ -984,10 +1053,13 @@ impl ConnectNamespaceBuilder {
    pub async fn execute(self) -> Result<Connection> {
        use crate::database::namespace::LanceNamespaceDatabase;

+        let mut properties = self.properties;
+        properties.extend(self.namespace_client_properties);
+
        let internal = Arc::new(
            LanceNamespaceDatabase::connect(
                &self.ns_impl,
-                self.properties,
+                properties,
                self.storage_options,
                self.read_consistency_interval,
                self.session,
@@ -1107,6 +1179,31 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(db.uri(), relative_uri.to_str().unwrap().to_string());
    }

+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_connect_with_namespace_client_properties() {
+        let tmp_dir = tempdir().unwrap();
+        let uri = tmp_dir.path().to_str().unwrap();
+
+        let db = connect(uri)
+            .namespace_client_property("table_version_tracking_enabled", "true")
+            .namespace_client_property("manifest_enabled", "true")
+            .execute()
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let (ns_impl, properties) = db.namespace_client_config().await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(ns_impl, "dir");
+        assert_eq!(properties.get("root"), Some(&uri.to_string()));
+        assert_eq!(
+            properties.get("table_version_tracking_enabled"),
+            Some(&"true".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            properties.get("manifest_enabled"),
+            Some(&"true".to_string())
+        );
+    }
+
    #[tokio::test]
    async fn test_table_names() {
        let tc = new_test_connection().await.unwrap();
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/connection/create_table.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/connection/create_table.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ impl CreateTableBuilder {
    /// Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
    /// but can be overridden here.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_option(mut self, key: impl Into<String>, value: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
        let store_params = self
            .request
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ impl CreateTableBuilder {
    /// Options already set on the connection will be inherited by the table,
    /// but can be overridden here.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_options(
        mut self,
        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/database.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/database.rs
@@ -265,4 +265,13 @@ pub trait Database:
    /// For ListingDatabase, it is the equivalent DirectoryNamespace.
    /// For RemoteDatabase, it is the equivalent RestNamespace.
    async fn namespace_client(&self) -> Result<Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>>;
+
+    /// Get the configuration for constructing an equivalent namespace client.
+    /// Returns (impl_type, properties) where:
+    /// - impl_type: "dir" for DirectoryNamespace, "rest" for RestNamespace
+    /// - properties: configuration properties for the namespace
+    ///
+    /// This is useful for Python bindings where we want to return a Python
+    /// namespace object rather than a Rust trait object.
+    async fn namespace_client_config(&self) -> Result<(String, HashMap<String, String>)>;
 }
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/database/listing.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/database/listing.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ use snafu::ResultExt;

 use crate::connection::ConnectRequest;
 use crate::database::ReadConsistency;
+use crate::database::namespace::LanceNamespaceDatabase;
 use crate::error::{CreateDirSnafu, Error, Result};
 use crate::io::object_store::MirroringObjectStoreWrapper;
 use crate::table::NativeTable;
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ pub struct ListingDatabaseOptions {
    /// These are used to create/list tables and they are inherited by all tables
    /// opened by this database.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub storage_options: HashMap<String, String>,
 }

@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ impl ListingDatabaseOptionsBuilder {

    /// Set an option for the storage layer.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_option(mut self, key: impl Into<String>, value: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
        self.options
            .storage_options
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ impl ListingDatabaseOptionsBuilder {

    /// Set multiple options for the storage layer.
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    pub fn storage_options(
        mut self,
        pairs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (impl Into<String>, impl Into<String>)>,
@@ -255,6 +256,9 @@ pub struct ListingDatabase {

    // Session for object stores and caching
    session: Arc<lance::session::Session>,
+
+    // Namespace-backed database for child namespace operations
+    namespace_database: Arc<LanceNamespaceDatabase>,
 }

 impl std::fmt::Display for ListingDatabase {
@@ -281,6 +285,44 @@ const MIRRORED_STORE: &str = "mirroredStore";

 /// A connection to LanceDB
 impl ListingDatabase {
+    fn build_namespace_client_properties(
+        uri: &str,
+        storage_options: &HashMap<String, String>,
+        namespace_client_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
+    ) -> HashMap<String, String> {
+        let mut properties = namespace_client_properties;
+        properties.insert("root".to_string(), uri.to_string());
+        for (key, value) in storage_options {
+            properties.insert(format!("storage.{}", key), value.clone());
+        }
+        properties
+    }
+
+    async fn connect_namespace_database(
+        uri: &str,
+        storage_options: HashMap<String, String>,
+        namespace_client_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
+        read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
+        session: Arc<lance::session::Session>,
+    ) -> Result<Arc<LanceNamespaceDatabase>> {
+        let ns_properties = Self::build_namespace_client_properties(
+            uri,
+            &storage_options,
+            namespace_client_properties,
+        );
+        Ok(Arc::new(
+            LanceNamespaceDatabase::connect(
+                "dir",
+                ns_properties,
+                storage_options,
+                read_consistency_interval,
+                Some(session),
+                HashSet::new(),
+            )
+            .await?,
+        ))
+    }
+
    /// Connect to a listing database
    ///
    /// The URI should be a path to a directory where the tables are stored.
@@ -300,6 +342,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
                    uri,
                    request.read_consistency_interval,
                    options.new_table_config,
+                    request.namespace_client_properties.clone(),
                    request.session.clone(),
                )
                .await
@@ -387,6 +430,15 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
                    None => None,
                };

