Merge origin/main into gatekeeper/fix-3759-1

fix(python): support blob lists in dict appends
fix(python): preserve nested extension carriers
2026-09-01 11:08:55 +00:00 · 2026-08-28 01:19:19 +00:00 · 2026-08-26 23:47:47 +00:00 · 2026-08-26 23:21:40 +00:00 · 2026-08-26 22:55:54 +00:00
60 changed files with 11986 additions and 3156 deletions
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tool.bumpversion]
-current_version = "0.38.0"
+current_version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 parse = """(?x)
    (?P<major>0|[1-9]\\d*)\\.
    (?P<minor>0|[1-9]\\d*)\\.
@@ -44,27 +44,3 @@ updates:
      python-deps:
        patterns:
          - "*"
-
-  # The npm ecosystem covers pnpm lockfiles. There are two separate installs:
-  # the bindings themselves and the examples, which have their own lockfile.
-  # As with cargo and pip above, only bump the lockfile — the version ranges
-  # in package.json are our consumers' constraints, not ours.
-  - package-ecosystem: npm
-    directory: /nodejs
-    schedule:
-      interval: weekly
-    versioning-strategy: lockfile-only
-    groups:
-      nodejs-deps:
-        patterns:
-          - "*"
-
-  - package-ecosystem: npm
-    directory: /nodejs/examples
-    schedule:
-      interval: weekly
-    versioning-strategy: lockfile-only
-    groups:
-      nodejs-examples-deps:
-        patterns:
-          - "*"
@@ -29,14 +29,12 @@ jobs:
    steps:
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v6
        with:
-          node-version: "24"
-      - uses: pnpm/action-setup@v6
-        with:
-          version: 11.1.1
+          node-version: "18"
      # These rules are disabled because Github will always ensure there
      # is a blank line between the title and the body and Github will
      # word wrap the description field to ensure a reasonable max line
      # length.
+      - run: npm install @commitlint/config-conventional
      - run: >
          echo 'module.exports = {
            "rules": {
@@ -45,11 +43,7 @@ jobs:
              "body-leading-blank": [0, "always"]
            }
          }' > .commitlintrc.js
-      - run: >
-          pnpm dlx
-          --package @commitlint/cli@21.2.2
-          --package @commitlint/config-conventional@21.2.2
-          commitlint --extends @commitlint/config-conventional --verbose <<< $COMMIT_MSG
+      - run: npx commitlint --extends @commitlint/config-conventional --verbose <<< $COMMIT_MSG
        env:
          COMMIT_MSG: >
            ${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
@@ -60,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
        with:
          script: |
            const message = `**ACTION NEEDED**
-
+              
              Lance follows the [Conventional Commits specification](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.0/) for release automation.

              The PR title and description are used as the merge commit message.\
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
        uses: lycheeverse/lychee-action@e7477775783ea5526144ba13e8db5eec57747ce8 # v2.9.0
        with:
          # Restricted to http(s) on purpose. Much of docs/src is generated
-          # API reference (the js/ tree comes from `pnpm run docs` in nodejs)
+          # API reference (the js/ tree comes from `npm run docs` in nodejs)
          # and the hand-written pages use mkdocstrings cross-references and
          # nav-relative paths that only resolve in the site mkdocs builds,
          # not in this checkout, so relative links would be reported as
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ jobs:
      - name: Set up node
        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
        with:
-          node-version: 24
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: 'npm'
+          cache-dependency-path: docs/package-lock.json
      - name: Install node dependencies
        working-directory: nodejs
        run: |
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ jobs:
        version: 11.1.1
    - uses: actions/setup-node@v6
      with:
-        # Build on a supported LTS; the matrix job below covers every
-        # Node version the library claims to support.
+        # pnpm 11 requires Node >= 22.13; use 24 since 22 hits EOL
+        # in October. The library itself still supports Node >= 18
+        # (see test matrix below).
        node-version: 24
        cache: 'pnpm'
        cache-dependency-path: nodejs/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ jobs:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    strategy:
      matrix:
-        node-version: [ "22", "24", "26" ]
+        node-version: [ "18", "20" ]
    runs-on: "ubuntu-22.04"
    defaults:
      run:
@@ -100,9 +101,9 @@ jobs:
    - uses: actions/setup-node@v6
      name: Setup Node.js 24 for build
      with:
-        # Build and install once on a fixed version so the generated docs
-        # are identical across matrix legs; the tests below then run on each
-        # supported Node version.
+        # pnpm 11 requires Node >= 22.13; use 24 since 22 hits EOL
+        # in October. Build/install runs on Node 24; tests run on the
+        # matrix version below using direct jest invocation.
        node-version: 24
        cache: 'pnpm'
        cache-dependency-path: nodejs/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -151,9 +152,9 @@ jobs:
        S3_TEST: "1"
        # Newer @smithy/core uses dynamic ESM imports.
        NODE_OPTIONS: "--experimental-vm-modules"
-      # Invoke the installed jest binary directly; the pnpm shim is set up
-      # against the build-phase Node, not the version selected above.
-      run: node_modules/.bin/jest --verbose
+      # Invoke jest directly because pnpm 11 itself requires Node 22+
+      # while the matrix tests on older Node versions.
+      run: npx jest --verbose
    - name: Test examples
      working-directory: ./
      env:
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ jobs:
      run: |
        python ci/mock_openai.py &
        cd nodejs/examples
-        node_modules/.bin/jest --testEnvironment jest-environment-node-single-context --verbose
+        npx jest --testEnvironment jest-environment-node-single-context --verbose
  macos:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    # macos-15 ships a newer linker; the older macos-14 linker fails to insert
@@ -184,7 +185,8 @@ jobs:
        version: 11.1.1
    - uses: actions/setup-node@v6
      with:
-        # pnpm 11 requires Node >= 22.13.
+        # pnpm 11 requires Node >= 22.13; use 24 since 22 hits EOL
+        # in October.
        node-version: 24
        cache: 'pnpm'
        cache-dependency-path: nodejs/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -168,7 +168,8 @@ jobs:
      - name: Setup node
        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
        with:
-          # pnpm 11 requires Node >= 22.13.
+          # pnpm 11 requires Node >= 22.13; use 24 since 22 hits EOL
+          # in October.
          node-version: 24
          cache: pnpm
          cache-dependency-path: nodejs/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ jobs:
          run: |
            set -e
            ${{ matrix.settings.pre_build }}
-            node_modules/.bin/napi build --platform --release \
+            npx napi build --platform --release \
              --features ${{ matrix.settings.features }} \
              --target ${{ matrix.settings.target }} \
              --dts ../lancedb/native.d.ts \
@@ -270,7 +271,7 @@ jobs:
      - name: Build
        run: |
          ${{ matrix.settings.pre_build }}
-          node_modules/.bin/napi build --platform --release \
+          npx napi build --platform --release \
              --features ${{ matrix.settings.features }} \
              --target ${{ matrix.settings.target }} \
              --dts ../lancedb/native.d.ts \
@@ -338,7 +339,7 @@ jobs:
          - target: aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
            host: ubuntu-2404-8x-arm64
        node:
-          - '22'
+          - '20'
    runs-on: ${{ matrix.settings.host }}
    defaults:
      run:
@@ -384,9 +385,9 @@ jobs:
      - name: Move built files
        run: cp dist/native.d.ts dist/native.js dist/*.node lancedb/
      - name: Test bindings
-        # Invoke the installed jest binary directly; the pnpm shim is set up
-        # against the install-phase Node, not the version selected above.
-        run: node_modules/.bin/jest --verbose
+        # Invoke jest directly because pnpm 11 itself requires Node 22+
+        # while the matrix tests on older Node versions.
+        run: npx jest --verbose
  publish:
    name: Publish
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: Update package-lock.json
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  publish:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          ref: main
+          persist-credentials: false
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          lfs: true
+      - uses: ./.github/workflows/update_package_lock
+        with:
+          github_token: ${{ secrets.LANCEDB_RELEASE_TOKEN }}
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: Update NodeJs package-lock.json
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  publish:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          ref: main
+          persist-credentials: false
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          lfs: true
+      - uses: ./.github/workflows/update_package_lock_nodejs
+        with:
+          github_token: ${{ secrets.LANCEDB_RELEASE_TOKEN }}
@@ -20,10 +20,7 @@ repos:
    hooks:
      - id: local-biome-check
        name: biome check
-        # Use the biome from nodejs/package.json rather than a separately
-        # pinned one: the two drifted apart and disagreed on formatting, so
-        # this hook rejected code that `pnpm lint` accepted.
-        entry: nodejs/node_modules/.bin/biome check --config-path nodejs/biome.json nodejs/
+        entry: npx @biomejs/biome@1.8.3 check --config-path nodejs/biome.json nodejs/
        language: system
        types: [text]
        files: "nodejs/.*"
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Before committing changes, run formatting for every language you touched. At min
 * Rust changes: run `cargo fmt --all`.
 * Python changes: run `ruff format .` and `ruff check .` from the repository root,
  and run targeted tests through `cd python && uv run ...`.
-* TypeScript changes: run the relevant `pnpm` lint, format, build, and docs commands in `nodejs`.
+* TypeScript changes: run the relevant `npm`/`pnpm` lint, format, build, and docs commands in `nodejs`.

 Before creating a PR, the exact value passed to `gh pr create --title` must follow
 Conventional Commits, such as `fix: support nested field paths in native index creation`
@@ -101,12 +101,12 @@ Python bindings changes:
 TypeScript bindings changes:

 1. Add napi-rs method binding on `Table` in `nodejs/src/table.rs`.
-2. Run `pnpm build` to generate TypeScript definitions.
+2. Run `npm run build` to generate TypeScript definitions.
 3. Add typescript method on abstract class `Table` in `nodejs/src/table.ts`.
 4. Add concrete method on `LocalTable` class in `nodejs/src/native_table.ts`.
    * Note: despite the name, this class is also used for remote tables.
 5. Add test in `nodejs/__test__/table.test.ts`.
-6. Run `pnpm run docs` to generate TypeScript documentation.
+6. Run `npm run docs` to generate TypeScript documentation.

 ## Python API reference

@@ -535,9 +535,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "async-trait"
-version = "0.1.92"
+version = "0.1.91"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "82f6aeea286b8eb4dd3431a1be1b59d290ace00f5bfd8e2a159bc2a05e2c1667"
+checksum = "ae36dc4177970ef04fde5178d3e2429882def40e57a451f919c098f72baa6cec"
 dependencies = [
 "proc-macro2",
 "quote",
@@ -1443,9 +1443,9 @@ checksum = "175812e0be2bccb6abe50bb8d566126198344f707e304f45c648fd8f2cc0365e"

 [[package]]
 name = "bytemuck"
-version = "1.25.2"
+version = "1.25.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "95832e849adfb21180ccb6826a99da14e5d266ae5c2e668e1602cf234f153797"
+checksum = "c8efb64bd706a16a1bdde310ae86b351e4d21550d98d056f22f8a7f7a2183fec"
 dependencies = [
 "bytemuck_derive",
 ]
@@ -1597,9 +1597,9 @@ checksum = "613afe47fcd5fac7ccf1db93babcb082c5994d996f20b8b159f2ad1658eb5724"

 [[package]]
 name = "chacha20"
-version = "0.10.2"
+version = "0.10.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "65c35e4b699c7e15ccbe7ee35c005e4fc0a278d22238a2857e6ce2dadeda1b06"
+checksum = "6f8d983286843e49675a4b7a2d174efe136dc93a18d69130dd18198a6c167601"
 dependencies = [
 "cfg-if 1.0.4",
 "cpufeatures 0.3.0",
@@ -3455,8 +3455,8 @@ checksum = "42703706b716c37f96a77aea830392ad231f44c9e9a67872fa5548707e11b11c"

 [[package]]
 name = "fsst"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "rand 0.9.5",
@@ -4815,8 +4815,8 @@ checksum = "e037a2e1d8d5fdbd49b16a4ea09d5d6401c1f29eca5ff29d03d3824dba16256a"

 [[package]]
 name = "lance"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arc-swap",
 "arrow",
@@ -4888,8 +4888,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-arrow"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -4911,7 +4911,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "lance-arrow-scalar"
 version = "58.0.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -4925,7 +4925,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "lance-arrow-stats"
 version = "58.0.0"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-schema",
@@ -4934,8 +4934,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-bitpacking"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrayref",
 "crunchy",
@@ -4945,8 +4945,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-core"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -4983,8 +4983,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-datafusion"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -5013,8 +5013,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-datagen"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -5031,8 +5031,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-derive"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "proc-macro2",
 "quote",
@@ -5041,8 +5041,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-encoding"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-arith",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -5075,8 +5075,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-file"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-arith",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -5107,8 +5107,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-index"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arc-swap",
 "arrow",
@@ -5172,8 +5172,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-index-core"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-schema",
@@ -5195,8 +5195,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-io"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -5236,8 +5236,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-linalg"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-schema",
@@ -5251,8 +5251,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-namespace"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "async-trait",
@@ -5264,8 +5264,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-namespace-impls"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-ipc",
@@ -5318,8 +5318,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-select"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -5333,8 +5333,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-table"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "arrow-array",
@@ -5374,8 +5374,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-testing"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-schema",
@@ -5388,8 +5388,8 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lance-tokenizer"
-version = "12.0.0-beta.5"
-source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.5#556637791d0048c2b4f1342dd84b67c8bbd65259"
+version = "12.0.0-beta.2"
+source = "git+https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git?tag=v12.0.0-beta.2#dafa4642658d996b3e31dde91e02f72db7860d7e"
 dependencies = [
 "frostem",
 "icu_segmenter",
@@ -5402,7 +5402,7 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lancedb"
-version = "0.38.0"
+version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 dependencies = [
 "ahash",
 "anyhow",
@@ -5490,7 +5490,7 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lancedb-nodejs"
-version = "0.38.0"
+version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow-array",
 "arrow-buffer",
@@ -5515,7 +5515,7 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "lancedb-python"
-version = "0.38.0"
+version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 dependencies = [
 "arrow",
 "async-trait",
@@ -5748,9 +5748,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "log"
-version = "0.4.34"
+version = "0.4.33"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f9f8bd3e56ce4dfc153cf470fffbfa98c7620958b312ca5c3a4b8d5181fd13c6"
+checksum = "0ceec5bc11778974d1bcb055b18002eba7f4b3518b6a0081b3af5f21666da9ad"

 [[package]]
 name = "loom"
@@ -6001,9 +6001,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "moka"
-version = "0.12.16"
+version = "0.12.15"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4293f18e7567a1caf3c584855554377025c65e0aa445344d04171f5ad63d19b9"
+checksum = "957228ad12042ee839f93c8f257b62b4c0ab5eaae1d4fa60de53b27c9d7c5046"
 dependencies = [
 "async-lock",
 "crossbeam-channel",
@@ -6097,15 +6097,14 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "napi"
-version = "3.12.2"
+version = "3.11.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "58c5f4d5375213fdb7be2655e152386e82f026f9a5ba36a75556e11359aafe09"
+checksum = "de33522036981030a75c231829566bc63414e08101a6f5ff4ac6cef19c8e0941"
 dependencies = [
 "bitflags 2.11.1",
 "chrono",
 "ctor 1.0.12",
 "futures",
- "libc",
 "napi-build",
 "napi-sys",
 "nohash-hasher",
@@ -6117,15 +6116,15 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "napi-build"
-version = "2.4.1"
+version = "2.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "60fdf9b392c50e7c4170fa633bd909490ed7835cea4c046776d1a4dd8d2ae0ab"
+checksum = "5282704fbe8d49b0cf8b08e3f33233416a528658f205c7e5ace63b582de0b11c"

 [[package]]
 name = "napi-derive"
-version = "3.6.3"
+version = "3.6.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0fa55ea69990c90b888e9e77044410e304ce7f35de599dc6d0b5c1923d2e59af"
+checksum = "4d5c9c02556ea6dc99dffd36c1ce60141411657438501a125b675776d011ce92"
 dependencies = [
 "convert_case",
 "ctor 1.0.12",
@@ -6137,9 +6136,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "napi-derive-backend"
-version = "6.1.2"
+version = "6.1.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "df4056ac7c18e4438ccf0edaed4340ca0d269278c8ec19284f7b23cb039fd0ae"
+checksum = "d60b5d773ad46c698c8cc2cd9fde0b283d39cbb7f71c04bee633c7bdba4423bd"
 dependencies = [
 "convert_case",
 "proc-macro2",
@@ -8602,9 +8601,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "roaring"
-version = "0.11.5"
+version = "0.11.4"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "18bd8a37d17a58532776dcdf6041ce64929adca78e8489d5cacbafe99229d3e1"
+checksum = "1dedc5658c6ecb3bdb5ef5f3295bb9253f42dcf3fd1402c03f6b1f7659c3c4a9"
 dependencies = [
 "bytemuck",
 "byteorder",
@@ -9064,9 +9063,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "serde_with"
-version = "3.22.0"
+version = "3.21.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ee78f1fbe43ac4a0e47aadb3dbd357b69eb0d3793e948624cd03dd2750ab1c0a"
+checksum = "76a5c54c7310e7b8b9577c286d7e399ddd876c3e12b3ed917a8aabc4b96e9e8c"
 dependencies = [
 "base64 0.22.1",
 "bs58",
@@ -9074,7 +9073,6 @@ dependencies = [
 "hex",
 "indexmap 1.9.3",
 "indexmap 2.14.0",
- "jiff",
 "schemars 0.9.0",
 "schemars 1.2.1",
 "serde_core",
@@ -9085,9 +9083,9 @@ dependencies = [

 [[package]]
 name = "serde_with_macros"
-version = "3.22.0"
+version = "3.21.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8705578779c2b6bd90d84d66eb2e206b708b1a4d7b9f17641b293545bf1c7e46"
+checksum = "84d57bc0c8b9a17920c178daa6bb924850d54a9c97ab45194bb8c17ad66bb660"
 dependencies = [
 "darling 0.23.0",
 "proc-macro2",
@@ -10454,9 +10452,9 @@ checksum = "06abde3611657adf66d383f00b093d7faecc7fa57071cce2578660c9f1010821"

 [[package]]
 name = "uuid"
-version = "1.26.0"
+version = "1.24.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b5772d71c9be8a8a6ac2117d949c5b224c1b72241bb611d9a3012edcf8af7812"
+checksum = "bf3923a6f5c4c6382e0b653c4117f48d631ea17f38ed86e2a828e6f7412f5239"
 dependencies = [
 "getrandom 0.4.2",
 "js-sys",
@@ -13,20 +13,20 @@ categories = ["database-implementations"]
 rust-version = "1.91.0"

 [workspace.dependencies]
-lance = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", default-features = false, "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-core = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-datagen = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-file = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-io = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", default-features = false, "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-index = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-linalg = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-namespace = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-namespace-impls = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", default-features = false, "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-table = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-testing = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-datafusion = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-encoding = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
-lance-arrow = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.5", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.5", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", default-features = false, "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-core = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-datagen = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-file = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-io = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", default-features = false, "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-index = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-linalg = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-namespace = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-namespace-impls = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", default-features = false, "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-table = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-testing = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-datafusion = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-encoding = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
+lance-arrow = { "version" = "=12.0.0-beta.2", "tag" = "v12.0.0-beta.2", "git" = "https://github.com/lance-format/lance.git" }
 lancedb = { path = "rust/lancedb", default-features = false }
 ahash = "0.8"
 # Note that this one does not include pyarrow
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ licenses:
 	cd python && cargo about generate ../about.hbs -o RUST_THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.html -c ../about.toml
 	cd python && uv sync --all-extras && uv tool run pip-licenses --python .venv/bin/python --format=markdown --with-urls --output-file=PYTHON_THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md
 	cd nodejs && cargo about generate ../about.hbs -o RUST_THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.html -c ../about.toml
-	cd nodejs && pnpm dlx license-checker@25 --markdown --out NODEJS_THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md
+	cd nodejs && npx license-checker --markdown --out NODEJS_THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md
 	cd java && ./mvnw license:aggregate-add-third-party -q
@@ -12,12 +12,16 @@ done
 # This updates the lockfile without building
 cargo metadata --quiet > /dev/null

+pushd nodejs || exit 1
+npm install --package-lock-only --silent
+popd
+
 if git diff --quiet --exit-code; then
  echo "No lockfile changes to commit; skipping amend."
 elif $AMEND; then
-  git add Cargo.lock
+  git add Cargo.lock nodejs/package-lock.json
  git commit --amend --no-edit
 else
-  git add Cargo.lock
+  git add Cargo.lock nodejs/package-lock.json
  git commit -m "Update lockfiles"
 fi
@@ -131,13 +131,18 @@ allow = [
    "BSD-3-Clause",
    "ISC",
    "Unicode-3.0",
+    "Unicode-DFS-2016",
    "Zlib",
    "CC0-1.0",
    "MPL-2.0",
    "BSL-1.0",
+    "OpenSSL",
    # 0BSD ("BSD Zero Clause") is effectively public domain — no attribution
    # required. Pulled in by `mock_instant`.
    "0BSD",
+    # bzip2-1.0.6 is the permissive upstream bzip2 license (BSD-like). Pulled
+    # in by `libbz2-rs-sys`, the pure-Rust bzip2 implementation.
+    "bzip2-1.0.6",
    # CDLA-Permissive-2.0 is a permissive data license used by `webpki-roots`
    # for the Mozilla CA root bundle. Data-only, distribution-compatible.
    "CDLA-Permissive-2.0",
@@ -145,7 +150,12 @@ allow = [
 confidence-threshold = 0.8
 # Per-crate license exceptions: allow a license for a specific crate only,
 # rather than globally via the `allow` list above.
-exceptions = []
+exceptions = [
+    # CDDL-1.0 (copyleft) is pulled in only as a dev/profiling dependency via
+    # `inferno` -> `pprof` -> `lance-testing`; it is a test dependency that we
+    # do not distribute, so scope the allowance to `inferno` alone.
+    { allow = ["CDDL-1.0"], crate = "inferno" },
+]
 # Crates whose license cannot be determined from Cargo metadata but whose
 # license we've manually confirmed from upstream. Keep this list minimal.
 [[licenses.clarify]]
@@ -47,24 +47,22 @@ pytest -vv python/tests/docs

 ### Checking typescript examples

-The examples depend on `@lancedb/lancedb` at `file:../dist`, so the package must be
-built before running the tests. This uses pnpm; see the
-[Typescript contributing guide](../nodejs/CONTRIBUTING.md) for the toolchain setup.
+The `@lancedb/lancedb` package must be built before running the tests:

 ```shell
 pushd nodejs
-pnpm install
-pnpm build
+npm ci
+npm run build
 popd
 ```

-Then you can run the examples by going to the `nodejs/examples` directory, which is a
-separate pnpm package with its own lockfile:
+Then you can run the examples by going to the `nodejs/examples` directory and
+running the tests like a normal npm package:

 ```shell
 pushd nodejs/examples
-pnpm install
-pnpm test
+npm ci
+npm test
 popd
 ```