+                let namespace_database = Self::connect_namespace_database(
+                    &table_base_uri,
+                    options.storage_options.clone(),
+                    request.namespace_client_properties.clone(),
+                    request.read_consistency_interval,
+                    session.clone(),
+                )
+                .await?;
+
                Ok(Self {
                    uri: table_base_uri,
                    query_string,
@@ -398,6 +450,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
                    storage_options_provider: None,
                    new_table_config: options.new_table_config,
                    session,
+                    namespace_database,
                })
            }
            Err(_) => {
@@ -405,6 +458,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
                    uri,
                    request.read_consistency_interval,
                    options.new_table_config,
+                    request.namespace_client_properties.clone(),
                    request.session.clone(),
                )
                .await
@@ -416,6 +470,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
        path: &str,
        read_consistency_interval: Option<std::time::Duration>,
        new_table_config: NewTableConfig,
+        namespace_client_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
        session: Option<Arc<lance::session::Session>>,
    ) -> Result<Self> {
        let session = session.unwrap_or_else(|| Arc::new(lance::session::Session::default()));
@@ -429,6 +484,15 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
            Self::try_create_dir(path).context(CreateDirSnafu { path })?;
        }

+        let namespace_database = Self::connect_namespace_database(
+            path,
+            HashMap::new(),
+            namespace_client_properties,
+            read_consistency_interval,
+            session.clone(),
+        )
+        .await?;
+
        Ok(Self {
            uri: path.to_string(),
            query_string: None,
@@ -440,6 +504,7 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
            storage_options_provider: None,
            new_table_config,
            session,
+            namespace_database,
        })
    }

@@ -497,6 +562,10 @@ impl ListingDatabase {
        Ok(uri)
    }

+    fn namespace_database(&self) -> Arc<LanceNamespaceDatabase> {
+        self.namespace_database.clone()
+    }
+
    async fn drop_tables(&self, names: Vec<String>) -> Result<()> {
        let object_store_params = ObjectStoreParams {
            storage_options_accessor: if self.storage_options.is_empty() {
@@ -696,16 +765,7 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {
        &self,
        request: ListNamespacesRequest,
    ) -> Result<ListNamespacesResponse> {
-        if request.id.as_ref().map(|v| !v.is_empty()).unwrap_or(false) {
-            return Err(Error::NotSupported {
-                message: "Namespace operations are not supported for listing database".into(),
-            });
-        }
-
-        Ok(ListNamespacesResponse {
-            namespaces: Vec::new(),
-            page_token: None,
-        })
+        self.namespace_database().list_namespaces(request).await
    }

    fn uri(&self) -> &str {
@@ -726,36 +786,26 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {

    async fn create_namespace(
        &self,
-        _request: CreateNamespaceRequest,
+        request: CreateNamespaceRequest,
    ) -> Result<CreateNamespaceResponse> {
-        Err(Error::NotSupported {
-            message: "Namespace operations are not supported for listing database".into(),
-        })
+        self.namespace_database().create_namespace(request).await
    }

-    async fn drop_namespace(
-        &self,
-        _request: DropNamespaceRequest,
-    ) -> Result<DropNamespaceResponse> {
-        Err(Error::NotSupported {
-            message: "Namespace operations are not supported for listing database".into(),
-        })
+    async fn drop_namespace(&self, request: DropNamespaceRequest) -> Result<DropNamespaceResponse> {
+        self.namespace_database().drop_namespace(request).await
    }

    async fn describe_namespace(
        &self,
-        _request: DescribeNamespaceRequest,
+        request: DescribeNamespaceRequest,
    ) -> Result<DescribeNamespaceResponse> {
-        Err(Error::NotSupported {
-            message: "Namespace operations are not supported for listing database".into(),
-        })
+        self.namespace_database().describe_namespace(request).await
    }

+    #[allow(deprecated)]
    async fn table_names(&self, request: TableNamesRequest) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
        if !request.namespace_path.is_empty() {
-            return Err(Error::NotSupported {
-                message: "Namespace parameter is not supported for listing database. Only root namespace is supported.".into(),
-            });
+            return self.namespace_database().table_names(request).await;
        }
        let mut f = self
            .object_store
@@ -788,9 +838,7 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {

    async fn list_tables(&self, request: ListTablesRequest) -> Result<ListTablesResponse> {
        if request.id.as_ref().map(|v| !v.is_empty()).unwrap_or(false) {
-            return Err(Error::NotSupported {
-                message: "Namespace parameter is not supported for listing database. Only root namespace is supported.".into(),
-            });
+            return self.namespace_database().list_tables(request).await;
        }
        let mut f = self
            .object_store
@@ -838,11 +886,8 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {
    }

    async fn create_table(&self, request: CreateTableRequest) -> Result<Arc<dyn BaseTable>> {
-        // When namespace is not empty, location must be provided
-        if !request.namespace_path.is_empty() && request.location.is_none() {
-            return Err(Error::InvalidInput {
-                message: "Location must be provided when namespace is not empty".into(),
-            });
+        if !request.namespace_path.is_empty() {
+            return self.namespace_database().create_table(request).await;
        }
        // Use provided location if available, otherwise derive from table name
        let table_uri = request
@@ -959,11 +1004,8 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {
    }

    async fn open_table(&self, mut request: OpenTableRequest) -> Result<Arc<dyn BaseTable>> {
-        // When namespace is not empty, location must be provided
-        if !request.namespace_path.is_empty() && request.location.is_none() {
-            return Err(Error::InvalidInput {
-                message: "Location must be provided when namespace is not empty".into(),
-            });
+        if !request.namespace_path.is_empty() {
+            return self.namespace_database().open_table(request).await;
        }
        // Use provided location if available, otherwise derive from table name
        let table_uri = request
@@ -1059,9 +1101,10 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {

    async fn drop_table(&self, name: &str, namespace_path: &[String]) -> Result<()> {
        if !namespace_path.is_empty() {
-            return Err(Error::NotSupported {
-                message: "Namespace parameter is not supported for listing database.".into(),
-            });
+            return self
+                .namespace_database()
+                .drop_table(name, namespace_path)
+                .await;
        }
        self.drop_tables(vec![name.to_string()]).await
    }
@@ -1070,9 +1113,10 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {
    async fn drop_all_tables(&self, namespace_path: &[String]) -> Result<()> {
        // Check if namespace parameter is provided
        if !namespace_path.is_empty() {
-            return Err(Error::NotSupported {
-                message: "Namespace parameter is not supported for listing database.".into(),
-            });
+            return self
+                .namespace_database()
+                .drop_all_tables(namespace_path)
+                .await;
        }
        let tables = self.table_names(TableNamesRequest::default()).await?;
        self.drop_tables(tables).await
@@ -1083,21 +1127,11 @@ impl Database for ListingDatabase {
    }

    async fn namespace_client(&self) -> Result<Arc<dyn lance_namespace::LanceNamespace>> {
-        // Create a DirectoryNamespace pointing to the same root with the same storage options
-        let mut builder = lance_namespace_impls::DirectoryNamespaceBuilder::new(&self.uri);
+        self.namespace_database.namespace_client().await
+    }

-        // Add storage options
-        if !self.storage_options.is_empty() {
-            builder = builder.storage_options(self.storage_options.clone());
-        }
-
-        // Use the same session
-        builder = builder.session(self.session.clone());
-
-        let namespace = builder.build().await.map_err(|e| Error::Runtime {
-            message: format!("Failed to create namespace client: {}", e),
-        })?;
-        Ok(Arc::new(namespace) as Arc<dyn lance_namespace::LanceNamespace>)
+    async fn namespace_client_config(&self) -> Result<(String, HashMap<String, String>)> {
+        self.namespace_database.namespace_client_config().await
    }
 }

@@ -1123,6 +1157,7 @@ mod tests {
            #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
            client_config: Default::default(),
            options: Default::default(),
+            namespace_client_properties: Default::default(),
            read_consistency_interval: None,
            session: None,
        };
@@ -1256,6 +1291,7 @@ mod tests {
            #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
            client_config: Default::default(),
            options: options.clone(),
+            namespace_client_properties: Default::default(),
            read_consistency_interval: None,
            session: None,
        };
@@ -1790,6 +1826,7 @@ mod tests {
            #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
            client_config: Default::default(),
            options,
+            namespace_client_properties: Default::default(),
            read_consistency_interval: None,
            session: None,
        };
@@ -1895,6 +1932,7 @@ mod tests {
            #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
            client_config: Default::default(),
            options,
+            namespace_client_properties: Default::default(),
            read_consistency_interval: None,
            session: None,
        };
@@ -1966,6 +2004,7 @@ mod tests {
            #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
            client_config: Default::default(),
            options,
+            namespace_client_properties: Default::default(),
            read_consistency_interval: None,
            session: None,
        };
@@ -2099,4 +2138,209 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(tables.contains(&"table1".to_string()));
        assert!(tables.contains(&"table2".to_string()));
    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_listing_database_namespace_operations() {
+        let (_tempdir, db) = setup_database().await;
+
+        db.create_namespace(CreateNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(vec!["parent".to_string()]),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        db.create_namespace(CreateNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(vec!["parent".to_string(), "child".to_string()]),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let root_namespaces = db
+            .list_namespaces(ListNamespacesRequest {
+                id: Some(vec![]),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(root_namespaces.namespaces.contains(&"parent".to_string()));
+
+        let child_namespaces = db
+            .list_namespaces(ListNamespacesRequest {
+                id: Some(vec!["parent".to_string()]),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(child_namespaces.namespaces.contains(&"child".to_string()));
+
+        db.describe_namespace(DescribeNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(vec!["parent".to_string(), "child".to_string()]),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[cfg(not(windows))] // TODO: support Windows once directory namespace-backed listing DB tests are supported.
+    async fn test_listing_database_with_namespace_client_properties() {
+        let tempdir = tempdir().unwrap();
+        let uri = tempdir.path().to_str().unwrap();
+
+        let mut namespace_client_properties = HashMap::new();
+        namespace_client_properties.insert(
+            "table_version_tracking_enabled".to_string(),
+            "true".to_string(),
+        );
+        namespace_client_properties.insert("manifest_enabled".to_string(), "true".to_string());
+
+        let request = ConnectRequest {
+            uri: uri.to_string(),
+            #[cfg(feature = "remote")]
+            client_config: Default::default(),
+            options: Default::default(),
+            namespace_client_properties,
+            read_consistency_interval: None,
+            session: None,
+        };
+
+        let db = ListingDatabase::connect_with_options(&request)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        let namespace_path = vec!["test_ns".to_string()];
+
+        db.create_namespace(CreateNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(namespace_path.clone()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
+            Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
+            Field::new("name", DataType::Utf8, false),
+        ]));
+
+        db.create_table(CreateTableRequest {
+            name: "managed_table".to_string(),
+            namespace_path: namespace_path.clone(),
+            data: Box::new(RecordBatch::new_empty(schema)) as Box<dyn Scannable>,
+            mode: CreateTableMode::Create,
+            write_options: Default::default(),
+            location: None,
+            namespace_client: None,
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let namespace_client = db.namespace_client().await.unwrap();
+        let describe = namespace_client
+            .describe_table(lance_namespace::models::DescribeTableRequest {
+                id: Some(vec!["test_ns".to_string(), "managed_table".to_string()]),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(describe.managed_versioning, Some(true));
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_listing_database_nested_namespace_table_ops() {
+        let (_tempdir, db) = setup_database().await;
+        let namespace_path = vec!["parent".to_string(), "child".to_string()];
+
+        db.create_namespace(CreateNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(vec!["parent".to_string()]),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+        db.create_namespace(CreateNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(namespace_path.clone()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
+            Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
+            Field::new("name", DataType::Utf8, false),
+        ]));
+
+        db.create_table(CreateTableRequest {
+            name: "nested_table".to_string(),
+            namespace_path: namespace_path.clone(),
+            data: Box::new(RecordBatch::new_empty(schema)) as Box<dyn Scannable>,
+            mode: CreateTableMode::Create,
+            write_options: Default::default(),
+            location: None,
+            namespace_client: None,
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let namespace_client = db.namespace_client().await.unwrap();
+        let describe = namespace_client
+            .describe_table(lance_namespace::models::DescribeTableRequest {
+                id: Some(vec![
+                    "parent".to_string(),
+                    "child".to_string(),
+                    "nested_table".to_string(),
+                ]),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(describe.location.is_some());
+
+        let table = db
+            .open_table(OpenTableRequest {
+                name: "nested_table".to_string(),
+                namespace_path: namespace_path.clone(),
+                index_cache_size: None,
+                lance_read_params: None,
+                location: None,
+                namespace_client: None,
+                managed_versioning: None,
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(table.name(), "nested_table");
+
+        #[allow(deprecated)]
+        let table_names = db
+            .table_names(TableNamesRequest {
+                namespace_path: namespace_path.clone(),
+                start_after: None,
+                limit: None,
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(table_names, vec!["nested_table".to_string()]);
+
+        let list_tables = db
+            .list_tables(ListTablesRequest {
+                id: Some(namespace_path.clone()),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(list_tables.tables, vec!["nested_table".to_string()]);
+
+        db.drop_table("nested_table", &namespace_path)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let post_drop = db
+            .list_tables(ListTablesRequest {
+                id: Some(namespace_path),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(post_drop.tables.is_empty());
+    }
 }
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/database/namespace.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/database/namespace.rs
@@ -22,10 +22,11 @@ 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;
+use lance::dataset::WriteMode;