@@ -86,7 +84,6 @@ The new files should be checked into the repository.

 ```shell
 pushd nodejs
-# `pnpm docs` would invoke pnpm's built-in `docs` command, not the script.
-pnpm run docs
+npm run docs
 popd
 ```
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+{
+  "name": "lancedb-docs-test",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "lockfileVersion": 3,
+  "requires": true,
+  "packages": {
+    "": {
+      "name": "lancedb-docs-test",
+      "version": "1.0.0",
+      "license": "Apache 2",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "apache-arrow": "file:../node/node_modules/apache-arrow",
+        "vectordb": "file:../node"
+      },
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "@types/node": "^20.11.8",
+        "typescript": "^5.3.3"
+      }
+    },
+    "../node": {
+      "name": "vectordb",
+      "version": "0.21.2-beta.0",
+      "cpu": [
+        "x64",
+        "arm64"
+      ],
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "os": [
+        "darwin",
+        "linux",
+        "win32"
+      ],
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@neon-rs/load": "^0.0.74",
+        "axios": "^1.4.0"
+      },
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "@neon-rs/cli": "^0.0.160",
+        "@types/chai": "^4.3.4",
+        "@types/chai-as-promised": "^7.1.5",
+        "@types/mocha": "^10.0.1",
+        "@types/node": "^18.16.2",
+        "@types/sinon": "^10.0.15",
+        "@types/temp": "^0.9.1",
+        "@types/uuid": "^9.0.3",
+        "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^5.59.1",
+        "apache-arrow-old": "npm:apache-arrow@13.0.0",
+        "cargo-cp-artifact": "^0.1",
+        "chai": "^4.3.7",
+        "chai-as-promised": "^7.1.1",
+        "eslint": "^8.39.0",
+        "eslint-config-standard-with-typescript": "^34.0.1",
+        "eslint-plugin-import": "^2.26.0",
+        "eslint-plugin-n": "^15.7.0",
+        "eslint-plugin-promise": "^6.1.1",
+        "mocha": "^10.2.0",
+        "openai": "^4.24.1",
+        "sinon": "^15.1.0",
+        "temp": "^0.9.4",
+        "ts-node": "^10.9.1",
+        "ts-node-dev": "^2.0.0",
+        "typedoc": "^0.24.7",
+        "typedoc-plugin-markdown": "^3.15.3",
+        "typescript": "^5.1.0",
+        "uuid": "^9.0.0"
+      },
+      "optionalDependencies": {
+        "@lancedb/vectordb-darwin-arm64": "0.21.2-beta.0",
+        "@lancedb/vectordb-darwin-x64": "0.21.2-beta.0",
+        "@lancedb/vectordb-linux-arm64-gnu": "0.21.2-beta.0",
+        "@lancedb/vectordb-linux-x64-gnu": "0.21.2-beta.0",
+        "@lancedb/vectordb-win32-x64-msvc": "0.21.2-beta.0"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "@apache-arrow/ts": "^14.0.2",
+        "apache-arrow": "^14.0.2"
+      }
+    },
+    "../node/node_modules/apache-arrow": {
+      "version": "14.0.2",
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@types/command-line-args": "5.2.0",
+        "@types/command-line-usage": "5.0.2",
+        "@types/node": "20.3.0",
+        "@types/pad-left": "2.1.1",
+        "command-line-args": "5.2.1",
+        "command-line-usage": "7.0.1",
+        "flatbuffers": "23.5.26",
+        "json-bignum": "^0.0.3",
+        "pad-left": "^2.1.0",
+        "tslib": "^2.5.3"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "arrow2csv": "bin/arrow2csv.js"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@types/node": {
+      "version": "20.11.8",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-20.11.8.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-i7omyekpPTNdv4Jb/Rgqg0RU8YqLcNsI12quKSDkRXNfx7Wxdm6HhK1awT3xTgEkgxPn3bvnSpiEAc7a7Lpyow==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "undici-types": "~5.26.4"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/apache-arrow": {
+      "resolved": "../node/node_modules/apache-arrow",
+      "link": true
+    },
+    "node_modules/typescript": {
+      "version": "5.3.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript/-/typescript-5.3.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-pXWcraxM0uxAS+tN0AG/BF2TyqmHO014Z070UsJ+pFvYuRSq8KH8DmWpnbXe0pEPDHXZV3FcAbJkijJ5oNEnWw==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "bin": {
+        "tsc": "bin/tsc",
+        "tsserver": "bin/tsserver"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=14.17"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/undici-types": {
+      "version": "5.26.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-5.26.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-JlCMO+ehdEIKqlFxk6IfVoAUVmgz7cU7zD/h9XZ0qzeosSHmUJVOzSQvvYSYWXkFXC+IfLKSIffhv0sVZup6pA==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
+    "node_modules/vectordb": {
+      "resolved": "../node",
+      "link": true
+    }
+  }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+  "name": "lancedb-docs-test",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "auto-generated tests from doc",
+  "author": "dev@lancedb.com",
+  "license": "Apache 2",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "apache-arrow": "file:../node/node_modules/apache-arrow",
+    "vectordb": "file:../node"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "build": "tsc -b && cd ../node && npm run build-release",
+    "example": "npm run build && node",
+    "test": "npm run build && ls dist/*.js | xargs -n 1 node"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/node": "^20.11.8",
+    "typescript": "^5.3.3"
+  }
+}
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Add the following dependency to your `pom.xml`:
 <dependency>
    <groupId>com.lancedb</groupId>
    <artifactId>lancedb-core</artifactId>
-    <version>0.38.0</version>
+    <version>0.38.0-beta.12</version>
 </dependency>
 ```

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+  "include": [
+    "src/*.ts",
+  ],
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "target": "es2022",
+    "module": "nodenext",
+    "declaration": true,
+    "outDir": "./dist",
+    "strict": true,
+    "allowJs": true,
+    "resolveJsonModule": true,
+  },
+  "exclude": [
+    "./dist/*",
+  ]
+}
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
    <parent>
      <groupId>com.lancedb</groupId>
      <artifactId>lancedb-parent</artifactId>
-      <version>0.38.0-final.0</version>
+      <version>0.38.0-beta.12</version>
      <relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>
    </parent>

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@

    <groupId>com.lancedb</groupId>
    <artifactId>lancedb-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.38.0-final.0</version>
+    <version>0.38.0-beta.12</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>12.0.0-beta.5</lance-core.version>
+        <lance-core.version>12.0.0-beta.2</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>
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 name = "lancedb-nodejs"
 edition.workspace = true
-version = "0.38.0"
+version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 publish = false
 license.workspace = true
 description.workspace = true
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import packageJson = require("../package.json");

 describe("package metadata", () => {
  it("requires Node.js type declarations compatible with the runtime", () => {
-    expect(packageJson.engines.node).toBe(">= 22");
-    expect(packageJson.peerDependencies["@types/node"]).toBe(">=22");
+    expect(packageJson.engines.node).toBe(">= 18");
+    expect(packageJson.peerDependencies["@types/node"]).toBe(">=18");
    expect(packageJson.peerDependenciesMeta["@types/node"]).toEqual({
      optional: true,
    });
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@

 import * as http from "http";
 import { RequestListener } from "http";
-import packageJson = require("../package.json");
 import {
  ClientConfig,
  Connection,
@@ -71,13 +70,7 @@ async function withMockDatabase(
  try {
    await callback(db);
  } finally {
-    // `close()` alone leaves the port bound until keep-alive sockets drain, so
-    // a single failing test would cascade into EADDRINUSE for every test after
-    // it. Destroy the connections and wait for the port to actually be free.
-    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-      server.closeAllConnections();
-      server.close(() => resolve());
-    });
+    server.close();
  }
 }

@@ -138,7 +131,7 @@ describe("remote connection", () => {
      (req, res) => {
        expect(req.headers["x-api-key"]).toEqual("fake");
        expect(req.headers["user-agent"]).toEqual(
-          `LanceDB-Node-Client/${packageJson.version}`,
+          `LanceDB-Node-Client/${process.env.npm_package_version}`,
        );

        const body = JSON.stringify({ tables: [] });
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
    "//1": "--experimental-vm-modules is needed to run jest with sentence-transformers",
    "//2": "--testEnvironment is needed to run jest with sentence-transformers",
    "//3": "See: https://github.com/huggingface/transformers.js/issues/57",
-    "//4": "jest is invoked by its JS entry, not node_modules/.bin/jest: under pnpm that path is a shell shim, which `node` cannot execute",
-    "test": "node --experimental-vm-modules node_modules/jest/bin/jest.js --testEnvironment jest-environment-node-single-context --verbose",
+    "test": "node --experimental-vm-modules node_modules/.bin/jest --testEnvironment jest-environment-node-single-context --verbose",
    "lint": "biome check *.ts && biome format *.ts",
    "lint-ci": "biome ci .",
    "lint-fix": "biome check --write *.ts && pnpm format",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-darwin-arm64",
-	"version": "0.38.0",
+	"version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
 	"os": ["darwin"],
 	"cpu": ["arm64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.darwin-arm64.node",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-arm64-gnu",
-	"version": "0.38.0",
+	"version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["arm64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-arm64-gnu.node",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-arm64-musl",
-	"version": "0.38.0",
+	"version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["arm64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-arm64-musl.node",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-x64-gnu",
-	"version": "0.38.0",
+	"version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["x64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-x64-gnu.node",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-linux-x64-musl",
-	"version": "0.38.0",
+	"version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
 	"os": ["linux"],
 	"cpu": ["x64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.linux-x64-musl.node",
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@lancedb/lancedb-win32-arm64-msvc",
-  "version": "0.38.0",
+  "version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
  "os": [
    "win32"
  ],
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "@lancedb/lancedb-win32-x64-msvc",
-	"version": "0.38.0",
+	"version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
 	"os": ["win32"],
 	"cpu": ["x64"],
 	"main": "lancedb.win32-x64-msvc.node",
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
    "ann"
  ],
  "private": false,
-  "version": "0.38.0",
+  "version": "0.38.0-beta.12",
  "main": "dist/index.js",
  "exports": {
    ".": "./dist/index.js",
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
    "timeout": "3m"
  },
  "engines": {
-    "node": ">= 22"
+    "node": ">= 18"
  },
  "packageManager": "pnpm@11.1.1",
  "cpu": ["x64", "arm64"],
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
    "openai": "4.29.2"
  },
  "peerDependencies": {
-    "@types/node": ">=22",
+    "@types/node": ">=18",
    "apache-arrow": ">=15.0.0 <=18.1.0"
  },
  "peerDependenciesMeta": {
@@ -664,11 +664,7 @@ impl JsFullTextQuery {
 }

 fn parse_fts_query(query: Object) -> napi::Result<FullTextSearchQuery> {
-    // `&JsFullTextQuery` recovers a native class reference through napi's borrow-tracked
-    // path, which is only usable from generated `#[napi]` argument conversion. This is a
-    // manual lookup on a nested `Object` property instead, so use `ClassInstance`, which
-    // unwraps the class without requiring a borrow scope.
-    if let Ok(Some(query)) = query.get::<ClassInstance<JsFullTextQuery>>("query") {
+    if let Ok(Some(query)) = query.get::<&JsFullTextQuery>("query") {
        Ok(FullTextSearchQuery::new_query(query.inner.clone()))
    } else if let Ok(Some(query_text)) = query.get::<String>("query") {
        let mut query_text = query_text;
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "lancedb-python"
-version = "0.38.0"
+version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 publish = false
 edition.workspace = true
 description = "Python bindings for LanceDB"
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@ class Connection(object):
    def job(self, job_id: str) -> Job: ...
    async def create_function_async(self, request_json: str) -> Job: ...
    async def get_function(self, name: str, version: str) -> str: ...
-    async def drop_function(self, name: str, version: str) -> bool: ...
    async def list_jobs(self) -> List[JobInfo]: ...
    async def get_job(self, job_id: str) -> Optional[JobDescription]: ...
    async def cancel_job(self, job_id: str) -> bool: ...
@@ -712,16 +712,6 @@ class DBConnection(EnforceOverrides):
            "Function catalog operations are not supported for this connection type"
        )

-    def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
-        """Drop one exact immutable Function version from the remote catalog.
-
-        Returns True when the version changed to Dropped and False for an
-        idempotent replay. Local connections raise NotImplementedError.
-        """
-        raise NotImplementedError(
-            "Function catalog operations are not supported for this connection type"
-        )
-
    def job(self, job_id: str) -> Job:
        """A [Job][lancedb.job.Job] handle for a server-side job by id.

@@ -1423,10 +1413,6 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
    def get_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> FunctionVersion:
        return LOOP.run(self._conn.get_function(name, version=version))

-    @override
-    def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
-        return LOOP.run(self._conn.drop_function(name, version=version))
-
    @override
    def list_jobs(self) -> List[JobInfo]:
        """List server-side jobs across the database's tables."""
@@ -2257,10 +2243,6 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
        """Open one exact immutable Function version from the remote catalog."""
        return FunctionVersion.from_json(await self._inner.get_function(name, version))

-    async def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
-        """Drop one exact immutable Function version from the remote catalog."""
-        return await self._inner.drop_function(name, version)
-
    async def list_jobs(self) -> List[JobInfo]:
        """List server-side jobs across the database's tables."""
        return await self._inner.list_jobs()
@@ -49,25 +49,11 @@ from pydantic import (
    model_validator,
 )

-from .schema import is_blob_v2_field as _is_blob_v2_field
-
 _Int32 = conint(strict=True, ge=-(2**31), le=2**31 - 1)
 _UInt32 = conint(strict=True, ge=0, le=2**32 - 1)
 _UInt64 = conint(strict=True, ge=0, le=2**64 - 1)


-def _validate_gpu_wire_marker(value: Any) -> bool:
-    if value is not True:
-        raise ValueError("runtime.gpu must be true")
-    return True
-
-
-def _normalize_gpu_marker(value: bool) -> Optional[bool]:
-    if not isinstance(value, bool):
-        raise ValueError("gpu must be a boolean")
-    return True if value else None
-
-
 class _FrozenDict(dict):
    def _immutable(self, *args, **kwargs):
        raise TypeError("remote canonical values are immutable")
@@ -253,23 +239,6 @@ class PythonRuntimeSpec(_RemoteValue):
    python_version: Optional[str] = None
    environment: Optional[PythonEnvironmentSpec] = None
    env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None
-    gpu: Optional[bool] = None
-
-    @model_validator(mode="before")
-    @classmethod
-    def _discard_unknown_runtime_payload(cls, value):
-        if isinstance(value, Mapping):
-            kind = value.get("kind")
-            if isinstance(kind, str) and kind not in {"python", "python_v2"}:
-                return {"kind": kind}
-        return value
-
-    @field_validator("gpu", mode="before")
-    @classmethod
-    def _validate_gpu_marker(cls, value):
-        if value is None:
-            return None
-        return _validate_gpu_wire_marker(value)

    @model_validator(mode="after")
    def _validate_runtime_kind(self):
@@ -278,28 +247,18 @@ class PythonRuntimeSpec(_RemoteValue):
                raise ValueError("python runtime requires python_version")
            if self.environment is None:
                raise ValueError("python runtime requires environment")
-            if self.gpu is not None:
-                raise ValueError("python runtime with gpu requires kind='python_v2'")
-        elif self.kind == "python_v2":
-            if self.python_version is None:
-                raise ValueError("python_v2 runtime requires python_version")
-            if self.environment is None:
-                raise ValueError("python_v2 runtime requires environment")
-            if self.gpu is None:
-                raise ValueError("python_v2 runtime requires gpu")
        else:
            object.__setattr__(self, "python_version", None)
            object.__setattr__(self, "environment", None)
            object.__setattr__(self, "env", None)
-            object.__setattr__(self, "gpu", None)
        return self


 class FunctionVersion(_RemoteValue):
    """An exact immutable Function version returned by Enterprise.

-    The GPU execution requirement is part of this identity. CPU and memory sizing,
-    priority, concurrency, and retry policy belong to the execution platform.
+    Scheduling resources, priority, concurrency, and retry policy belong to
+    the submitting Job and are not part of this identity.
    """

    name: str
@@ -520,13 +479,6 @@ class RefreshColumnResult(_RemoteValue):


 _FUNCTION_NAME = re.compile(r"^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_.-]*$")
-_FUNCTION_BLOB_V2_TYPE = "blob_v2"
-_ARROW_EXTENSION_NAME_KEY = "ARROW:extension:name"
-_BLOB_V2_EXTENSION_NAME = "lance.blob.v2"
-_NESTED_BLOB_COLLECTION_ERROR = (
-    "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: Blob v2 fields nested under "
-    "collection types are not supported"
-)


 _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES = (
@@ -543,7 +495,6 @@ _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES = (
    (pa.float32(), "float32"),
    (pa.float64(), "float64"),
    (pa.string(), "utf8"),
-    (pa.large_string(), "large_utf8"),
    (pa.binary(), "binary"),
    (pa.date32(), "date32"),
    (pa.date64(), "date64"),
@@ -551,258 +502,31 @@ _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES = (


 def _canonical_arrow_type(data_type: pa.DataType) -> str:
-    """The compact Function grammar, or canonical exact JSON for nested types."""
-    grammar = _grammar_arrow_type(data_type)
-    if grammar is not None:
-        return grammar
-    exact = _exact_arrow_type(data_type)
-    return json.dumps(exact, ensure_ascii=False, sort_keys=True, separators=(",", ":"))
-
-
-def _grammar_arrow_type(data_type: pa.DataType) -> Optional[str]:
+    """The server's V1 Function type grammar. Anything outside it is rejected
+    here rather than at registration."""
    for candidate, name in _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES:
        if data_type == candidate:
            return name
    if pa.types.is_list(data_type) or pa.types.is_large_list(data_type):
-        item = _grammar_list_item(data_type)
-        if item is None:
-            return None
        prefix = "list" if pa.types.is_list(data_type) else "large_list"
-        return f"{prefix}<{item}>"
+        return f"{prefix}<{_canonical_list_item(data_type)}>"
    if pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(data_type) and data_type.list_size > 0:
-        item = _grammar_list_item(data_type)
-        if item is not None:
-            return f"fixed_size_list<{item}, {data_type.list_size}>"
-    return None
+        return (
+            f"fixed_size_list<{_canonical_list_item(data_type)}, {data_type.list_size}>"
+        )
+    raise TypeError(f"unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: {data_type}")


-def _grammar_list_item(data_type: pa.DataType) -> Optional[str]:
+def _canonical_list_item(data_type: pa.DataType) -> str:
    """The grammar names only the item type; it always means a non-nullable
-    child called `item`, so other child properties require exact JSON."""
+    child called `item`, so any other child metadata cannot be represented."""
    child = data_type.value_field
    if child.name != "item" or child.nullable or child.metadata:
-        return None
-    return _grammar_arrow_type(child.type)
-
-
-def _validate_exact_arrow_field(field: pa.Field) -> None:
-    if not field.name:
        raise TypeError(
-            "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: field names "
-            "must not be empty"
+            "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: list items must be a "
+            f"non-nullable field named 'item', got {child}"
        )
-    if _is_blob_v2_field(field):
-        if not _has_supported_blob_v2_layout(field):
-            raise TypeError(
-                "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: lance.blob.v2 "
-                f"requires a supported Blob storage layout, got {field}"
-            )
-        metadata = {
-            (key.decode() if isinstance(key, bytes) else key): (
-                value.decode() if isinstance(value, bytes) else value
-            )
-            for key, value in (field.metadata or {}).items()
-        }
-        if metadata and metadata != {
-            _ARROW_EXTENSION_NAME_KEY: _BLOB_V2_EXTENSION_NAME
-        }:
-            raise TypeError(
-                "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: lance.blob.v2 "
-                "field metadata must contain only its canonical extension marker"
-            )
-    elif field.metadata:
-        raise TypeError(
-            "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: field metadata "
-            f"is not supported, got {field}"
-        )
-
-
-def _has_supported_blob_v2_layout(field: pa.Field) -> bool:
-    data_type = field.type
-    if isinstance(data_type, pa.ExtensionType):
-        data_type = data_type.storage_type
-    if not pa.types.is_struct(data_type):
-        return False
-
-    fields = tuple(data_type)
-
-    def matches(spec, compare_nullable) -> bool:
-        return len(fields) == len(spec) and all(
-            actual.name == name
-            and actual.type == expected_type
-            and (not check_nullable or actual.nullable == nullable)
-            for actual, (name, expected_type, nullable), check_nullable in zip(
-                fields, spec, compare_nullable
-            )
-        )
-
-    logical_minimal = (
-        ("data", pa.large_binary(), True),
-        ("uri", pa.utf8(), True),
-    )
-    logical_full = logical_minimal + (
-        ("position", pa.uint64(), True),
-        ("size", pa.uint64(), True),
-    )
-    prepared = (
-        ("kind", pa.uint8(), True),
-        ("data", pa.large_binary(), True),
-        ("uri", pa.utf8(), True),
-        ("blob_id", pa.uint32(), True),
-        ("blob_size", pa.uint64(), True),
-        ("position", pa.uint64(), True),
-    )
-    descriptor = (
-        ("kind", pa.uint8(), False),
-        ("position", pa.uint64(), False),
-        ("size", pa.uint64(), False),
-        ("blob_id", pa.uint32(), False),
-        ("blob_uri", pa.utf8(), False),
-    )
-    return (
-        matches(logical_minimal, (True, True))
-        or matches(logical_full, (True, True, False, False))
-        or matches(prepared, (True,) * len(prepared))
-        or matches(descriptor, (False,) * len(descriptor))
-    )
-
-
-def _canonical_arrow_field(field: pa.Field) -> str:
-    _validate_exact_arrow_field(field)
-    if _is_blob_v2_field(field):
-        return _FUNCTION_BLOB_V2_TYPE
-    return _canonical_arrow_type(field.type)
-
-
-def _blob_storage_type(field: pa.Field) -> pa.DataType:
-    data_type = field.type
-    if isinstance(data_type, pa.ExtensionType):
-        return data_type.storage_type
-    return data_type
-
-
-def _exact_blob_storage_type(field: pa.Field) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    storage = _blob_storage_type(field)
-    if not pa.types.is_struct(storage):
-        raise TypeError(
-            "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: lance.blob.v2 "
-            "requires struct storage"
-        )
-    return {
-        "type": "struct",
-        "fields": [
-            {
-                "name": child.name,
-                "nullable": child.nullable,
-                "type": (
-                    {"type": "large_binary"}
-                    if pa.types.is_large_binary(child.type)
-                    else _exact_arrow_type(child.type)
-                ),
-            }
-            for child in storage
-        ],
-    }
-
-
-def _data_type_has_blob_v2(data_type: pa.DataType) -> bool:
-    if pa.types.is_struct(data_type):
-        return any(
-            _is_blob_v2_field(field) or _data_type_has_blob_v2(field.type)
-            for field in data_type
-        )
-    if (
-        pa.types.is_list(data_type)
-        or pa.types.is_large_list(data_type)
-        or pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(data_type)
-    ):
-        field = data_type.value_field
-        return _is_blob_v2_field(field) or _data_type_has_blob_v2(field.type)
-    if pa.types.is_map(data_type):
-        return any(
-            _is_blob_v2_field(field) or _data_type_has_blob_v2(field.type)
-            for field in (data_type.key_field, data_type.item_field)
-        )
-    return False
-
-
-def _exact_arrow_field(
-    field: pa.Field, *, inside_collection: bool = False
-) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    _validate_exact_arrow_field(field)
-    if _is_blob_v2_field(field):
-        if inside_collection:
-            raise TypeError(_NESTED_BLOB_COLLECTION_ERROR)
-        return {
-            "name": field.name,
-            "nullable": field.nullable,
-            "type": _exact_blob_storage_type(field),
-            "metadata": {
-                _ARROW_EXTENSION_NAME_KEY: _BLOB_V2_EXTENSION_NAME,
-            },
-        }
-    value = {
-        "name": field.name,
-        "nullable": field.nullable,
-        "type": _exact_arrow_type(field.type, inside_collection=inside_collection),
-    }
-    return value
-
-
-def _exact_arrow_type(
-    data_type: pa.DataType, *, inside_collection: bool = False
-) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    for candidate, name in _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES:
-        if data_type == candidate:
-            return {"type": name}
-    if pa.types.is_struct(data_type):
-        fields = list(data_type)
-        names = [field.name for field in fields]
-        if not fields or len(set(names)) != len(names):
-            raise TypeError(
-                "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: structs must have "
-                "non-empty, uniquely named fields"
-            )
-        return {
-            "type": "struct",
-            "fields": [
-                _exact_arrow_field(field, inside_collection=inside_collection)
-                for field in fields
-            ],
-        }
-    if (
-        pa.types.is_list(data_type)
-        or pa.types.is_large_list(data_type)
-        or pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(data_type)
-    ):
-        if pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(data_type):
-            if data_type.value_field.name != "item":
-                raise TypeError(
-                    "unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: fixed-size list "
-                    "items must be named 'item'"
-                )
-            if data_type.list_size <= 0:
-                raise TypeError(
-                    f"unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: {data_type}"
-                )
-        value: dict[str, Any] = {
-            "type": (
-                "list"
-                if pa.types.is_list(data_type)
-                else "large_list"
-                if pa.types.is_large_list(data_type)
-                else "fixed_size_list"
-            ),
-            "fields": [
-                _exact_arrow_field(data_type.value_field, inside_collection=True)
-            ],
-        }
-        if pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(data_type):
-            value["length"] = data_type.list_size
-        return value
-    if pa.types.is_map(data_type) and _data_type_has_blob_v2(data_type):
-        raise TypeError(_NESTED_BLOB_COLLECTION_ERROR)
-    raise TypeError(f"unsupported Arrow type for Function signature: {data_type}")
+    return _canonical_arrow_type(child.type)


 def _list_of(item: pa.DataType) -> pa.DataType:
@@ -876,15 +600,8 @@ def _callable_parameters(function: Callable[..., Any]) -> tuple[inspect.Paramete

 def _function_output(output: pa.DataType | pa.Field | pa.Schema) -> FunctionOutput:
    if isinstance(output, pa.Schema):
-        if output.metadata:
-            raise TypeError("Function output schema metadata is not supported")
        fields = tuple(output)
-    elif (
-        isinstance(output, pa.Field)
-        and not _is_blob_v2_field(output)
-        and pa.types.is_struct(output.type)
-    ):
-        _validate_exact_arrow_field(output)
+    elif isinstance(output, pa.Field) and pa.types.is_struct(output.type):
        if output.nullable:
            raise ValueError("Function output must be non-nullable")
        fields = tuple(output.type)
@@ -900,12 +617,11 @@ def _function_output(output: pa.DataType | pa.Field | pa.Schema) -> FunctionOutp
            raise TypeError(
                "output_schema must be a PyArrow DataType, Field, or Schema"
            )
-        _validate_exact_arrow_field(field)
        if field.nullable:
            raise ValueError("Function output must be non-nullable")
        return FunctionOutput(
            kind="scalar",
-            arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_field(field),
+            arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_type(field.type),
            nullable=False,
        )

@@ -913,8 +629,6 @@ def _function_output(output: pa.DataType | pa.Field | pa.Schema) -> FunctionOutp
        raise ValueError("named-struct Function output must contain at least one field")
    if any(field.nullable for field in fields):
        raise ValueError("Function output fields must be non-nullable")
-    for field in fields:
-        _validate_exact_arrow_field(field)
    names = [field.name for field in fields]
    if len(set(names)) != len(names):
        raise ValueError("Function output field names must be unique")
@@ -923,7 +637,7 @@ def _function_output(output: pa.DataType | pa.Field | pa.Schema) -> FunctionOutp
        fields=tuple(
            FunctionResultField(
                name=field.name,
-                arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_field(field),
+                arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_type(field.type),
                nullable=False,
            )
            for field in fields
@@ -943,10 +657,6 @@ def _infer_signature(
    if input_schema is not None:
        if not isinstance(input_schema, pa.Schema):
            raise TypeError("input_schema must be a PyArrow Schema")
-        if input_schema.metadata:
-            raise TypeError("Function input schema metadata is not supported")
-        for field in input_schema:
-            _validate_exact_arrow_field(field)
        expected = tuple(parameter.name for parameter in parameters)
        actual = tuple(input_schema.names)
        if actual != expected:
@@ -957,7 +667,7 @@ def _infer_signature(
        inputs = tuple(
            FunctionParameter(
                name=field.name,
-                arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_field(field),
+                arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_type(field.type),
                nullable=field.nullable,
            )
            for field in input_schema
@@ -980,9 +690,7 @@ def _infer_signature(
        inputs.append(
            FunctionParameter(
                name=parameter.name,
-                arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_field(
-                    pa.field(parameter.name, data_type, nullable=nullable)
-                ),
+                arrow_type=_canonical_arrow_type(data_type),
                nullable=nullable,
            )
        )
@@ -1202,7 +910,6 @@ class UdfDefinition:
        pip: tuple[str, ...],
        env: Mapping[str, str],
        python_version: Optional[str],
-        gpu: bool = False,
        conda: tuple[str, ...] = (),
        conda_channels: tuple[str, ...] = (),
    ):
@@ -1231,14 +938,12 @@ class UdfDefinition:
        signature = _infer_signature(function, input_schema, output_schema)
        source = _package_source(function)
        digest = f"sha256:{hashlib.sha256(source).hexdigest()}"
-        gpu_marker = _normalize_gpu_marker(gpu)
        runtime = PythonRuntimeSpec(
-            kind="python_v2" if gpu_marker is not None else "python",
+            kind="python",
            python_version=python_version
            or f"{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}",
            environment=environment_spec,
            env=environment,
-            gpu=gpu_marker,
        )
        self._function = function
        self._request = FunctionRegistrationRequest(
@@ -1284,7 +989,6 @@ def udf(
    pip: tuple[str, ...] | list[str] = (),
    env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None,
    python_version: Optional[str] = None,
-    gpu: bool = False,
    conda: tuple[str, ...] | list[str] = (),
    conda_channels: tuple[str, ...] | list[str] = (),
 ) -> Callable[[Callable[..., Any]], UdfDefinition]: ...
@@ -1299,7 +1003,6 @@ def udf(
    pip: tuple[str, ...] | list[str] = (),
    env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None,
    python_version: Optional[str] = None,
-    gpu: bool = False,
    conda: tuple[str, ...] | list[str] = (),
    conda_channels: tuple[str, ...] | list[str] = (),
 ):
@@ -1332,10 +1035,6 @@ def udf(
        Environment variables included in the Function definition.
    python_version : str, optional
        Remote Python major/minor version. Defaults to the client version.
-    gpu : bool, default False
-        Whether every remote execution requires a GPU. The execution platform
-        selects one compatible GPU for each worker. The requirement is part of
-        the immutable Function version.

    The packaged artifact is a snapshot: the function source plus exactly
    the module-level names it references (modules as imports, importable
@@ -1360,11 +1059,6 @@ def udf(
    ...     return value * 2
    >>> score(1.5)
    3.0
-    >>> @udf(pip=["cupy-cuda12x"], gpu=True)
-    ... def gpu_score(value: int) -> int:
-    ...     return value * 2
-    >>> gpu_score.registration_request.runtime.gpu
-    True
    """

    def decorate(target: Callable[..., Any]) -> UdfDefinition:
@@ -1376,7 +1070,6 @@ def udf(
            pip=tuple(pip),
            env={} if env is None else env,
            python_version=python_version,
-            gpu=gpu,
            conda=tuple(conda),
            conda_channels=tuple(conda_channels),
        )
@@ -749,10 +749,6 @@ class RemoteDBConnection(DBConnection):
    def get_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> FunctionVersion:
        return LOOP.run(self._conn.get_function(name, version=version))

-    @override
-    def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
-        return LOOP.run(self._conn.drop_function(name, version=version))
-
    @override
    def list_jobs(self) -> List["JobInfo"]:
        """List server-side jobs across the database's tables."""
@@ -67,15 +67,7 @@ from ..query import (
    LanceTakeQueryBuilder,
    LanceVectorQueryBuilder,
 )
-from ..table import (
-    AsyncTable,
-    BlobMode,
-    Branches,
-    IndexStatistics,
-    Query,
-    Table,
-    Tags,
-)
+from ..table import AsyncTable, BlobMode, Branches, IndexStatistics, Query, Table, Tags
 from ..types import BaseTokenizerType


@@ -559,12 +559,18 @@ def _coerce_blob_list_values(


 def _coerce_value_to_blob(values: pa.Array, target_field: pa.Field) -> pa.Array:
-    if pa.types.is_null(values.type):
-        data = pa.nulls(len(values), type=pa.large_binary())
+    if _is_string_like(values.type):
+        carrier_name = "uri"
+        carrier = values
+    elif pa.types.is_null(values.type):
+        carrier_name = None
+        carrier = None
    elif pa.types.is_large_binary(values.type):
-        data = values
+        carrier_name = "data"
+        carrier = values
    else:
-        data = values.cast(pa.large_binary())
+        carrier_name = "data"
+        carrier = values.cast(pa.large_binary())
    length = len(values)
    storage_type = target_field.type
    if isinstance(storage_type, pa.ExtensionType):
@@ -572,8 +578,8 @@ def _coerce_value_to_blob(values: pa.Array, target_field: pa.Field) -> pa.Array:
    storage_fields = list(storage_type)
    children = []
    for storage_field in storage_fields:
-        if storage_field.name == "data":
-            children.append(data)
+        if storage_field.name == carrier_name:
+            children.append(carrier.cast(storage_field.type))
        else:
            children.append(pa.nulls(length, type=storage_field.type))
    storage = pa.StructArray.from_arrays(
@@ -593,7 +599,11 @@ def _physical_array_and_type(array: pa.Array) -> tuple[pa.Array, pa.DataType]:


 def _can_coerce_to_blob(data_type: pa.DataType) -> bool:
-    return _is_binary_like(data_type) or pa.types.is_null(data_type)
+    return (
+        _is_binary_like(data_type)
+        or _is_string_like(data_type)
+        or pa.types.is_null(data_type)
+    )


 def _is_binary_like(data_type: pa.DataType) -> bool:
@@ -604,6 +614,15 @@ def _is_binary_like(data_type: pa.DataType) -> bool:
    )


+def _is_string_like(data_type: pa.DataType) -> bool:
+    predicates = ("is_string", "is_large_string", "is_string_view")
+    return any(
+        predicate(data_type)
+        for name in predicates
+        if (predicate := getattr(pa.types, name, None)) is not None
+    )
+
+
 def _field_extension_name(field: pa.Field) -> Optional[str]:
    extension_name = getattr(field.type, "extension_name", None)
    if extension_name is not None:
@@ -618,6 +637,187 @@ def _field_extension_name(field: pa.Field) -> Optional[str]:
    return extension_name


+_JSON_EXTENSION_NAMES = {"arrow.json", "lance.json"}
+_BLOB_EXTENSION_NAME = "lance.blob.v2"
+
+
+def _field_contains_write_extension(field: pa.Field) -> bool:
+    extension_name = _field_extension_name(field)
+    if (
+        extension_name in _JSON_EXTENSION_NAMES
+        or extension_name == _BLOB_EXTENSION_NAME
+    ):
+        return True
+    if pa.types.is_struct(field.type):
+        return any(_field_contains_write_extension(child) for child in field.type)
+    if (
+        pa.types.is_list(field.type)
+        or pa.types.is_large_list(field.type)
+        or pa.types.is_fixed_size_list(field.type)
+    ):
+        return _field_contains_write_extension(field.type.value_field)
+    return False
+
+
+def _with_field_type(
+    field: pa.Field,
+    data_type: pa.DataType,
+    *,
+    name: Optional[str] = None,
+    metadata: Optional[dict] = None,
+) -> pa.Field:
+    return pa.field(
+        name or field.name,
+        data_type,
+        nullable=field.nullable,
+        metadata=field.metadata if metadata is None else metadata,
+    )
+
+
+def _with_list_value_field(
+    data_type: pa.DataType, value_field: pa.Field
+) -> pa.DataType:
+    if pa.types.is_list(data_type):
+        return pa.list_(value_field)
+    if pa.types.is_large_list(data_type):
+        return pa.large_list(value_field)
+    return pa.list_(value_field, data_type.list_size)
+
+
+def _extension_storage_field(field: pa.Field) -> pa.Field:
+    """Return a from-pylist-compatible field for nested write extensions."""
+    extension_name = _field_extension_name(field)
+    if extension_name in _JSON_EXTENSION_NAMES:
+        metadata = dict(field.metadata or {})
+        metadata[b"ARROW:extension:name"] = b"arrow.json"
+        return _with_field_type(field, pa.string(), metadata=metadata)
+    if extension_name == _BLOB_EXTENSION_NAME:
+        metadata = dict(field.metadata or {})
+        metadata[b"ARROW:extension:name"] = _BLOB_EXTENSION_NAME.encode()
+        metadata[b"ARROW:extension:metadata"] = b""
+        storage_type = getattr(field.type, "storage_type", field.type)
+        return _with_field_type(field, storage_type, metadata=metadata)
+    if pa.types.is_struct(field.type):
+        children = [_extension_storage_field(child) for child in field.type]
+        return _with_field_type(field, pa.struct(children))
+    if _is_list_like(field.type):
+        value_field = _extension_storage_field(field.type.value_field)
+        return _with_field_type(field, _with_list_value_field(field.type, value_field))
+    return field
+
+
+def _prepare_extension_field(
+    field: pa.Field, target_field: pa.Field
+) -> Tuple[pa.Field, bool]:
+    extension_name = _field_extension_name(target_field)
+    if extension_name in _JSON_EXTENSION_NAMES:
+        metadata = dict(field.metadata or {})
+        metadata[b"ARROW:extension:name"] = b"arrow.json"
+        return _with_field_type(field, pa.string(), metadata=metadata), True
+    if extension_name == _BLOB_EXTENSION_NAME and pa.types.is_null(field.type):
+        return _with_field_type(field, pa.large_binary()), True
+
+    if pa.types.is_struct(field.type) and pa.types.is_struct(target_field.type):
+        target_children = {child.name: child for child in target_field.type}
+        children = []
+        changed = False
+        for child in field.type:
+            target_child = target_children.get(child.name)
+            if target_child is None:
+                children.append(child)
+                continue
+            prepared, child_changed = _prepare_extension_field(child, target_child)
+            children.append(prepared)
+            changed = changed or child_changed
+        if changed:
+            return _with_field_type(field, pa.struct(children)), True
+
+    if _is_list_like(field.type) and _is_list_like(target_field.type):
+        target_value_field = target_field.type.value_field
+        if _field_contains_write_extension(target_value_field):