 use super::{
    BaseTable, CloneTableRequest, CreateTableMode, CreateTableRequest as DbCreateTableRequest,
@@ -44,17 +45,42 @@ 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
+    ns_properties: HashMap<String, String>,
 }

 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() {
@@ -74,6 +100,8 @@ impl LanceNamespaceDatabase {
            session,
            uri: format!("namespace://{}", ns_impl),
            pushdown_operations,
+            ns_impl: ns_impl.to_string(),
+            ns_properties,
        })
    }
 }
@@ -157,37 +185,23 @@ 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;
+        let mut existing_table = None;

        match request.mode {
-            CreateTableMode::Create => {
-                if describe_result.is_ok() {
-                    return Err(Error::TableAlreadyExists {
-                        name: request.name.clone(),
-                    });
-                }
-            }
+            CreateTableMode::Create => {}
            CreateTableMode::Overwrite => {
-                if describe_result.is_ok() {
-                    // Drop the existing table - must succeed
-                    let drop_request = DropTableRequest {
-                        id: Some(table_id.clone()),
-                        ..Default::default()
-                    };
-                    self.namespace
-                        .drop_table(drop_request)
-                        .await
-                        .map_err(|e| Error::Runtime {
-                            message: format!("Failed to drop existing table for overwrite: {}", e),
-                        })?;
-                }
+                let describe_request = DescribeTableRequest {
+                    id: Some(table_id.clone()),
+                    ..Default::default()
+                };
+                existing_table = self.namespace.describe_table(describe_request).await.ok();
            }
            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(),
@@ -215,21 +229,55 @@ impl Database for LanceNamespaceDatabase {
        };

        let (location, initial_storage_options, managed_versioning) = {
-            let response = self.namespace.declare_table(declare_request).await?;
-            let loc = response.location.ok_or_else(|| Error::Runtime {
-                message: "Table location is missing from declare_table response".to_string(),
-            })?;
-            // Use storage options from response, fall back to self.storage_options
-            let opts = response
-                .storage_options
-                .or_else(|| Some(self.storage_options.clone()))
-                .filter(|o| !o.is_empty());
-            (loc, opts, response.managed_versioning)
+            if let Some(response) = existing_table {
+                let loc = response.location.ok_or_else(|| Error::Runtime {
+                    message: "Table location is missing from describe_table response".to_string(),
+                })?;
+                let opts = response
+                    .storage_options
+                    .or_else(|| Some(self.storage_options.clone()))
+                    .filter(|o| !o.is_empty());
+                (loc, opts, response.managed_versioning)
+            } else {
+                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(),
+                })?;
+                // Use storage options from response, fall back to self.storage_options
+                let opts = response
+                    .storage_options
+                    .or_else(|| Some(self.storage_options.clone()))
+                    .filter(|o| !o.is_empty());
+                (loc, opts, response.managed_versioning)
+            }
        };

        // Build write params with storage options and commit handler
        let mut params = request.write_options.lance_write_params.unwrap_or_default();