+            prepared = _extension_storage_field(target_value_field)
+            data_type = _with_list_value_field(target_field.type, prepared)
+            return _with_field_type(field, data_type), True
+
+    return field, False
+
+
+def _prepare_extension_value(
+    value: Any, target_field: pa.Field, *, within_list: bool = False
+) -> Any:
+    """Shape raw nested blob values for PyArrow's struct construction."""
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+
+    extension_name = _field_extension_name(target_field)
+    if extension_name == _BLOB_EXTENSION_NAME and within_list:
+        if isinstance(value, (bytes, bytearray, memoryview)):
+            return {"data": value}
+        if isinstance(value, str):
+            return {"uri": value}
+        return value
+
+    if pa.types.is_struct(target_field.type) and isinstance(value, dict):
+        target_children = {child.name: child for child in target_field.type}
+        return {
+            name: _prepare_extension_value(
+                child_value, target_children[name], within_list=within_list
+            )
+            if name in target_children
+            else child_value
+            for name, child_value in value.items()
+        }
+
+    if _is_list_like(target_field.type) and isinstance(value, (list, tuple)):
+        return [
+            _prepare_extension_value(
+                item, target_field.type.value_field, within_list=True
+            )
+            for item in value
+        ]
+
+    return value
+
+
+def _prepare_extension_list(data: DATA, target_schema: pa.Schema) -> DATA:
+    """Give inferred list columns the logical type required by extensions."""
+    if not isinstance(data, list) or not data or not isinstance(data[0], dict):
+        return data
+
+    target_fields = {field.name: field for field in target_schema}
+    if not any(
+        _field_contains_write_extension(field) for field in target_fields.values()
+    ):
+        return data
+
+    inferred = pa.Table.from_pylist(data)
+    fields = []
+    changed = False
+    for field in inferred.schema:
+        target_field = target_fields.get(field.name)
+        if target_field is None:
+            fields.append(field)
+            continue
+        prepared, field_changed = _prepare_extension_field(field, target_field)
+        fields.append(prepared)
+        changed = changed or field_changed
+
+    if not changed:
+        return inferred
+
+    insert_schema = pa.schema(fields, metadata=inferred.schema.metadata)
+    prepared_data = [
+        {
+            name: _prepare_extension_value(value, target_fields[name])
+            if name in target_fields
+            else value
+            for name, value in row.items()
+        }
+        for row in data
+    ]
+    return pa.Table.from_pylist(prepared_data, schema=insert_schema)
+
+
 def _align_field_types(
    fields: List[pa.Field],
    target_fields: List[pa.Field],
@@ -2165,11 +2365,9 @@ class Table(ABC):
            Function columns are supported only on LanceDB Cloud and
            Enterprise.
        computed: Dict[str, str], optional
-            A mapping from output column names to SQL expressions derives each
-            output field from its expression. A direct projection of a Blob v2
-            field inherits Blob v2 semantics; other expressions derive their
-            ordinary Arrow type. Mapping order is declaration and dependency
-            order.
+            A map of column name to a SQL expression defining the column. The
+            column's type and inputs are derived from the expression, so no
+            data type is supplied.

            Unlike ``transforms``, the expression is stored rather than
            evaluated now: the column is committed with no values, and rows get
@@ -5626,6 +5824,9 @@ class AsyncTable:
        if fill_value is None:
            fill_value = 0.0

+        if mode != "overwrite":
+            data = _prepare_extension_list(data, schema)
+
        # _santitize_data is an old code path, but we will use it until the
        # new code path is ready.
        if mode == "overwrite":
@@ -6270,11 +6471,8 @@ class AsyncTable:
            Function columns are supported only on LanceDB Cloud and
            Enterprise.
        computed: Dict[str, str], optional
-            A mapping from output column names to SQL expressions derives each
-            output field from its expression. A direct projection of a Blob v2
-            field inherits Blob v2 semantics; other expressions derive their
-            ordinary Arrow type. Mapping order is declaration and dependency
-            order.
+            A map of column name to a SQL expression defining the column. The
+            column's type and inputs are derived from the expression.

            Unlike ``transforms``, the expression is stored rather than
            evaluated now: the column is committed with no values, and rows get
@@ -710,6 +710,80 @@ def test_fetch_blobs_preserves_null_and_empty_values():
    assert blobs[3].as_py() == b"present"


+def test_add_all_null_list_to_blob_column():
+    table = _blob_table("all_null_add", [{"id": 1, "image": None}])
+
+    hits = table.search().to_arrow()
+    blobs = table.fetch_blobs("image", hits)
+    assert len(blobs) == 1
+    assert blobs[0].as_py() is None
+
+
+def test_add_all_null_list_to_blob_column_with_sanitizer():
+    db = lancedb.connect("memory:///")
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int64()), lancedb.blob("image")])
+    table = db.create_table("all_null_sanitized_add", schema=schema)
+
+    table.add([{"id": 1, "image": None}], on_bad_vectors="fill")
+
+    hits = table.search().to_arrow()
+    blobs = table.fetch_blobs("image", hits)
+    assert len(blobs) == 1
+    assert blobs[0].as_py() is None
+
+
+def test_add_all_null_list_to_nested_blob_column():
+    db = lancedb.connect("memory:///")
+    blob_field = lancedb.blob("image")
+    info_field = pa.field("info", pa.struct([blob_field]))
+    info = pa.StructArray.from_arrays(
+        [_blob_array("image", [b"seed"])], fields=[blob_field]
+    )
+    seed = pa.Table.from_arrays(
+        [pa.array([0], type=pa.int64()), info],
+        schema=pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int64()), info_field]),
+    )
+    table = db.create_table("nested_null_add", data=seed)
+
+    table.add([{"id": 1, "info": {"image": None}}])
+    table.add([{"id": 2, "info": {"image": None}}], on_bad_vectors="fill")
+
+    hits = table.search().where("id > 0").to_arrow()
+    blobs = table.fetch_blobs("info.image", hits)
+    assert len(blobs) == 2
+    assert all(blob.as_py() is None for blob in blobs)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("large_list", [False, True], ids=["list", "large_list"])
+def test_add_list_of_dicts_to_blob_list_column(large_list):
+    db = lancedb.connect("memory:///")
+    blob_field = lancedb.blob("image")
+    blob_values = _blob_array("image", [b"seed"])
+    if large_list:
+        items_field = pa.field("items", pa.large_list(blob_field))
+        items = pa.LargeListArray.from_arrays(
+            pa.array([0, 1], type=pa.int64()), blob_values
+        )
+    else:
+        items_field = pa.field("items", pa.list_(blob_field))
+        items = pa.ListArray.from_arrays(pa.array([0, 1], type=pa.int32()), blob_values)
+    seed = pa.Table.from_arrays(
+        [pa.array([0], type=pa.int64()), items],
+        schema=pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int64()), items_field]),
+    )
+    table = db.create_table(f"blob_{large_list}_list_add", data=seed)
+
+    table.add([{"id": 1, "items": [None]}])
+    table.add(
+        [{"id": 2, "items": [b"a", None]}],
+        on_bad_vectors="fill",
+    )
+
+    ids = table.search().select(["id"]).to_arrow()["id"].to_pylist()
+    assert sorted(ids) == [0, 1, 2]
+    assert pa.types.is_large_list(table.schema.field("items").type) is large_list
+
+
 def test_fetch_blob_ranges_aligns_repeated_ranges_and_nulls():
    table = _blob_table(
        "range_alignment",
@@ -1230,6 +1304,7 @@ def test_add_external_uri_string_round_trips_with_flag(tmp_path):
    table = db.create_table("external_string", schema=schema)
    table.add(
        [{"id": 1, "image": blob_path.as_uri()}],
+        on_bad_vectors="fill",
        allow_external_blob_outside_bases=True,
    )

@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ from datetime import date
 import http.server
 import json
 from pathlib import Path
-import subprocess
-import sys
 import threading
 from typing import Optional

@@ -21,13 +19,7 @@ import pyarrow as pa
 import pytest

 import lancedb
-from lancedb.functions import (
-    PythonRuntimeSpec,
-    UdfDefinition,
-    _canonical_arrow_type,
-    _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES,
-    udf,
-)
+from lancedb.functions import UdfDefinition, udf

 THRESHOLD = 20
 _CACHE = None
@@ -69,80 +61,6 @@ def test_scalar_udf_matches_shared_registration_golden_and_remains_callable():
    }


-def _main_udf_source(
-    *, threshold: int = 20, input_annotation: str = "int", comparison: str = ">="
-) -> str:
-    return (
-        "from __future__ import annotations\n"
-        "from lancedb.functions import udf\n"
-        f"THRESHOLD = {threshold}\n"
-        "\n"
-        "@udf\n"
-        f"def label(value: {input_annotation}) -> str:\n"
-        f"    return 'big' if value {comparison} THRESHOLD else 'small'\n"
-        "\n"
-        "assert label.__module__ == '__main__'\n"
-        "print(label.registration_request.to_canonical_json())\n"
-    )
-
-
-def _run_main_udf(path: Path, source: str) -> dict:
-    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    path.write_text(source)
-    result = subprocess.run(
-        [sys.executable, str(path)],
-        check=True,
-        capture_output=True,
-        text=True,
-    )
-    return json.loads(result.stdout)
-
-
-def test_main_udf_registration_identity_is_stable_across_processes_and_paths(
-    tmp_path,
-):
-    source = _main_udf_source()
-    original_path = tmp_path / "original" / "job.py"
-    moved_path = tmp_path / "moved" / "renamed_job.py"
-
-    original_runs = [_run_main_udf(original_path, source) for _ in range(2)]
-    moved_run = _run_main_udf(moved_path, source)
-
-    assert len({run["artifact"]["digest"] for run in [*original_runs, moved_run]}) == 1
-    assert all(
-        run["signature"] == original_runs[0]["signature"]
-        for run in [original_runs[1], moved_run]
-    )
-    assert original_runs[0] == original_runs[1] == moved_run
-
-    body_change = _run_main_udf(
-        tmp_path / "changes" / "body.py", _main_udf_source(comparison=">")
-    )
-    global_change = _run_main_udf(
-        tmp_path / "changes" / "global.py", _main_udf_source(threshold=21)
-    )
-    annotation_change = _run_main_udf(
-        tmp_path / "changes" / "annotation.py",
-        _main_udf_source(input_annotation="float"),
-    )
-
-    baseline = original_runs[0]
-    assert baseline["signature"] == body_change["signature"]
-    assert baseline["signature"] == global_change["signature"]
-    assert baseline["signature"] != annotation_change["signature"]
-    assert (
-        len(
-            {
-                baseline["artifact"]["digest"],
-                body_change["artifact"]["digest"],
-                global_change["artifact"]["digest"],
-                annotation_change["artifact"]["digest"],
-            }
-        )
-        == 4
-    )
-
-
 def _run_packaged(definition, *args):
    """Execute the shipped artifact in a fresh namespace, as a worker would."""
    source = base64.b64decode(definition.registration_request.artifact.content.data)
@@ -171,58 +89,6 @@ def test_udf_conda_environment():
        udf(name="channels", conda_channels=["conda-forge"])(lambda value: value)


-def test_udf_gpu_marker_uses_gpu_runtime():
-    @udf(pip=["cupy-cuda12x"], gpu=True)
-    def double_on_gpu(value: int) -> int:
-        return value * 2
-
-    request = json.loads(double_on_gpu.registration_request.to_canonical_json())
-    assert request["runtime"]["kind"] == "python_v2"
-    assert request["runtime"]["gpu"] is True
-
-    @udf(pip=["pyarrow"])
-    def cpu_function(value: int) -> int:
-        return value
-
-    cpu_runtime = json.loads(cpu_function.registration_request.to_canonical_json())[
-        "runtime"
-    ]
-    assert cpu_runtime["kind"] == "python"
-    assert "gpu" not in cpu_runtime
-
-    def identity(value: int) -> int:
-        return value
-
-    for invalid in [None, 0, 1, -1, 1.5, "", "true", "1", "H100"]:
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="gpu must be a boolean"):
-            udf(name="invalid_gpu", gpu=invalid)(identity)
-
-    base_runtime = {
-        "kind": "python_v2",
-        "python_version": "3.12",
-        "environment": {"kind": "pip"},
-    }
-    runtime = PythonRuntimeSpec.model_validate({**base_runtime, "gpu": True})
-    assert runtime.gpu is True
-    for invalid in [False, 1, 0, "", "true", "1", "H100"]:
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="runtime.gpu must be true"):
-            PythonRuntimeSpec.model_validate({**base_runtime, "gpu": invalid})
-
-
-def test_unknown_runtime_discards_payload_before_known_field_validation():
-    for payload in [
-        {"kind": "python_v3", "gpu": {"model": "H100"}},
-        {"kind": "python_v3", "resources": []},
-        {
-            "kind": "python_v3",
-            "environment": {"kind": []},
-            "python_version": 3.15,
-        },
-    ]:
-        runtime = PythonRuntimeSpec.model_validate(payload)
-        assert runtime.to_canonical_json() == '{"kind":"python_v3"}'
-
-
 def test_udf_packages_attribute_access_and_body_imports():
    @udf
    def word_norm(body: str) -> float:
@@ -302,7 +168,9 @@ def test_udf_resolves_module_globals_before_builtins(tmp_path):
        udf(module.uses_callable_shadow)


-def test_canonical_arrow_type_prefers_the_compact_grammar():
+def test_canonical_arrow_type_is_exactly_the_grammar():
+    from lancedb.functions import _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES, _canonical_arrow_type
+
    golden = json.loads(
        (
            Path(__file__).parents[3]
@@ -313,19 +181,14 @@ def test_canonical_arrow_type_prefers_the_compact_grammar():
        case["arrow_type"] for case in golden["valid"] if "<" not in case["arrow_type"]
    ]
    assert [name for _, name in _GRAMMAR_PRIMITIVES] == primitives
-    assert _canonical_arrow_type(pa.list_(pa.field("item", pa.float32(), False))) == (
-        "list<float32>"
-    )
-    assert (
-        _canonical_arrow_type(pa.large_list(pa.field("item", pa.float32(), False)))
-        == "large_list<float32>"
-    )
    for outside in [
        pa.timestamp("us"),
        pa.decimal128(10, 2),
+        pa.large_string(),
        pa.large_binary(),
        pa.binary(4),
        pa.duration("s"),
+        pa.struct([pa.field("a", pa.int32())]),
        pa.list_(pa.float32(), 0),
        pa.list_(pa.timestamp("us")),
    ]:
@@ -515,27 +378,14 @@ def test_udf_recursion_versus_a_rebound_module_name(tmp_path):
        udf(raw_fact)


-def test_canonical_arrow_type_uses_exact_json_for_list_child_properties():
-    nullable = pa.list_(pa.float32())
-    assert json.loads(_canonical_arrow_type(nullable)) == {
-        "type": "list",
-        "fields": [
-            {
-                "name": "item",
-                "nullable": True,
-                "type": {"type": "float32"},
-            }
-        ],
-    }
-    named = pa.list_(pa.field("custom", pa.float32(), nullable=False))
-    assert json.loads(_canonical_arrow_type(named))["fields"][0]["name"] == "custom"
+def test_canonical_arrow_type_rejects_unrepresentable_list_children():
+    from lancedb.functions import _canonical_arrow_type
+
    for outside in [
+        pa.list_(pa.float32()),  # pyarrow default: nullable child
+        pa.list_(pa.field("custom", pa.float32(), nullable=False)),
        pa.list_(pa.field("item", pa.float32(), nullable=False, metadata={"k": "v"})),
        pa.list_(pa.field("item", pa.float32(), nullable=False), 0),
-        pa.list_(
-            pa.field("item", pa.float32(), nullable=False, metadata={"k": "v"}), 3
-        ),
-        pa.list_(pa.field("custom", pa.float32(), nullable=False), 3),
    ]:
        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
            _canonical_arrow_type(outside)
@@ -545,29 +395,6 @@ def test_canonical_arrow_type_uses_exact_json_for_list_child_properties():
        )
        == "fixed_size_list<float32, 3>"
    )
-    fixed = json.loads(_canonical_arrow_type(pa.list_(pa.float32(), 3)))
-    assert fixed == {
-        "type": "fixed_size_list",
-        "fields": [
-            {
-                "name": "item",
-                "nullable": True,
-                "type": {"type": "float32"},
-            }
-        ],
-        "length": 3,
-    }
-    large = json.loads(_canonical_arrow_type(pa.large_list(pa.float32())))
-    assert large["type"] == "large_list"
-    assert large["fields"][0]["nullable"] is True
-
-    for invalid_struct in [
-        pa.struct([]),
-        pa.struct([pa.field("a", pa.int32()), pa.field("a", pa.int64())]),
-        pa.struct([pa.field("", pa.int32())]),
-    ]:
-        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
-            _canonical_arrow_type(invalid_struct)


 def _calls_missing(value: int) -> int:
@@ -605,7 +432,6 @@ def _arrow_type_from_golden(spec: dict) -> pa.DataType:
        "null": pa.null(),
        "bool": pa.bool_(),
        "utf8": pa.string(),
-        "large_utf8": pa.large_string(),
        "binary": pa.binary(),
        "float16": pa.float16(),
        "float32": pa.float32(),
@@ -622,6 +448,8 @@ def test_arrow_type_grammar_matches_the_shared_golden():
            / "rust/lancedb/tests/fixtures/first_class_functions/v1/arrow_types.json"
        ).read_text()
    )
+    from lancedb.functions import _canonical_arrow_type
+
    emitted = {
        case["arrow_type"]: _canonical_arrow_type(_arrow_type_from_golden(case["json"]))
        for case in golden["valid"]
@@ -654,395 +482,6 @@ def test_explicit_arrow_schema_is_deterministic():
    assert signature.output.nullable is False


-def test_blob_fields_use_the_scalar_function_semantic_type():
-    @udf(
-        input_schema=pa.schema([lancedb.blob("image", nullable=False)]),
-        output_schema=lancedb.blob("result", nullable=False),
-    )
-    def copy_blob(image):
-        return image
-
-    signature = copy_blob.registration_request.signature
-    assert signature.inputs[0].arrow_type == "blob_v2"
-    assert signature.output.kind == "scalar"
-    assert signature.output.arrow_type == "blob_v2"
-
-
-def test_whole_named_struct_function_can_include_a_blob_result_field():
-    @udf(
-        input_schema=pa.schema([lancedb.blob("image", nullable=False)]),
-        output_schema=pa.field(
-            "payload",
-            pa.struct(
-                [
-                    pa.field("mime_type", pa.string(), nullable=False),
-                    lancedb.blob("image", nullable=False),
-                ]
-            ),
-            nullable=False,
-        ),
-    )
-    def inspect_blob(image):
-        return {"mime_type": "image/png", "image": image}
-
-    output = inspect_blob.registration_request.signature.output
-    assert output.kind == "named_struct"
-    assert [(field.name, field.arrow_type) for field in output.fields] == [
-        ("mime_type", "utf8"),
-        ("image", "blob_v2"),
-    ]
-
-
-def test_struct_blob_signature_fields_preserve_exact_metadata_and_nullability():
-    nested_input = pa.field(
-        "payload",
-        pa.struct(
-            [
-                pa.field("mime_type", pa.string(), nullable=False),
-                pa.field(
-                    "nested",
-                    pa.struct([lancedb.blob("image", nullable=True)]),
-                    nullable=True,
-                ),
-            ]
-        ),
-        nullable=True,
-    )
-    nested_output = pa.field(
-        "result",
-        pa.struct(
-            [
-                pa.field("mime_type", pa.string(), nullable=False),
-                pa.field(
-                    "nested",
-                    pa.struct([lancedb.blob("image", nullable=True)]),
-                    nullable=False,
-                ),
-            ]
-        ),
-        nullable=False,
-    )
-
-    @udf(input_schema=pa.schema([nested_input]), output_schema=nested_output)
-    def copy_payload(payload):
-        return payload
-
-    signature = copy_payload.registration_request.signature
-    input_type = json.loads(signature.inputs[0].arrow_type)
-    assert input_type["fields"][1]["nullable"] is True
-    input_blob = input_type["fields"][1]["type"]["fields"][0]
-    assert input_blob["nullable"] is True
-    assert input_blob["metadata"] == {"ARROW:extension:name": "lance.blob.v2"}
-
-    assert signature.output.kind == "named_struct"
-    nested_result = next(
-        field for field in signature.output.fields if field.name == "nested"
-    )
-    output_type = json.loads(nested_result.arrow_type)
-    output_blob = output_type["fields"][0]
-    assert output_blob["nullable"] is True
-    assert output_blob["metadata"] == {"ARROW:extension:name": "lance.blob.v2"}
-
-
-def test_struct_blob_signature_supports_multiple_struct_levels():
-    recursive = pa.field(
-        "value",
-        pa.struct(
-            [
-                pa.field(
-                    "level_1",
-                    pa.struct(
-                        [
-                            pa.field(
-                                "level_2",
-                                pa.struct([lancedb.blob("image", nullable=False)]),
-                                nullable=False,
-                            )
-                        ]
-                    ),
-                    nullable=False,
-                )
-            ]
-        ),
-        nullable=False,
-    )
-
-    @udf(
-        input_schema=pa.schema([recursive]),
-        output_schema=pa.field("size", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-    )
-    def blob_size(value):
-        return len(value["level_1"]["level_2"]["image"])
-
-    encoded = json.loads(blob_size.registration_request.signature.inputs[0].arrow_type)
-    blob = encoded["fields"][0]["type"]["fields"][0]["type"]["fields"][0]
-    assert blob["metadata"]["ARROW:extension:name"] == "lance.blob.v2"
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "data_type",
-    [
-        pa.list_(lancedb.blob("item", nullable=False)),
-        pa.large_list(lancedb.blob("item", nullable=False)),
-        pa.list_(lancedb.blob("item", nullable=False), 2),
-        pa.map_(pa.string(), lancedb.blob("value", nullable=False).type),
-    ],
-)
-def test_blob_signature_rejects_collection_ancestors(data_type):
-    with pytest.raises(
-        TypeError,
-        match="Blob v2 fields nested under collection types are not supported",
-    ):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema([pa.field("value", data_type, nullable=False)]),
-            output_schema=pa.field("size", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-        )
-        def blob_size(value):
-            return len(value)
-
-
-def test_blob_signature_rejects_collection_below_a_struct():
-    nested = pa.field(
-        "value",
-        pa.struct(
-            [
-                pa.field(
-                    "images",
-                    pa.list_(lancedb.blob("item", nullable=False)),
-                    nullable=False,
-                )
-            ]
-        ),
-        nullable=False,
-    )
-    with pytest.raises(
-        TypeError,
-        match="Blob v2 fields nested under collection types are not supported",
-    ):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema([nested]),
-            output_schema=pa.field("size", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-        )
-        def blob_size(value):
-            return len(value["images"])
-
-
-def test_named_struct_function_can_include_a_blob_result_field():
-    @udf(
-        input_schema=pa.schema([lancedb.blob("image", nullable=False)]),
-        output_schema=pa.schema(
-            [
-                lancedb.blob("thumbnail", nullable=False),
-                pa.field("width", pa.int32(), nullable=False),
-            ]
-        ),
-    )
-    def inspect_blob(image):
-        return {"thumbnail": image, "width": 1}
-
-    output = inspect_blob.registration_request.signature.output
-    assert output.kind == "named_struct"
-    assert [(field.name, field.arrow_type) for field in output.fields] == [
-        ("thumbnail", "blob_v2"),
-        ("width", "int32"),
-    ]
-
-
-def test_metadata_marked_blob_field_uses_the_semantic_type():
-    extension = lancedb.blob("image", nullable=False).type
-    storage = (
-        extension.storage_type if isinstance(extension, pa.ExtensionType) else extension
-    )
-    metadata_blob = pa.field(
-        "image",
-        storage,
-        nullable=False,
-        metadata={"ARROW:extension:name": "lance.blob.v2"},
-    )
-
-    @udf(
-        input_schema=pa.schema([metadata_blob]),
-        output_schema=pa.field("size", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-    )
-    def blob_size(image):
-        return len(image)
-
-    assert blob_size.registration_request.signature.inputs[0].arrow_type == "blob_v2"
-
-
-def test_blob_marker_rejects_invalid_storage_layout():
-    malformed = pa.field(
-        "image",
-        pa.int64(),
-        nullable=False,
-        metadata={"ARROW:extension:name": "lance.blob.v2"},
-    )
-
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="requires a supported Blob storage layout"):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema([malformed]),
-            output_schema=pa.field("size", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-        )
-        def blob_size(image):
-            return len(image)
-
-
-def test_nested_non_blob_extension_is_not_silently_unwrapped():
-    class TestExtension(pa.ExtensionType):
-        def __init__(self):
-            super().__init__(pa.int64(), "test.function.extension")
-
-        def __arrow_ext_serialize__(self):
-            return b""
-
-        @classmethod
-        def __arrow_ext_deserialize__(cls, storage_type, serialized):
-            return cls()
-
-    nested = pa.field(
-        "value",
-        pa.struct([pa.field("extended", TestExtension(), nullable=False)]),
-        nullable=False,
-    )
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema([nested]),
-            output_schema=pa.field("result", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-        )
-        def extension_value(value):
-            return value["extended"]
-
-
-def test_explicit_large_utf8_schemas_use_the_canonical_function_name():
-    input_schema = pa.schema([pa.field("text", pa.large_string(), nullable=True)])
-    output_schema = pa.field("result", pa.large_string(), nullable=False)
-
-    @udf(input_schema=input_schema, output_schema=output_schema)
-    def preserve(text):
-        return text
-
-    signature = preserve.registration_request.signature
-    assert signature.inputs[0].arrow_type == "large_utf8"
-    assert signature.inputs[0].nullable is True
-    assert signature.output.arrow_type == "large_utf8"
-    assert signature.output.nullable is False
-
-    nested = pa.struct([pa.field("text", pa.large_string(), nullable=True)])
-    assert json.loads(_canonical_arrow_type(nested)) == {
-        "type": "struct",
-        "fields": [
-            {
-                "name": "text",
-                "nullable": True,
-                "type": {"type": "large_utf8"},
-            }
-        ],
-    }
-
-
-def test_nested_struct_output_uses_canonical_exact_json():
-    token = pa.struct(
-        [
-            pa.field("position", pa.int32(), nullable=False),
-            pa.field("value", pa.string(), nullable=False),
-            pa.field("length", pa.int32(), nullable=False),
-        ]
-    )
-    analysis = pa.struct(
-        [
-            pa.field("normalized_text", pa.string(), nullable=False),
-            pa.field("has_content", pa.bool_(), nullable=False),
-            pa.field(
-                "metrics",
-                pa.struct(
-                    [
-                        pa.field("character_count", pa.int64(), nullable=False),
-                        pa.field("word_count", pa.int32(), nullable=False),
-                        pa.field("average_word_length", pa.float64(), nullable=False),
-                    ]
-                ),
-                nullable=False,
-            ),
-            pa.field(
-                "diagnostics",
-                pa.struct(
-                    [
-                        pa.field("status", pa.string(), nullable=False),
-                        pa.field(
-                            "normalization",
-                            pa.struct(
-                                [
-                                    pa.field("changed", pa.bool_(), nullable=False),
-                                    pa.field(
-                                        "original_length", pa.int64(), nullable=False
-                                    ),
-                                ]
-                            ),
-                            nullable=False,
-                        ),
-                    ]
-                ),
-                nullable=False,
-            ),
-            pa.field(
-                "token_preview",
-                pa.list_(pa.field("item", token, nullable=False)),
-                nullable=False,
-            ),
-        ]
-    )
-
-    @udf(
-        input_schema=pa.schema([pa.field("text", pa.string(), nullable=False)]),
-        output_schema=pa.field("analysis", analysis, nullable=False),
-    )
-    def analyze(text):
-        return {"normalized_text": text}
-
-    output = analyze.registration_request.signature.output
-    assert output.kind == "named_struct"
-    assert [field.name for field in output.fields] == [
-        "normalized_text",
-        "has_content",
-        "metrics",
-        "diagnostics",
-        "token_preview",
-    ]
-    metrics = json.loads(output.fields[2].arrow_type)
-    assert metrics == {
-        "type": "struct",
-        "fields": [
-            {
-                "name": "character_count",
-                "nullable": False,
-                "type": {"type": "int64"},
-            },
-            {
-                "name": "word_count",
-                "nullable": False,
-                "type": {"type": "int32"},
-            },
-            {
-                "name": "average_word_length",
-                "nullable": False,
-                "type": {"type": "float64"},
-            },
-        ],
-    }
-    preview = json.loads(output.fields[4].arrow_type)
-    assert preview["type"] == "list"
-    assert preview["fields"][0]["type"]["type"] == "struct"
-    assert [field["name"] for field in preview["fields"][0]["type"]["fields"]] == [
-        "position",
-        "value",
-        "length",
-    ]
-
-
 def test_annotation_and_explicit_schema_validation_fail_closed():
    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="missing Function annotations"):

@@ -1086,72 +525,6 @@ def test_annotation_and_explicit_schema_validation_fail_closed():
        def nullable_explicit(value):
            return value

-    for invalid_field in [
-        pa.field("", pa.int32(), nullable=False),
-        pa.field("result", pa.int32(), nullable=False, metadata={"k": "v"}),
-    ]:
-        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
-
-            @udf(
-                input_schema=pa.schema([pa.field("value", pa.int64())]),
-                output_schema=pa.schema([invalid_field]),
-            )
-            def invalid_explicit_field(value):
-                return value
-
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema(
-                [pa.field("value", pa.int64(), metadata={"k": "v"})]
-            ),
-            output_schema=pa.int64(),
-        )
-        def input_field_metadata(value):
-            return value
-
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema([pa.field("value", pa.int64())]),
-            output_schema=pa.field(
-                "result", pa.int64(), nullable=False, metadata={"k": "v"}
-            ),
-        )
-        def scalar_output_field_metadata(value):
-            return value
-
-    struct_type = pa.struct([pa.field("value", pa.int64(), nullable=False)])
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="unsupported Arrow type"):
-
-        @udf(
-            input_schema=pa.schema([pa.field("value", pa.int64())]),
-            output_schema=pa.field(
-                "result", struct_type, nullable=False, metadata={"k": "v"}
-            ),
-        )
-        def struct_output_field_metadata(value):
-            return {"value": value}
-
-    for input_schema, output_schema in [
-        (
-            pa.schema([pa.field("value", pa.int64())], metadata={"k": "v"}),
-            pa.int64(),
-        ),
-        (
-            pa.schema([pa.field("value", pa.int64())]),
-            pa.schema(
-                [pa.field("result", pa.int64(), nullable=False)],
-                metadata={"k": "v"},
-            ),
-        ),
-    ]:
-        with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="schema metadata"):
-
-            @udf(input_schema=input_schema, output_schema=output_schema)
-            def schema_metadata(value):
-                return value
-

 def test_local_function_catalog_operations_are_not_supported(tmp_path):
    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
@@ -1162,8 +535,6 @@ def test_local_function_catalog_operations_are_not_supported(tmp_path):
        db.create_function_async(normalize_score)
    with pytest.raises(NotImplementedError, match=message):
        db.get_function("normalize_score", version="fv_exact")
-    with pytest.raises(NotImplementedError, match=message):
-        db.drop_function("normalize_score", version="fv_exact")


@contextlib.contextmanager
@@ -1209,12 +580,6 @@ def _mock_remote_function_catalog():
                    "version": "fv_exact",
                }
                response = state["version"]
-            elif self.path == "/v1/functions/drop":
-                assert body == {
-                    "name": "normalize_score",
-                    "version": "fv_exact",
-                }
-                response = {"dropped": True}
            else:
                status = 404
                response = {"error": "not found"}
@@ -1273,40 +638,3 @@ def test_blocking_remote_registration_returns_function_version():
        "/v1/functions/create",
        "/v1/jobs/describe",
    ]
-
-
-def test_remote_drop_function_sends_exact_version():
-    with _mock_remote_function_catalog() as (host, state):
-        db = lancedb.connect(
-            "db://dev",
-            api_key="fake",
-            host_override=host,
-            client_config={"retry_config": {"retries": 0}},
-        )
-        assert db.drop_function("normalize_score", version="fv_exact") is True
-
-    assert state["requests"] == [
-        (
-            "/v1/functions/drop",
-            {"name": "normalize_score", "version": "fv_exact"},
-        )
-    ]
-
-
-@pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_async_remote_drop_function_sends_exact_version():
-    with _mock_remote_function_catalog() as (host, state):
-        db = await lancedb.connect_async(
-            "db://dev",
-            api_key="fake",
-            host_override=host,
-            client_config={"retry_config": {"retries": 0}},
-        )
-        assert await db.drop_function("normalize_score", version="fv_exact") is True
-
-    assert state["requests"] == [
-        (
-            "/v1/functions/drop",
-            {"name": "normalize_score", "version": "fv_exact"},
-        )
-    ]
@@ -786,6 +786,55 @@ async def test_add_async(mem_db_async: AsyncConnection):
    assert await table.count_rows() == 3


+@pytest.mark.skipif(not hasattr(pa, "json_"), reason="requires PyArrow JSON type")
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("values", "expected"),
+    [
+        ([None], [None]),
+        ([None, '{"k": 1}'], [None, '{"k":1}']),
+        (['{"k": 2}'], ['{"k":2}']),
+    ],
+)
+async def test_add_list_of_dicts_to_json_column(
+    mem_db_async: AsyncConnection, values, expected
+):
+    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int64()), pa.field("value", pa.json_())])
+    table = await mem_db_async.create_table("json_list_add", schema=schema)
+
+    await table.add([{"id": idx, "value": value} for idx, value in enumerate(values)])
+
+    rows = (await table.to_arrow()).sort_by("id").to_pylist()
+    assert [row["value"] for row in rows] == expected
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not hasattr(pa, "json_"), reason="requires PyArrow JSON type")
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_add_list_of_dicts_to_nested_json_column(
+    mem_db_async: AsyncConnection,
+):
+    json_field = pa.field("value", pa.json_())
+    info_field = pa.field("info", pa.struct([json_field]))
+    info = pa.StructArray.from_arrays(
+        [pa.array(['{"seed": 0}'], type=pa.json_())], fields=[json_field]
+    )
+    seed = pa.Table.from_arrays(
+        [pa.array([0], type=pa.int64()), info],
+        schema=pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int64()), info_field]),
+    )
+    table = await mem_db_async.create_table("nested_json_list_add", data=seed)
+
+    await table.add([{"id": 1, "info": {"value": '{"k": 1}'}}])
+    await table.add([{"id": 2, "info": {"value": '{"k": 2}'}}], on_bad_vectors="fill")
+
+    rows = (await table.to_arrow()).sort_by("id").to_pylist()
+    assert rows == [
+        {"id": 0, "info": {"value": '{"seed":0}'}},
+        {"id": 1, "info": {"value": '{"k":1}'}},
+        {"id": 2, "info": {"value": '{"k":2}'}},
+    ]
+
+
 def test_add_overwrite_infers_vector_schema(mem_db: DBConnection):
    """Overwrite should infer vector columns the same way create_table does.

@@ -4087,29 +4136,6 @@ def test_computed_column_rejects_transforms_and_computed_together(tmp_path):
        table.add_columns({"a": "x + 1"}, computed={"b": "x * 2"})


-def test_computed_column_blob_projection_inherits_semantics(tmp_path):
-    schema = pa.schema([pa.field("id", pa.int64()), lancedb.blob("image")])
-    db = lancedb.connect(tmp_path)
-    table = db.create_table("computed_column_blob", schema=schema)
-    table.add(
-        [
-            {"id": 1, "image": b"hello"},
-            {"id": 2, "image": b""},
-            {"id": 3, "image": None},
-        ]
-    )
-
-    table.add_columns(computed={"image_copy": "image", "second_copy": "image_copy"})
-    assert table.refresh_column("image_copy").rows_filled == 2
-    assert table.refresh_column("second_copy").rows_filled == 2
-    assert table.blob_columns() == ["image", "image_copy", "second_copy"]
-
-    hits = table.search().with_row_id(True).limit(10).to_arrow()
-    rows = sorted(zip(hits["id"].to_pylist(), hits["_rowid"].to_pylist()))
-    copied = table.fetch_blobs("second_copy", [row_id for _, row_id in rows])
-    assert copied.to_pylist() == [b"hello", b"", None]
-
-
@pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_computed_column_async(tmp_path):
    db = await lancedb.connect_async(tmp_path)
@@ -629,17 +629,6 @@ impl Connection {
        })
    }

-    pub fn drop_function(
-        self_: PyRef<'_, Self>,
-        name: String,
-        version: String,
-    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyAny>> {
-        let inner = self_.get_inner()?.clone();
-        future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
-            inner.drop_function(name, version).await.infer_error()
-        })
-    }
-
    pub fn list_jobs(self_: PyRef<'_, Self>) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyAny>> {
        let inner = self_.get_inner()?.clone();
        future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "lancedb"
-version = "0.38.0"
+version = "0.38.0-beta.12"
 edition.workspace = true
 description = "LanceDB: A serverless, low-latency vector database for AI applications"
 license.workspace = true
@@ -523,21 +523,6 @@ impl Connection {
            .await
    }

-    /// Drop one exact immutable Function version from the remote catalog.
-    ///
-    /// Returns `true` when the server appended a Dropped transition and
-    /// `false` for an idempotent replay. Local databases return
-    /// [`Error::NotSupported`].
-    pub async fn drop_function(
-        &self,
-        name: impl AsRef<str>,
-        version: impl AsRef<str>,
-    ) -> Result<bool> {
-        self.internal
-            .drop_function(name.as_ref(), version.as_ref())
-            .await
-    }
-
    /// Rename a table in the database.
    ///
    /// This is only supported in LanceDB Cloud.
@@ -307,10 +307,6 @@ pub trait Database:
    ) -> Result<crate::function::FunctionVersion> {
        function_catalog_not_supported()
    }
-    /// Drop one exact immutable Function version from the remote catalog.
-    async fn drop_function(&self, _name: &str, _version: &str) -> Result<bool> {
-        function_catalog_not_supported()
-    }
    /// A [`crate::job::Job`] handle for a server-side job by id, suitable for
    /// waiting on or cancelling the job. The handle is constructed without a
    /// server round trip; an unknown id surfaces when the handle is used.
@@ -539,7 +539,9 @@ impl Database for LanceNamespaceDatabase {
        self.namespace
            .drop_table(drop_request)
            .await
-            .map_err(|e| map_namespace_lance_error(e, name))?;
+            .map_err(|e| Error::Runtime {
+                message: format!("Failed to drop table: {}", e),
+            })?;

        Ok(())
    }
@@ -1493,15 +1495,6 @@ mod tests {
            .expect("Failed to list tables");
        assert!(!table_names_after.contains(&"drop_test".to_string()));

-        let error = conn
-            .drop_table("drop_test", &["test_ns".into()])
-            .await
-            .expect_err("dropping a missing table should fail");
-        assert!(
-            matches!(error, Error::TableNotFound { ref name, .. } if name == "drop_test"),
-            "expected TableNotFound, got: {error:?}"
-        );
-
        // Verify: Cannot open dropped table
        let open_result = conn.open_table("drop_test").execute().await;
        assert!(open_result.is_err());
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ use serde_json::Value;

 use crate::{Error, Result};

-/// Semantic Function type for a Blob v2 value.
-pub const FUNCTION_BLOB_V2_TYPE: &str = "blob_v2";
-
 fn invalid_json(error: impl std::fmt::Display) -> Error {
    Error::InvalidInput {
        message: format!("invalid remote Function JSON: {error}"),
@@ -210,33 +207,6 @@ pub enum PythonRuntimeSpec {
        environment: PythonEnvironmentSpec,
        env: BTreeMap<String, String>,
    },
-    /// The GPU-enabled Sophon-managed Python runtime.
-    ///
-    /// # Examples
-    ///
-    /// ```
-    /// use std::collections::BTreeMap;
-    /// use lancedb::function::{PythonEnvironmentSpec, PythonRuntimeSpec};
-    ///