+        if matches!(request.mode, CreateTableMode::Overwrite) {
+            params.mode = WriteMode::Overwrite;
+        }
+
        // Set up storage options if provided
        if let Some(storage_opts) = initial_storage_options {
            let store_params = params
@@ -345,6 +393,10 @@ impl Database for LanceNamespaceDatabase {
    async fn namespace_client(&self) -> Result<Arc<dyn LanceNamespace>> {
        Ok(self.namespace.clone())
    }
+
+    async fn namespace_client_config(&self) -> Result<(String, HashMap<String, String>)> {
+        Ok((self.ns_impl.clone(), self.ns_properties.clone()))
+    }
 }

 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -440,6 +492,47 @@ mod tests {
        ));
    }

+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_namespace_connection_with_namespace_client_properties() {
+        let tmp_dir = tempdir().unwrap();
+        let root_path = tmp_dir.path().to_str().unwrap().to_string();
+
+        let mut properties = HashMap::new();
+        properties.insert("root".to_string(), root_path);
+
+        let conn = connect_namespace("dir", properties)
+            .namespace_client_property("table_version_tracking_enabled", "true")
+            .namespace_client_property("manifest_enabled", "true")
+            .execute()
+            .await
+            .expect("Failed to connect to namespace");
+
+        conn.create_namespace(CreateNamespaceRequest {
+            id: Some(vec!["test_ns".into()]),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to create namespace");
+
+        let test_data = create_test_data();
+        conn.create_table("test_table", test_data)
+            .namespace(vec!["test_ns".into()])
+            .execute()
+            .await
+            .expect("Failed to create table");
+
+        let namespace_client = conn.namespace_client().await.unwrap();
+        let describe = namespace_client
+            .describe_table(DescribeTableRequest {
+                id: Some(vec!["test_ns".into(), "test_table".into()]),
+                ..Default::default()
+            })
+            .await
+            .expect("Failed to describe table");
+
+        assert_eq!(describe.managed_versioning, Some(true));
+    }
+
    #[tokio::test]
    async fn test_namespace_create_table_basic() {
        // Setup: Create a temporary directory for the namespace
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/embeddings/bedrock.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/embeddings/bedrock.rs
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ impl BedrockEmbeddingFunction {
                        ))
                        .send()
                        .await
+                        .map_err(Box::new)
                })
            })
            .unwrap();
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/lib.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 //! It treats [`FixedSizeList<Float16/Float32>`](https://docs.rs/arrow/latest/arrow/array/struct.FixedSizeListArray.html)
 //! columns as vector columns.
 //!
-//! For more details, please refer to the [LanceDB documentation](https://lancedb.com/docs).
+//! For more details, please refer to the [LanceDB documentation](https://docs.lancedb.com).
 //!
 //! #### Create a table
 //!
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/client.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/client.rs
@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ pub struct ClientConfig {
    pub tls_config: Option<TlsConfig>,
    /// Provider for custom headers to be added to each request
    pub header_provider: Option<Arc<dyn HeaderProvider>>,
+    /// User identifier for tracking purposes.
+    ///
+    /// This is sent as the `x-lancedb-user-id` header in requests to LanceDB Cloud/Enterprise.
+    /// It can be set directly, or via the `LANCEDB_USER_ID` environment variable.
+    /// Alternatively, set `LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY` to specify another environment
+    /// variable that contains the user ID value.
+    pub user_id: Option<String>,
 }

 impl std::fmt::Debug for ClientConfig {
@@ -67,6 +74,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for ClientConfig {
                "header_provider",
                &self.header_provider.as_ref().map(|_| "Some(...)"),
            )
+            .field("user_id", &self.user_id)
            .finish()
    }
 }
@@ -81,10 +89,41 @@ impl Default for ClientConfig {
            id_delimiter: None,
            tls_config: None,
            header_provider: None,
+            user_id: None,
        }
    }
 }

+impl ClientConfig {
+    /// Resolve the user ID from the config or environment variables.
+    ///
+    /// Resolution order:
+    /// 1. If `user_id` is set in the config, use that value
+    /// 2. If `LANCEDB_USER_ID` environment variable is set, use that value
+    /// 3. If `LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY` is set, read the env var it points to
+    /// 4. Otherwise, return None
+    pub fn resolve_user_id(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        if self.user_id.is_some() {
+            return self.user_id.clone();
+        }
+
+        if let Ok(user_id) = std::env::var("LANCEDB_USER_ID")
+            && !user_id.is_empty()
+        {
+            return Some(user_id);
+        }
+
+        if let Ok(env_key) = std::env::var("LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY")
+            && let Ok(user_id) = std::env::var(&env_key)
+            && !user_id.is_empty()
+        {
+            return Some(user_id);
+        }
+
+        None
+    }
+}
+
 /// How to handle timeouts for HTTP requests.
 #[derive(Clone, Default, Debug)]
 pub struct TimeoutConfig {
@@ -464,6 +503,15 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> RestfulLanceDbClient<S> {
            );
        }

+        if let Some(user_id) = config.resolve_user_id() {
+            headers.insert(
+                HeaderName::from_static("x-lancedb-user-id"),
+                HeaderValue::from_str(&user_id).map_err(|_| Error::InvalidInput {
+                    message: format!("non-ascii user_id '{}' provided", user_id),
+                })?,
+            );
+        }
+
        Ok(headers)
    }

@@ -1072,4 +1120,91 @@ mod tests {
            _ => panic!("Expected Runtime error"),
        }
    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_user_id_direct_value() {
+        let config = ClientConfig {
+            user_id: Some("direct-user-id".to_string()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        assert_eq!(config.resolve_user_id(), Some("direct-user-id".to_string()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_user_id_none() {
+        let config = ClientConfig::default();
+        // Clear env vars that might be set from other tests
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID");
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY");
+        }
+        assert_eq!(config.resolve_user_id(), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_user_id_from_env() {
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::set_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID", "env-user-id");
+        }
+        let config = ClientConfig::default();
+        assert_eq!(config.resolve_user_id(), Some("env-user-id".to_string()));
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID");
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_user_id_from_env_key() {
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID");
+            std::env::set_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY", "MY_CUSTOM_USER_ID");
+            std::env::set_var("MY_CUSTOM_USER_ID", "custom-env-user-id");
+        }
+        let config = ClientConfig::default();
+        assert_eq!(
+            config.resolve_user_id(),
+            Some("custom-env-user-id".to_string())
+        );
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY");
+            std::env::remove_var("MY_CUSTOM_USER_ID");
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_user_id_direct_takes_precedence() {
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::set_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID", "env-user-id");
+        }
+        let config = ClientConfig {
+            user_id: Some("direct-user-id".to_string()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        assert_eq!(config.resolve_user_id(), Some("direct-user-id".to_string()));
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID");
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_user_id_empty_env_ignored() {
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::set_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID", "");
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY");
+        }
+        let config = ClientConfig::default();
+        assert_eq!(config.resolve_user_id(), None);
+        // SAFETY: This is only called in tests
+        unsafe {
+            std::env::remove_var("LANCEDB_USER_ID");
+        }
+    }
 }
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/db.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/db.rs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ pub struct RemoteDatabaseOptions {
    pub host_override: Option<String>,
    /// Storage options configure the storage layer (e.g. S3, GCS, Azure, etc.)
    ///
-    /// See available options at <https://lancedb.com/docs/storage/>
+    /// See available options at <https://docs.lancedb.com/storage/>
    ///
    /// These options are only used for LanceDB Enterprise and only a subset of options
    /// are supported.
@@ -777,6 +777,32 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> Database for RemoteDatabase<S> {
        let namespace = builder.build();
        Ok(Arc::new(namespace) as Arc<dyn lance_namespace::LanceNamespace>)
    }
+
+    async fn namespace_client_config(&self) -> Result<(String, HashMap<String, String>)> {
+        let mut properties = HashMap::new();
+        properties.insert("uri".to_string(), self.client.host().to_string());
+        properties.insert("delimiter".to_string(), self.client.id_delimiter.clone());
+        for (key, value) in &self.namespace_headers {
+            properties.insert(format!("header.{}", key), value.clone());
+        }
+        // Add TLS configuration if present
+        if let Some(tls_config) = &self.tls_config {
+            if let Some(cert_file) = &tls_config.cert_file {
+                properties.insert("tls.cert_file".to_string(), cert_file.clone());
+            }
+            if let Some(key_file) = &tls_config.key_file {
+                properties.insert("tls.key_file".to_string(), key_file.clone());
+            }
+            if let Some(ssl_ca_cert) = &tls_config.ssl_ca_cert {
+                properties.insert("tls.ssl_ca_cert".to_string(), ssl_ca_cert.clone());
+            }
+            properties.insert(
+                "tls.assert_hostname".to_string(),
+                tls_config.assert_hostname.to_string(),
+            );
+        }
+        Ok(("rest".to_string(), properties))
+    }
 }

 /// RemoteOptions contains a subset of StorageOptions that are compatible with Remote LanceDB connections
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table.rs
+++ b/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
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table/dataset.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/table/dataset.rs
@@ -285,7 +285,10 @@ mod tests {

    use super::*;

-    use crate::{connect, io::object_store::io_tracking::IoStatsHolder, table::WriteOptions};
+    use crate::{
+        connect, io::object_store::io_tracking::IoStatsHolder, table::WriteOptions,
+        utils::background_cache::clock,
+    };

    async fn create_test_dataset(uri: &str) -> Dataset {
        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false)]));
@@ -463,6 +466,10 @@ mod tests {
        let uri = dir.path().to_str().unwrap();
        let ds = create_test_dataset(uri).await;

+        // Other tests use a thread-local mock clock. Simulate leaked state from a
+        // previous test to ensure this wrapper starts from real time.
+        clock::advance_by(Duration::from_secs(60));
+
        let wrapper = DatasetConsistencyWrapper::new_latest(ds, Some(Duration::from_millis(200)));