-    /// let runtime = PythonRuntimeSpec::PythonV2 {
-    ///     python_version: "3.12".to_string(),
-    ///     environment: PythonEnvironmentSpec {
-    ///         kind: "pip".to_string(),
-    ///         packages: vec!["cupy-cuda12x".to_string()],
-    ///         channels: Vec::new(),
-    ///         path: None,
-    ///         modules: Vec::new(),
-    ///         image: None,
-    ///     },
-    ///     env: BTreeMap::new(),
-    /// };
-    /// assert!(runtime.requires_gpu());
-    /// ```
-    PythonV2 {
-        python_version: String,
-        environment: PythonEnvironmentSpec,
-        env: BTreeMap<String, String>,
-    },
    /// A runtime kind introduced by a newer server.
    ///
    /// Unknown payload fields are intentionally not retained because the
@@ -249,27 +219,22 @@ impl PythonRuntimeSpec {
    pub fn kind(&self) -> &str {
        match self {
            Self::Python { .. } => "python",
-            Self::PythonV2 { .. } => "python_v2",
            Self::Unrecognized { kind } => kind,
        }
    }

-    /// The Python version for a known Python runtime, or `None` for an unknown kind.
+    /// The Python version for the V1 runtime, or `None` for an unknown kind.
    pub fn python_version(&self) -> Option<&str> {
        match self {
-            Self::Python { python_version, .. } | Self::PythonV2 { python_version, .. } => {
-                Some(python_version)
-            }
+            Self::Python { python_version, .. } => Some(python_version),
            Self::Unrecognized { .. } => None,
        }
    }

-    /// The Python environment for a known Python runtime, or `None` for an unknown kind.
+    /// The Python environment for the V1 runtime, or `None` for an unknown kind.
    pub fn environment(&self) -> Option<&PythonEnvironmentSpec> {
        match self {
-            Self::Python { environment, .. } | Self::PythonV2 { environment, .. } => {
-                Some(environment)
-            }
+            Self::Python { environment, .. } => Some(environment),
            Self::Unrecognized { .. } => None,
        }
    }
@@ -277,73 +242,38 @@ impl PythonRuntimeSpec {
    /// Environment variables, or `None` for an unknown kind.
    pub fn env(&self) -> Option<&BTreeMap<String, String>> {
        match self {
-            Self::Python { env, .. } | Self::PythonV2 { env, .. } => Some(env),
+            Self::Python { env, .. } => Some(env),
            Self::Unrecognized { .. } => None,
        }
    }
-
-    /// Whether the runtime requires a GPU selected by the execution platform.
-    pub fn requires_gpu(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, Self::PythonV2 { .. })
-    }
 }

 #[derive(Deserialize)]
-struct PythonRuntimeV1Wire {
-    python_version: String,
-    environment: PythonEnvironmentSpec,
+struct PythonRuntimeWire {
+    kind: String,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    python_version: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    environment: Option<PythonEnvironmentSpec>,
    #[serde(default)]
    env: BTreeMap<String, String>,
-    #[serde(default)]
-    gpu: Option<Value>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
-struct PythonRuntimeV2Wire {
-    python_version: String,
-    environment: PythonEnvironmentSpec,
-    #[serde(default)]
-    env: BTreeMap<String, String>,
-    gpu: bool,
 }

 impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for PythonRuntimeSpec {
    fn deserialize<D: Deserializer<'de>>(deserializer: D) -> std::result::Result<Self, D::Error> {
-        let value = Value::deserialize(deserializer)?;
-        let kind = value
-            .get("kind")
-            .ok_or_else(|| de::Error::missing_field("kind"))?
-            .as_str()
-            .ok_or_else(|| de::Error::custom("runtime.kind must be a string"))?
-            .to_string();
-        match kind.as_str() {
-            "python" => {
-                let wire: PythonRuntimeV1Wire =
-                    serde_json::from_value(value).map_err(de::Error::custom)?;
-                if wire.gpu.is_some() {
-                    return Err(de::Error::custom(
-                        "python runtime with gpu requires kind='python_v2'",
-                    ));
-                }
-                Ok(Self::Python {
-                    python_version: wire.python_version,
-                    environment: wire.environment,
-                    env: wire.env,
-                })
-            }
-            "python_v2" => {
-                let wire: PythonRuntimeV2Wire =
-                    serde_json::from_value(value).map_err(de::Error::custom)?;
-                if !wire.gpu {
-                    return Err(de::Error::custom("runtime.gpu must be true"));
-                }
-                Ok(Self::PythonV2 {
-                    python_version: wire.python_version,
-                    environment: wire.environment,
-                    env: wire.env,
-                })
-            }
-            _ => Ok(Self::Unrecognized { kind }),
+        let wire = PythonRuntimeWire::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+        if wire.kind == "python" {
+            Ok(Self::Python {
+                python_version: wire
+                    .python_version
+                    .ok_or_else(|| de::Error::missing_field("python_version"))?,
+                environment: wire
+                    .environment
+                    .ok_or_else(|| de::Error::missing_field("environment"))?,
+                env: wire.env,
+            })
+        } else {
+            Ok(Self::Unrecognized { kind: wire.kind })
        }
    }
 }
@@ -357,8 +287,6 @@ impl Serialize for PythonRuntimeSpec {
            environment: &'a PythonEnvironmentSpec,
            #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "BTreeMap::is_empty")]
            env: &'a BTreeMap<String, String>,
-            #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-            gpu: Option<bool>,
        }

        #[derive(Serialize)]
@@ -376,19 +304,6 @@ impl Serialize for PythonRuntimeSpec {
                python_version,
                environment,
                env,
-                gpu: None,
-            }
-            .serialize(serializer),
-            Self::PythonV2 {
-                python_version,
-                environment,
-                env,
-            } => PythonRuntimeRef {
-                kind: "python_v2",
-                python_version,
-                environment,
-                env,
-                gpu: Some(true),
            }
            .serialize(serializer),
            Self::Unrecognized { kind } => UnrecognizedRuntimeRef { kind }.serialize(serializer),
@@ -398,8 +313,8 @@ impl Serialize for PythonRuntimeSpec {

 /// Immutable Function version returned by the Enterprise catalog.
 ///
-/// The GPU execution requirement is part of this identity. CPU and memory sizing,
-/// priority, concurrency, and retry policy belong to the execution platform.
+/// Scheduling resources, priority, concurrency, and retry policy belong to
+/// the submitting Job and are not part of this identity.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct FunctionVersion {
    name: String,
@@ -674,7 +589,7 @@ impl_json!(RefreshColumnResult);

 #[cfg(test)]
 mod conda_environment_tests {
-    use super::{PythonEnvironmentSpec, PythonRuntimeSpec};
+    use super::PythonEnvironmentSpec;

    #[test]
    fn conda_channels_round_trip_and_pip_stays_bare() {
@@ -693,45 +608,4 @@ mod conda_environment_tests {
            serde_json::from_str(r#"{"kind":"pip","packages":["numpy"]}"#).unwrap();
        assert!(!serde_json::to_string(&pip).unwrap().contains("channels"));
    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn gpu_python_runtime_marker_round_trips_and_validates() {
-        let runtime: PythonRuntimeSpec = serde_json::from_str(
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":true}"#,
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(runtime.kind(), "python_v2");
-        assert!(runtime.requires_gpu());
-        assert_eq!(
-            super::canonical_json(&runtime).unwrap(),
-            r#"{"environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":true,"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12"}"#
-        );
-
-        for invalid in [
-            r#"{"kind":"python","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":true}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"}}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":1}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":false}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":"true"}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v2","python_version":"3.12","environment":{"kind":"pip"},"gpu":"H100"}"#,
-        ] {
-            assert!(serde_json::from_str::<PythonRuntimeSpec>(invalid).is_err());
-        }
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn unknown_runtime_discards_payload_before_known_field_validation() {
-        for encoded in [
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v3","gpu":{"model":"H100"}}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v3","resources":[]}"#,
-            r#"{"kind":"python_v3","python_version":3.15,"environment":{"kind":[]}}"#,
-        ] {
-            let runtime: PythonRuntimeSpec = serde_json::from_str(encoded).unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(runtime.kind(), "python_v3");
-            assert_eq!(
-                super::canonical_json(&runtime).unwrap(),
-                r#"{"kind":"python_v3"}"#
-            );
-        }
-    }
 }
@@ -533,11 +533,6 @@ struct RemoteListJobsResponse {
    page_token: Option<String>,
 }

-#[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
-struct RemoteDropFunctionResponse {
-    dropped: bool,
-}
-
 /// Bound on `list_jobs` page walking; a warning is logged when the listing
 /// is truncated at this many pages.
 const MAX_LIST_JOBS_PAGES: usize = 100;
@@ -588,20 +583,6 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> Database for RemoteDatabase<S> {
        response.json().await.err_to_http(request_id)
    }

-    async fn drop_function(&self, name: &str, version: &str) -> Result<bool> {
-        let req = self
-            .client
-            .post("/v1/functions/drop")
-            .json(&serde_json::json!({
-                "name": name,
-                "version": version,
-            }));
-        let (request_id, response) = self.client.send(req).await?;
-        let response = self.client.check_response(&request_id, response).await?;
-        let response: RemoteDropFunctionResponse = response.json().await.err_to_http(request_id)?;
-        Ok(response.dropped)
-    }
-
    fn job(&self, job_id: &str) -> Result<crate::job::Job> {
        Ok(crate::job::Job::new(Box::new(super::job::RemoteJob::new(
            self.client.clone(),
@@ -2708,25 +2689,6 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(version.version(), "fv_01K3EXACT");
    }

-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn test_drop_function_sends_exact_version_and_decodes_replay() {
-        let conn = Connection::new_with_handler(|request| {
-            assert_eq!(request.method(), &reqwest::Method::POST);
-            assert_eq!(request.url().path(), "/v1/functions/drop");
-            let body: serde_json::Value =
-                serde_json::from_slice(request.body().unwrap().as_bytes().unwrap()).unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(
-                body,
-                serde_json::json!({"name": "embed", "version": "fv_01K3EXACT"})
-            );
-            http::Response::builder()
-                .status(200)
-                .body(r#"{"dropped":false}"#)
-                .unwrap()
-        });
-        assert!(!conn.drop_function("embed", "fv_01K3EXACT").await.unwrap());
-    }
-
    #[tokio::test]
    async fn test_conn_job_waits_to_done() {
        let polls = Arc::new(AtomicUsize::new(0));
@@ -3180,8 +3180,8 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> BaseTable for RemoteTable<S> {
            self.schema().await?.as_ref(),
            "schema evolution",
        )?;
-        // The server plans the declaration against its table schema, including
-        // Blob v2 semantics inherited by a direct field projection.
+        // The server plans the declaration: expression validation, type
+        // inference and the persisted binding all happen there.
        let entries = columns
            .iter()
            .map(
@@ -5734,8 +5734,9 @@ mod tests {
            ))
            .execute()
            .await;
-        let Err(err) = result else {
-            panic!("legacy remote query unexpectedly succeeded")
+        let err = match result {
+            Ok(_) => panic!("legacy remote query unexpectedly succeeded"),
+            Err(err) => err,
        };

        assert!(
@@ -7387,8 +7388,8 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(result.version, if old_server { 0 } else { 43 });
    }

-    /// A declaration is sent as `{name, computed}` for the server to plan; the
-    /// client never types the expression itself.
+    /// A declaration is sent as `{name, computed}` entries for the server to
+    /// plan; the client never types the expression itself.
    #[tokio::test]
    async fn test_add_computed_columns_sends_the_expression() {
        let table = Table::new_with_handler("my_table", |request| match request.url().path() {
@@ -7464,93 +7465,6 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(result.version, 8);
    }

-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn test_add_function_column_allows_an_existing_binding() {
-        let binding = crate::function::FunctionBinding::from_json(include_str!(
-            "../../tests/fixtures/first_class_functions/v1/remote_function_binding.json"
-        ))
-        .unwrap();
-        let binding_metadata = crate::table::computed_columns::function_bindings_metadata(
-            std::slice::from_ref(&binding),
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-        let mut fields = vec![
-            Field::new("title", DataType::Utf8, true),
-            Field::new("body", DataType::Utf8, true),
-        ];
-        fields.extend(binding.outputs().iter().map(|output| {
-            let data_type = match output.arrow_type.as_str() {
-                "utf8" => DataType::Utf8,
-                "int64" => DataType::Int64,
-                other => panic!("unexpected fixture output type {other}"),
-            };
-            Field::new(&output.output_name, data_type, true).with_metadata(
-                crate::table::computed_columns::function_computed_column_metadata(
-                    binding.binding_id(),
-                    output.output_ordinal,
-                    &["title".into(), "body".into()],
-                ),
-            )
-        }));
-        let schema = Schema::new_with_metadata(
-            fields,
-            HashMap::from([(
-                crate::table::computed_columns::FUNCTION_BINDINGS_META_KEY.to_string(),
-                binding_metadata,
-            )]),
-        );
-        let table =
-            Table::new_with_handler("my_table", move |request| match request.url().path() {
-                "/v1/table/my_table/describe/" => http::Response::builder()
-                    .status(200)
-                    .body(describe_response(&schema))
-                    .unwrap(),
-                "/v1/table/my_table/add_columns/" => {
-                    let actual: serde_json::Value =
-                        serde_json::from_slice(request.body().unwrap().as_bytes().unwrap())
-                            .unwrap();
-                    assert_eq!(
-                        actual["new_columns"],
-                        serde_json::json!([
-                            {"name":"secondary_text","all_null":true},
-                            {"name":"secondary_token_count","all_null":true}
-                        ])
-                    );
-                    http::Response::builder()
-                        .status(200)
-                        .body(r#"{"version":10}"#.to_string())
-                        .unwrap()
-                }
-                path => panic!("Unexpected path: {path}"),
-            });
-        let application = crate::function::FunctionApplication::from_json(
-            r#"{
-                "function":{"name":"text_features","version":"fv_01K3TEXT"},
-                "inputs":[
-                    {"parameter":"title","kind":"column","value":{"path":"title"}},
-                    {"parameter":"body","kind":"column","value":{"path":"body"}}
-                ],
-                "output":{"kind":"named_struct","fields":[
-                    {"name":"normalized_text","arrow_type":"utf8","nullable":false},
-                    {"name":"token_count","arrow_type":"int64","nullable":false}
-                ]},
-                "columns":{
-                    "normalized_text":"secondary_text",
-                    "token_count":"secondary_token_count"
-                }
-            }"#,
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-
-        let result = table
-            .add_columns()
-            .function(application)
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(result.version, 10);
-    }
-
    #[tokio::test]
    async fn test_add_fixed_size_list_function_column_declares_the_vector_type() {
        let table = Table::new_with_handler("my_table", |request| {
@@ -750,8 +750,8 @@ pub trait BaseTable: std::fmt::Display + std::fmt::Debug + Send + Sync {
    /// Declare computed columns, each defined by a SQL expression.
    ///
    /// Where the declaration is planned depends on the backend: a local table
-    /// validates and types the expression itself, while a remote one sends the
-    /// expression for the server to plan.
+    /// validates and types the expression itself, a remote one sends the text
+    /// for the server to plan.
    async fn add_computed_columns(
        &self,
        _columns: &[(String, String)],
@@ -5763,13 +5763,6 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(index_bytes > 0);
        assert_eq!(with_index, data_only + index_bytes);

-        // Release builds reject unstable overlay datasets unless explicitly opted in.
-        if !lance_table::feature_flags::can_read_dataset(
-            lance_table::feature_flags::FLAG_UNSTABLE_DATA_OVERLAY_FILES,
-        ) {
-            return;
-        }
-
        // Commit an overlay file supplying new `foo` values for the first three
        // rows of fragment 0. There is no high-level API that writes overlays
        // yet, so write the overlay's data file and commit the `DataOverlay`
@@ -29,14 +29,10 @@
 //! inputs masked to null first, so a poison value in a row nobody is filling
 //! cannot fail the refresh.

-use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::sync::Arc;

-use arrow_array::{
-    Array, ArrayRef, BooleanArray, LargeBinaryArray, RecordBatch, RecordBatchOptions, StructArray,
-    new_null_array,
-};
-use arrow_schema::{DataType, Field as ArrowField, Schema as ArrowSchema};
+use arrow_array::{ArrayRef, BooleanArray, RecordBatch, RecordBatchOptions};
+use arrow_schema::Schema as ArrowSchema;
 use datafusion_expr::ColumnarValue;
 use futures::{Stream, StreamExt, TryStreamExt};
 use lance::Dataset;
@@ -44,7 +40,7 @@ use lance::dataset::WriteDestination;
 use lance::dataset::fragment::FileFragment;
 use lance::dataset::transaction::Operation;
 use lance_core::ROW_ID;
-use lance_core::datatypes::{BlobHandling, Schema as LanceSchema};
+use lance_core::datatypes::Schema as LanceSchema;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};

 use super::computed_columns::{BoundExpression, ComputedColumnKind, computed_column_from_field};
@@ -108,7 +104,6 @@ async fn execute_refresh_column_with_source(
        fields: vec![field.clone()],
        metadata: Default::default(),
    };
-    let output_is_blob = field.is_blob_v2();

    let mut rows_filled = 0u64;
    let mut replacements = Vec::new();
@@ -118,8 +113,7 @@ async fn execute_refresh_column_with_source(
            continue;
        }
        rows_filled += gained;
-        let values =
-            fill_stream(&dataset, &fragment, bound.clone(), column, output_is_blob).await?;
+        let values = fill_stream(&dataset, &fragment, bound.clone(), column).await?;
        replacements.push(fragment.write_columns(values, &column_schema).await?);
    }

@@ -300,15 +294,12 @@ fn evaluation_batch(
    mask_out: Option<&BooleanArray>,
 ) -> lance_core::Result<RecordBatch> {
    let mut columns = Vec::with_capacity(bound.roots.len());
-    let mut fields = Vec::with_capacity(bound.roots.len());
    for name in &bound.roots {
-        let index = batch.schema_ref().index_of(name).map_err(|_| {
+        let column = batch.column_by_name(name).ok_or_else(|| {
            lance_core::Error::invalid_input(format!(
                "refreshing a computed column read no {name} column"
            ))
        })?;
-        let column = batch.column(index);
-        fields.push(batch.schema_ref().field(index).clone());
        // Rows outside the mask must not reach the expression: a value in a
        // deleted or already-filled row can be one it would choke on.
        columns.push(match mask_out {
@@ -317,7 +308,7 @@ fn evaluation_batch(
        });
    }
    Ok(RecordBatch::try_new_with_options(
-        Arc::new(ArrowSchema::new(fields)),
+        bound.read_schema.clone(),
        columns,
        &RecordBatchOptions::new().with_row_count(Some(batch.num_rows())),
    )?)
@@ -338,99 +329,6 @@ fn evaluate(bound: &BoundExpression, batch: &RecordBatch) -> lance_core::Result<
    }
 }

-fn materialized_blob_ids(schema: &LanceSchema, paths: &[String]) -> Result<HashSet<u32>> {
-    paths
-        .iter()
-        .map(|path| {
-            let field = schema
-                .resolve(path)
-                .and_then(|fields| fields.last().copied())
-                .ok_or_else(|| Error::InvalidInput {
-                    message: format!("computed Blob input '{path}' no longer exists"),
-                })?;
-            if !field.is_blob_v2() {
-                return Err(Error::InvalidInput {
-                    message: format!("computed Blob input '{path}' is no longer Blob v2"),
-                });
-            }
-            u32::try_from(field.id).map_err(|_| Error::InvalidInput {
-                message: format!(
-                    "computed Blob input '{path}' has invalid field id {}",
-                    field.id
-                ),
-            })
-        })
-        .collect()
-}
-
-fn configure_blob_inputs(
-    scanner: &mut lance::dataset::scanner::Scanner,
-    schema: &LanceSchema,
-    bound: &BoundExpression,
-    extra_blob_id: Option<u32>,
-) -> Result<()> {
-    let mut ids = materialized_blob_ids(schema, &bound.blob_paths)?;
-    ids.extend(extra_blob_id);
-    scanner.blob_handling(BlobHandling::SomeBlobsBinary(ids));
-    Ok(())
-}
-
-fn blob_array_from_binary(
-    array: &ArrayRef,
-    target_field: &ArrowField,
-) -> lance_core::Result<ArrayRef> {
-    let values = array
-        .as_any()
-        .downcast_ref::<LargeBinaryArray>()
-        .ok_or_else(|| {
-            lance_core::Error::invalid_input(format!(
-                "a Blob v2 computed output produced {}, expected LargeBinary",
-                array.data_type()
-            ))
-        })?;
-    let mut builder = lance::blob::BlobArrayBuilder::new(values.len());
-    for index in 0..values.len() {
-        if values.is_null(index) {
-            builder.push_null()?;
-        } else {
-            builder.push_bytes(values.value(index))?;
-        }
-    }
-    let minimal = builder.finish()?;
-    let minimal = minimal
-        .as_any()
-        .downcast_ref::<StructArray>()
-        .ok_or_else(|| lance_core::Error::internal("Blob builder returned a non-struct array"))?;
-    let DataType::Struct(target_fields) = target_field.data_type() else {
-        return Err(lance_core::Error::invalid_input(format!(
-            "Blob v2 output field '{}' has non-struct type {}",
-            target_field.name(),
-            target_field.data_type()
-        )));
-    };
-    let columns = target_fields
-        .iter()
-        .map(|field| match field.name().as_str() {
-            "data" | "uri" => minimal
-                .column_by_name(field.name())
-                .cloned()
-                .ok_or_else(|| {
-                    lance_core::Error::internal(format!("Blob builder omitted '{}'", field.name()))
-                }),
-            "position" | "size" => Ok(new_null_array(field.data_type(), minimal.len())),
-            name => Err(lance_core::Error::invalid_input(format!(
-                "Blob v2 output field '{}' has unsupported logical child '{name}'",
-                target_field.name()
-            ))),
-        })
-        .collect::<lance_core::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
-    Ok(Arc::new(StructArray::try_new(
-        target_fields.clone(),
-        columns,
-        minimal.nulls().cloned(),
-    )?))
-}
-
 /// How many rows of one fragment would gain a value.
 ///
 /// Scans only the unfilled live rows -- deleted rows never reach the
@@ -449,7 +347,6 @@ async fn count_fragment_gains(
        .with_row_id()
        .filter(&format!("{} IS NULL", quote_identifier(column)))?
        .project(&bound.roots)?;
-    configure_blob_inputs(&mut scanner, dataset.schema(), bound, None)?;

    let mut gained = 0u64;
    let mut batches = scanner.try_into_stream().await?;
@@ -471,7 +368,6 @@ async fn fill_stream(
    fragment: &FileFragment,
    bound: Arc<BoundExpression>,
    column: &str,
-    output_is_blob: bool,
 ) -> Result<impl Stream<Item = lance_core::Result<RecordBatch>> + Send + use<>> {
    let mut projection: Vec<String> = bound.roots.clone();
    projection.push(column.to_string());
@@ -481,20 +377,6 @@ async fn fill_stream(
        .with_row_id()
        .include_deleted_rows()
        .project(&projection)?;
-    let output_blob_id = output_is_blob
-        .then(|| {
-            dataset
-                .schema()
-                .field(column)
-                .and_then(|field| u32::try_from(field.id).ok())
-        })
-        .flatten();
-    configure_blob_inputs(
-        &mut scanner,
-        dataset.schema(),
-        bound.as_ref(),
-        output_blob_id,
-    )?;

    let projected = Arc::new(ArrowSchema::new(vec![
        ArrowSchema::from(dataset.schema())
@@ -530,11 +412,6 @@ async fn fill_stream(

        let computed = evaluate(&bound, &evaluation_batch(&batch, &bound, Some(&keep))?)?;
        let merged = arrow_select::zip::zip(&fill, &computed, existing)?;
-        let merged = if output_is_blob {
-            blob_array_from_binary(&merged, projected.field(0))?
-        } else {
-            merged
-        };
        Ok(RecordBatch::try_new(projected.clone(), vec![merged])?)
    }))
 }
@@ -543,12 +420,8 @@ async fn fill_stream(
 mod tests {
    use std::sync::Arc;

-    use arrow_array::{
-        Array, ArrayRef, Int32Array, LargeBinaryArray, RecordBatch, StructArray, record_batch,
-    };
-    use arrow_schema::Field as ArrowField;
+    use arrow_array::{Int32Array, record_batch};
    use futures::TryStreamExt;
-    use lance_core::ROW_ID;

    use crate::connect;
    use crate::query::{ExecutableQuery, QueryBase, Select};
@@ -604,25 +477,6 @@ mod tests {
        table.add(batch).execute().await.unwrap();
    }

-    #[test]
-    fn test_blob_output_matches_complete_logical_field() {
-        let values: ArrayRef = Arc::new(LargeBinaryArray::from(vec![
-            Some(b"hello".as_slice()),
-            None,
-        ]));
-        let field = ArrowField::new(
-            "image",
-            lance_core::datatypes::BLOB_V2_LOGICAL_TYPE.clone(),
-            true,
-        );
-
-        let output = super::blob_array_from_binary(&values, &field).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(output.data_type(), field.data_type());
-        let output = output.as_any().downcast_ref::<StructArray>().unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(output.column_by_name("position").unwrap().null_count(), 2);
-        assert_eq!(output.column_by_name("size").unwrap().null_count(), 2);
-    }
-
    /// The gate's reproducer: `b = coalesce(a, 0)` refreshed before `a`
    /// must not bake zeros from `a`'s placeholder null. It is refused, and
    /// names the input, until `a` is filled -- after every append too.
@@ -1310,366 +1164,4 @@ mod tests {
        let err = table.refresh_column("embedding").await.unwrap_err();
        assert!(matches!(err, Error::NotSupported { message } if message.contains("udf")));
    }
-
-    fn blob_batch(ids: Vec<i32>, payloads: Vec<Option<&[u8]>>) -> RecordBatch {
-        use arrow_array::Int32Array;
-        use arrow_schema::{Field, Schema};
-
-        let mut builder = lance::blob::BlobArrayBuilder::new(payloads.len());
-        for payload in payloads {
-            match payload {
-                Some(payload) => builder.push_bytes(payload).unwrap(),
-                None => builder.push_null().unwrap(),
-            }
-        }
-        RecordBatch::try_new(
-            Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
-                Field::new("id", arrow_schema::DataType::Int32, false),
-                crate::blob("image", true),
-            ])),
-            vec![Arc::new(Int32Array::from(ids)), builder.finish().unwrap()],
-        )
-        .unwrap()
-    }
-
-    async fn create_blob_table(path: &std::path::Path, batch: RecordBatch) -> Table {
-        let conn = connect(path.to_str().unwrap()).execute().await.unwrap();
-        conn.create_table("blobs", batch).execute().await.unwrap()
-    }
-
-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn test_refresh_inherits_and_publishes_blob_output() {
-        use arrow_array::UInt64Array;
-        use lance_arrow::{
-            BLOB_DEDICATED_SIZE_THRESHOLD_META_KEY, BLOB_INLINE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_META_KEY,
-        };
-        use lance_core::datatypes::BlobKind;
-
-        use crate::table::schema_evolution::FieldMetadataUpdate;
-
-        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
-        let table = create_blob_table(
-            tmp.path(),
-            blob_batch(
-                vec![1, 2, 3, 4],
-                vec![Some(b"hello"), Some(b"ab"), Some(b""), None],
-            ),
-        )
-        .await;
-        table
-            .add_columns()
-            .computed("image_copy", "image")
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        table
-            .update_field_metadata(&[FieldMetadataUpdate::new("image_copy")
-                .set(BLOB_INLINE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_META_KEY, "1")
-                .set(BLOB_DEDICATED_SIZE_THRESHOLD_META_KEY, "4")])
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-
-        let first_refresh = table.refresh_column("image_copy").await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(first_refresh.rows_filled, 3);
-        assert_eq!(
-            table.blob_columns().await.unwrap(),
-            vec!["image".to_string(), "image_copy".to_string()]
-        );
-
-        let batches = table
-            .query()
-            .with_row_id()
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap()
-            .try_collect::<Vec<_>>()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let batch = arrow_select::concat::concat_batches(&batches[0].schema(), &batches).unwrap();
-        assert!(
-            batch
-                .column_by_name("image_copy")
-                .unwrap()
-                .as_any()
-                .is::<arrow_array::StructArray>()
-        );
-        let row_ids = batch
-            .column_by_name(ROW_ID)
-            .unwrap()
-            .as_any()
-            .downcast_ref::<UInt64Array>()
-            .unwrap()
-            .values()
-            .to_vec();
-        let original = table.fetch_blobs("image", &row_ids).await.unwrap();
-        let copied = table.fetch_blobs("image_copy", &row_ids).await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(original, copied);
-        let ids = batch
-            .column_by_name("id")
-            .unwrap()
-            .as_any()
-            .downcast_ref::<Int32Array>()
-            .unwrap();
-        let files = table
-            .fetch_blob_files("image_copy", &row_ids)
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let mut layouts = ids
-            .values()
-            .iter()
-            .copied()
-            .zip(files)
-            .map(|(id, file)| (id, file.and_then(|file| file.kind())))
-            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-        layouts.sort_by_key(|(id, _)| *id);
-        assert_eq!(
-            layouts,
-            vec![
-                (1, Some(BlobKind::Dedicated)),
-                (2, Some(BlobKind::Packed)),
-                (3, Some(BlobKind::Inline)),
-                (4, None),
-            ]
-        );
-
-        table
-            .add(blob_batch(vec![5], vec![Some(b"appended")]))
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        table
-            .optimize(crate::table::OptimizeAction::Compact {
-                options: crate::table::CompactionOptions::default(),
-                remap_options: None,
-            })
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(
-            table
-                .refresh_column("image_copy")
-                .await
-                .unwrap()
-                .rows_filled,
-            1
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            table
-                .refresh_column("image_copy")
-                .await
-                .unwrap()
-                .rows_filled,
-            0
-        );
-
-        table.checkout(first_refresh.version).await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(table.count_rows(None).await.unwrap(), 4);
-        assert_eq!(
-            table.blob_columns().await.unwrap(),
-            vec!["image".to_string(), "image_copy".to_string()]
-        );
-        table.checkout_latest().await.unwrap();
-    }
-
-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn test_refresh_inherits_nested_struct_blob_input() {
-        use arrow_array::{Int32Array, StructArray, UInt64Array};
-        use arrow_schema::{DataType, Field, Fields, Schema};
-
-        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
-        let mut blob_builder = lance::blob::BlobArrayBuilder::new(2);
-        blob_builder.push_bytes(b"nested").unwrap();
-        blob_builder.push_null().unwrap();
-        let blob_field = crate::blob("image", true);
-        let metadata_fields = Fields::from(vec![blob_field.clone()]);
-        let metadata = StructArray::new(
-            metadata_fields.clone(),
-            vec![blob_builder.finish().unwrap()],
-            None,
-        );
-        let batch = RecordBatch::try_new(
-            Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
-                Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
-                Field::new("metadata", DataType::Struct(metadata_fields), true),
-            ])),
-            vec![Arc::new(Int32Array::from(vec![1, 2])), Arc::new(metadata)],
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-        let table = create_blob_table(tmp.path(), batch).await;
-        table
-            .add_columns()
-            .computed("payload_copy", "metadata.image")
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-
-        assert_eq!(
-            table
-                .refresh_column("payload_copy")
-                .await
-                .unwrap()
-                .rows_filled,
-            1
-        );
-        assert_eq!(
-            table.blob_columns().await.unwrap(),
-            vec!["metadata.image".to_string(), "payload_copy".to_string()]
-        );
-        let batches = table
-            .query()
-            .with_row_id()
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap()
-            .try_collect::<Vec<_>>()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let row_ids = batches[0]
-            .column_by_name(ROW_ID)
-            .unwrap()
-            .as_any()
-            .downcast_ref::<UInt64Array>()
-            .unwrap()
-            .values();
-        let payloads = table.fetch_blobs("payload_copy", row_ids).await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(payloads.value(0), b"nested");
-        assert!(payloads.is_null(1));
-    }
-
-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn test_refresh_preserves_list_shape_when_materializing_blob_input() {
-        use arrow_array::{Int32Array, ListArray};
-        use arrow_buffer::{OffsetBuffer, ScalarBuffer};
-        use arrow_schema::{DataType, Field, Schema};
-
-        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
-        let mut blob_builder = lance::blob::BlobArrayBuilder::new(3);
-        blob_builder.push_bytes(b"a").unwrap();
-        blob_builder.push_bytes(b"bb").unwrap();
-        blob_builder.push_null().unwrap();
-        let item = Arc::new(crate::blob("item", true));
-        let images = ListArray::new(
-            item.clone(),
-            OffsetBuffer::new(ScalarBuffer::from(vec![0, 2, 3])),
-            blob_builder.finish().unwrap(),
-            None,
-        );
-        let batch = RecordBatch::try_new(
-            Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
-                Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
-                Field::new("images", DataType::List(item), true),
-            ])),
-            vec![Arc::new(Int32Array::from(vec![1, 2])), Arc::new(images)],
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-        let table = create_blob_table(tmp.path(), batch).await;
-        table
-            .add_columns()
-            .computed("image_payloads", "images")
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-
-        assert_eq!(
-            table
-                .refresh_column("image_payloads")
-                .await
-                .unwrap()
-                .rows_filled,
-            2
-        );
-        let batches = table
-            .query()
-            .select(Select::columns(&["image_payloads"]))
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap()
-            .try_collect::<Vec<_>>()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let output = batches[0]
-            .column_by_name("image_payloads")
-            .unwrap()
-            .as_any()
-            .downcast_ref::<ListArray>()
-            .unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(output.value_offsets(), &[0, 2, 3]);
-        assert!(output.values().as_any().is::<LargeBinaryArray>());
-    }
-
-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn test_refresh_inherits_external_blob_input() {
-        use arrow_array::{Int32Array, StringArray, UInt64Array};
-        use arrow_schema::{DataType, Field, Schema};
-
-        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
-        let payload = b"external-payload";
-        let path = tmp.path().join("payload.bin");
-        std::fs::write(&path, payload).unwrap();
-        let uri = url::Url::from_file_path(path).unwrap().to_string();
-        let conn = connect(tmp.path().join("db").to_str().unwrap())
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let table = conn
-            .create_empty_table(
-                "external",
-                Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
-                    Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
-                    crate::blob("image", true),
-                ])),
-            )
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let batch = RecordBatch::try_new(
-            Arc::new(Schema::new(vec![
-                Field::new("id", DataType::Int32, false),
-                Field::new("image", DataType::Utf8, true),
-            ])),
-            vec![
-                Arc::new(Int32Array::from(vec![1])),
-                Arc::new(StringArray::from(vec![Some(uri)])),
-            ],
-        )
-        .unwrap();
-        table
-            .add(batch)
-            .allow_external_blob_outside_bases(true)
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        table
-            .add_columns()
-            .computed("payload_copy", "image")
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-
-        assert_eq!(
-            table
-                .refresh_column("payload_copy")
-                .await
-                .unwrap()
-                .rows_filled,
-            1
-        );
-        let batches = table
-            .query()
-            .with_row_id()
-            .execute()
-            .await
-            .unwrap()
-            .try_collect::<Vec<_>>()
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        let row_ids = batches[0]
-            .column_by_name(ROW_ID)
-            .unwrap()
-            .as_any()
-            .downcast_ref::<UInt64Array>()
-            .unwrap()
-            .values();
-        let payloads = table.fetch_blobs("payload_copy", row_ids).await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(payloads.value(0), payload);
-    }
 }
@@ -45,11 +45,7 @@ async fn local_function_catalog_operations_return_stable_not_supported() {
        .get_function("normalize_score", "fv_exact")
        .await
        .unwrap_err();
-    let drop_error = connection
-        .drop_function("normalize_score", "fv_exact")
-        .await
-        .unwrap_err();
-    for error in [create_error, lookup_error, drop_error] {
+    for error in [create_error, lookup_error] {
        assert!(matches!(
            error,
            Error::NotSupported { message }
@@ -78,12 +78,6 @@
        "type": "utf8"
      }
    },
-    {
-      "arrow_type": "large_utf8",
-      "json": {
-        "type": "large_utf8"
-      }
-    },
    {
      "arrow_type": "binary",
      "json": {
@@ -177,21 +171,6 @@
        ]
      }
    },
-    {
-      "arrow_type": "list<large_utf8>",
-      "json": {
-        "type": "list",
-        "fields": [
-          {
-            "name": "item",
-            "nullable": false,
-            "type": {
-              "type": "large_utf8"
-            }
-          }
-        ]
-      }
-    },
    {
      "arrow_type": "large_list<utf8>",
      "json": {
@@ -207,21 +186,6 @@
        ]
      }
    },
-    {
-      "arrow_type": "large_list<large_utf8>",
-      "json": {
-        "type": "large_list",
-        "fields": [
-          {
-            "name": "item",
-            "nullable": false,
-            "type": {
-              "type": "large_utf8"
-            }
-          }
-        ]
-      }
-    },
    {
      "arrow_type": "fixed_size_list<float32, 384>",
      "json": {
@@ -366,4 +330,4 @@
    "timestamp[us]",
    "struct<a: int32>"
  ]
-}
+}
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
Gatefixer	05fce57841	Merge origin/main into gatekeeper/fix-3759-1	2026-08-28 01:19:19 +00:00
Gatefixer	43465f06d5	fix(python): support blob lists in dict appends	2026-08-26 23:47:47 +00:00
Gatefixer	bc762926ab	fix(python): preserve nested extension carriers	2026-08-26 23:21:40 +00:00
Gatefixer	2426f275cd	fix(python): accept null extension column batches	2026-08-26 22:55:54 +00:00