        // Populate the cache
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/table/query.rs
+++ b/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;
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/utils/background_cache.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/utils/background_cache.rs
@@ -107,6 +107,14 @@ where
            refresh_window < ttl,
            "refresh_window ({refresh_window:?}) must be less than ttl ({ttl:?})"
        );
+        #[cfg(test)]
+        {
+            // Tests may advance the thread-local mock clock and leave it behind for
+            // the next test that happens to run on the same worker thread. Each new
+            // cache should start from a clean clock state instead of inheriting
+            // unrelated mock time from a previous test.
+            clock::clear_mock();
+        }
        Self {
            inner: Arc::new(Mutex::new(CacheInner {
                state: State::Empty,
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
Lance Release	9ad2dfe601	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.7 → 0.31.0-beta.8	2026-04-19 04:18:45 +00:00
Jack Ye	f909df3e87	fix(python): use namespace-backed rust connection for namespace tables (#3286 ) So far, I have been using a hacky approach that creates and opens namespace-backed table, by getting its location and use a temporary lancedb connection to create or open it. This was working for features like credentials vending but is no longer fully working for the managed versioning feature, recently geneva tests have been failing here and there and various patches are not addressing the root cause. This PR fully fixes this and implements proper rust binding for it. Specifically: - build a real Rust namespace-backed connection from the Python namespace client - route namespace table create/open through that connection instead of resolved-location temp connections - keep namespace client naming consistent in the Rust bridge and preserve federated namespace + DuckDB behavior	2026-04-18 21:17:52 -07:00
Lance Release	d715bbb588	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.6 → 0.28.0-beta.7	2026-04-17 08:12:27 +00:00
Lance Release	5ce3d8d141	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.6 → 0.31.0-beta.7	2026-04-17 08:12:03 +00:00
Jack Ye	5eaac178b1	fix(python): pass namespace client on schema-only table create (#3283 ) ## Summary - pass `namespace_client` through the Python create-table path - ensure schema-only namespace table creation uses the namespace-aware empty-table flow - fix reopening namespace tables created without initial data	2026-04-17 01:11:18 -07:00
Lance Release	11af763fcd	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.5 → 0.28.0-beta.6	2026-04-16 18:57:28 +00:00
Lance Release	2ed5452e1c	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.5 → 0.31.0-beta.6	2026-04-16 18:57:05 +00:00
Xuanwo	b7c0b5987c	chore: upgrade lance to 6.0.0-beta.1 (#3281 )	2026-04-17 02:51:58 +08:00
Jack Ye	97a4b38f19	feat(rust): support nested namespace ops in listing db (#3279 ) ## Summary - delegate child-namespace `ListingDatabase` operations through an eagerly initialized `LanceNamespaceDatabase` - support nested namespace create/open/list/drop flows without requiring callers to inject explicit locations - add `namespace_client_properties` plumbing for local and namespace connections so directory namespace settings like `table_version_tracking_enabled` can be configured - add regression tests for nested namespace ops and namespace client property propagation	2026-04-16 10:12:28 -07:00
Gezi-lzq	10879d99b8	docs: fix broken documentation links (#3278 )	2026-04-15 20:56:59 +08:00
Lance Release	4e6a1d5dce	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.4 → 0.28.0-beta.5	2026-04-12 23:51:14 +00:00
Lance Release	13d2759356	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.4 → 0.31.0-beta.5	2026-04-12 23:50:50 +00:00
Jack Ye	7f52ec8c36	feat(python): support child namepsace operations and json serialization for LanceDBConnection (#3265 ) ## Summary Add connection serialization and child namespace support to `LanceDBConnection`. - `DBConnection.serialize()` / `lancedb.deserialize()` for connection reconstruction in remote workers - Cache `namespace_client()` in `LanceDBConnection` to avoid repeated DirectoryNamespace builds - `LanceDBConnection` transparently delegates child namespace operations (open_table, create_table, list_tables, drop_table, create_namespace, etc.) to `LanceNamespaceDBConnection` via `_namespace_conn()` - Root namespace operations still go through the original Rust path - Generic worker property override mechanism: any `namespace_client_properties` key prefixed with `_lancedb_worker_` has the prefix stripped and overrides the corresponding property when `deserialize(data, for_worker=True)` - `LanceNamespaceDBConnection` stores `namespace_client_impl`/`namespace_client_properties` for serialization roundtrip --------- Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>	2026-04-12 16:49:45 -07:00
Lance Release	c6ae0de3ee	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.3 → 0.28.0-beta.4	2026-04-12 03:57:58 +00:00
Lance Release	231f0655ce	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.3 → 0.31.0-beta.4	2026-04-12 03:57:35 +00:00
LanceDB Robot	8c52977c59	chore: update lance dependency to v5.1.0-beta.3 (#3266 ) ## Summary - Bump Rust Lance dependencies to `v5.1.0-beta.3` using `ci/set_lance_version.py`. - Update Java `lance-core.version` to `5.1.0-beta.3` in `java/pom.xml`. - Refresh `Cargo.lock` metadata to the `v5.1.0-beta.3` Lance git tag. ## Verification - `cargo clippy --workspace --tests --all-features -- -D warnings` - `cargo fmt --all` ## Upstream Tag - https://github.com/lance-format/lance/releases/tag/v5.1.0-beta.3	2026-04-11 20:56:49 -07:00
Lance Release	359710a0bf	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.2 → 0.28.0-beta.3	2026-04-11 22:44:52 +00:00
Lance Release	1f1726369d	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.2 → 0.31.0-beta.3	2026-04-11 22:44:25 +00:00
Lance Release	df354abae4	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.1 → 0.28.0-beta.2	2026-04-11 07:06:00 +00:00
Lance Release	11bc674548	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.1 → 0.31.0-beta.2	2026-04-11 07:05:36 +00:00
LanceDB Robot	5593460823	chore: update lance dependency to v5.1.0-beta.2 (#3263 ) ## Summary - Bump Lance Rust workspace dependencies from `5.0.0-beta.5` to `5.1.0-beta.2` using `ci/set_lance_version.py`. - Update Java `lance-core.version` in `java/pom.xml` to `5.1.0-beta.2`. - Refresh `Cargo.lock` to match the new Lance tag. ## Verification - `cargo clippy --workspace --tests --all-features -- -D warnings` (passes) - `cargo fmt --all` (passes) ## Triggering Tag - https://github.com/lance-format/lance/releases/tag/v5.1.0-beta.2	2026-04-11 00:04:43 -07:00
Will Jones	2807ad6854	chore: bump Rust toolchain from 1.91.0 to 1.94.0 (#3257 ) Bumps the Rust toolchain to 1.94.0 (latest installed) to unblock CI failures caused by the AWS SDK's MSRV requirement. No lint fixes were needed. --------- Co-authored-by: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>	2026-04-10 07:57:47 -07:00
Dhruv Garg	4761fa9bcb	fix(python): migrate gemini-text provider to google-genai sdk (#3250 ) ## Summary - migrate gemini-text embedding provider from deprecated google.generativeai to google.genai - update Python embedding extra dependency to google-genai - update default model name to gemini-embedding-001 - adapt embed calls to Client().models.embed_content(...) - apply lint fixes from CI ## Related - Closes #3191	2026-04-09 15:28:34 -07:00
lennylxx	4c2939d66e	fix(python): guard against None before .decode() on split_names metadata key (#3229 ) `.get(b"split_names", None).decode()` was called unconditionally in both Permutations.__init__ and Permutation.from_tables(), crashing with AttributeError when schema metadata existed but lacked the split_names key. Guard the decode behind a None check and add regression tests.	2026-04-08 16:04:13 -07:00
yaommen	a813ce2f71	fix(python): sanitize bad vectors before Arrow cast (#3158 ) ## Problem `on_bad_vectors="drop"` is supposed to remove invalid vector rows before write, but for some schema-defined vector columns it can still fail later during Arrow cast instead of dropping the bad row. Repro: ```python class MySchema(LanceModel): text: str embedding: Vector(16) table = db.create_table("test", schema=MySchema) table.add( [ {"text": "hello", "embedding": []}, {"text": "bar", "embedding": [0.1] * 16}, ], on_bad_vectors="drop", ) ``` Before: ``` RuntimeError Arrow error: C Data interface error: Invalid: ListType can only be casted to FixedSizeListType if the lists are all the expected size. ``` After: ``` rows 1 texts ['bar'] ``` ## Solution Make bad-vector sanitization use schema dimensions before cast, while keeping the handling scoped to vector columns identified by schema metadata or existing vector-name heuristics. This also preserves existing integer vector inputs and avoids applying on_bad_vectors to unrelated fixed-size float columns. Fixes #1670 Signed-off-by: yaommen <myanstu@163.com>	2026-04-08 09:09:41 -07:00
Jack Ye	a898dc81c2	feat: add user_id field to ClientConfig for user identification (#3240 ) ## Summary - Add a `user_id` field to `ClientConfig` that allows users to identify themselves to LanceDB Cloud/Enterprise - The user_id is sent as the `x-lancedb-user-id` HTTP header in all requests - Supports three configuration methods: - Direct assignment via `ClientConfig.user_id` - Environment variable `LANCEDB_USER_ID` - Indirect env var lookup via `LANCEDB_USER_ID_ENV_KEY` Closes #3230 🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code) --------- Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>	2026-04-06 11:20:10 -07:00
Lance Release	de3f8097e7	Bump version: 0.28.0-beta.0 → 0.28.0-beta.1	2026-04-05 02:51:18 +00:00
Lance Release	0ac59de5f1	Bump version: 0.31.0-beta.0 → 0.31.0-beta.1	2026-04-05 02:50:52 +00:00
LanceDB Robot	d082c2d2ac	chore: update lance dependency to v5.0.0-beta.5 (#3237 ) ## Summary - update Rust Lance workspace dependencies to `v5.0.0-beta.5` using `ci/set_lance_version.py` - update Java `lance-core` dependency property to `5.0.0-beta.5` - refresh Cargo lockfile to the new Lance tag ## Verification - `cargo clippy --workspace --tests --all-features -- -D warnings` - `cargo fmt --all` ## Upstream Tag - https://github.com/lance-format/lance/releases/tag/v5.0.0-beta.5 --------- Co-authored-by: Jack Ye <yezhaoqin@gmail.com>	2026-04-04 19:49:51 -07:00
Zelys	9d8699f99e	feat(python): support Enum types in Pydantic to Arrow schema conversion (#3232 ) ## Summary Fixes #1846. Python `Enum` fields raised `TypeError: Converting Pydantic type to Arrow Type: unsupported type <enum 'SomethingTypes'>` when converting a Pydantic model to an Arrow schema. The fix adds Enum detection in `_pydantic_type_to_arrow_type`. When an Enum subclass is encountered, the value type of its members is inspected and mapped to the appropriate Arrow type: - `str`-valued enums (e.g. `class Status(str, Enum)`) → `pa.utf8()` - `int`-valued enums (e.g. `class Priority(int, Enum)`) → `pa.int64()` - Other homogeneous value types → the Arrow type for that Python type - Mixed-value or empty enums → `pa.utf8()` (safe fallback) This covers the common `(str, Enum)` and `(int, Enum)` mixin patterns used in practice. ## Changes - `python/python/lancedb/pydantic.py`: add Enum branch in `_pydantic_type_to_arrow_type` - `python/python/tests/test_pydantic.py`: add `test_enum_types` covering `str`, `int`, and `Optional` Enum fields ## Note on #2395 PR #2395 handles `StrEnum` (Python 3.11+) specifically, using a dictionary-encoded type. This PR handles the broader `(str, Enum)` / `(int, Enum)` mixin pattern that works across all Python versions and stores values as their natural Arrow type. AI assistance was used in developing this fix.	2026-04-03 10:40:49 -07:00
Lance Release	aa2c7b3591	Bump version: 0.27.2 → 0.28.0-beta.0	2026-04-03 08:45:56 +00:00