Files
lancedb/nodejs/lancedb/schema.ts
T
Will JonesandClaude a68c7be202 feat(node): accept ArrayBuffer, Blob/File, and URL as blob column inputs (#4313)
Closes #4270.

## Summary

Blob v2 columns now accept more of the containers TypeScript code
commonly has, both as the column value and inside `{ data }` / `{ uri
}`:

| Input | Handling |
|---|---|
| `ArrayBuffer` | `new Uint8Array(value)`, no copy |
| `URL` | stored as `value.href` |
| `Blob` / `File` | `await value.arrayBuffer()` in the async write
paths: `createTable`, `add`, `mergeInsert` |

`makeArrowTable` is synchronous, so it can't read a `Blob`. Given one,
it throws an error that names the field and row and points to the async
APIs or `new Uint8Array(await value.arrayBuffer())`. It does not write a
null blob.

### Types
`BlobInput` is now the accepted input type. It is widened to the types
above and exported from the package entry point with `BlobData` and
`BlobUri`, so callers can annotate rows and `tsc` catches bad inputs.
The struct forms are a union that requires exactly one of `data` /
`uri`. The old normalized `{ data, uri }` shape is renamed to
`BlobValue` (internal).

### Implementation
- `blob.ts`: `normalizeBlobInput` (sync: `ArrayBuffer`/`URL`),
`resolveBlobInput` (async: `Blob`/`File`). `coerceBlobValue` normalizes
first.
- `arrow.ts`: `mapBlobInputs` walks only the blob positions in the
schema, including blobs nested in structs and lists. It copies records
and arrays only where a value changed, so caller data is never mutated.
`resolveBlobInputs` runs before `makeArrowTable` in `convertToTable`
(used by `add` / `mergeInsert`) and in `createTable`. Each distinct
`Blob` is read once.
- `makeArrowTable` now coerces every blob value to the full `{ data, uri
}` struct **before** schema inference. This also fixes two bugs that
existed before this change:
  - Rows mixing plain bytes with `{ data }` failed inference.
- A `{ uri }`-only struct produced a blob struct missing its `data`
child.

  Blob validation errors now include the field path and row.
- Also fixed along the way:
- `add` / `mergeInsert` on a table with an embedding function rejected
most blob values, because `ensureNestedFieldsExist` filled blob columns
in like ordinary structs. It now skips them.
- With a schema, a struct field that is `null` in one row and a record
in a later row failed inference. Primitives and arrays given for a
struct field are now rejected instead of being written as an all-null
struct.
- Blob structs with keys other than `data` / `uri` are rejected, which
catches typos. Class instances with `data` / `uri` are handled like
plain objects.

## Testing
- Unit tests in `__test__/blob.test.ts`: coercion of the new types,
rejection and error messages for `Blob` in the sync path, nested lists
and structs, `resolveBlobInputs` (only blob columns touched, caller data
untouched, shared `Blob` read once).
- Table tests in `__test__/table.test.ts`:
- `createTable`, `add`, and `mergeInsert` round-trip `ArrayBuffer` /
`Blob` / `File` bytes through `fetchBlobs`.
- `URL` and `{ uri: URL }` are added to the external-blob round-trip
test from #4317 (`allowExternalBlobOutsideBases`).
- Full `jest` suite passes locally after the rebase (938 passed). `pnpm
lint` is clean and `pnpm run docs` has been regenerated.

Streaming inputs (`ReadableStream`, Node `Readable`, async iterables)
remain out of scope, as the issue says.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

https://claude.ai/code/session_012U4KdHofT5edv3LcXHXbLv

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-10-05 12:35:00 -07:00

650 lines
17 KiB
TypeScript

// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The LanceDB Authors
import {
Binary,
Bool,
DataType,
Dictionary,
Field,
FixedSizeList,
Float32,
Float64,
Int32,
Int64,
List,
Schema,
Struct,
Utf8,
util as arrowUtil,
} from "apache-arrow";
import { typedArrayToArrowType } from "./arrow_type";
import { sanitizeType } from "./sanitize";
type InferenceOptions = {
dictionaryEncodeStrings: boolean;
vectorColumns: Record<string, { type: unknown }>;
};
/**
* Infer the Arrow schema represented by a set of records.
*
* This is the intentionally small interface to schema inference. The stateful
* details of combining partial type evidence are encapsulated below so callers
* only need to provide records, an optional schema, and inference options.
*/
export function inferSchema(
data: Array<Record<string, unknown>>,
schema: Schema | undefined,
options: InferenceOptions,
): Schema {
return new SchemaInferrer(schema, options).infer(data);
}
class SchemaInferrer {
private readonly fields = new FieldTree();
constructor(
private readonly providedSchema: Schema | undefined,
private readonly options: InferenceOptions,
) {}
infer(data: Array<Record<string, unknown>>): Schema {
for (const [row, record] of data.entries()) {
for (const [path, value] of recordPathsAndValues(record)) {
this.observe(path, value, row);
}
}
return this.providedSchema === undefined
? new Schema(fieldsFromTree(this.fields))
: new Schema(matchingFields(this.providedSchema.fields, this.fields));
}
private observe(path: string[], value: unknown, row: number): void {
assertSupportedValue(value, path.join("."), row);
const current = this.fields.get(path);
if (current === undefined) {
this.addField(path, value, row);
} else if (this.providedSchema === undefined) {
this.updateInferredField(path, value, row, current);
} else if (current instanceof DeferredTypeEvidence) {
if (value != null) {
this.addSchemaField(this.providedSchema, path, value, row);
}
} else if (current instanceof FieldTree || DataType.isStruct(current)) {
assertStructValue(path, value, row);
}
}
private addField(path: string[], value: unknown, row: number): void {
if (this.providedSchema !== undefined) {
this.addSchemaField(this.providedSchema, path, value, row);
return;
}
const evidence =
this.inferType(value, path) ?? DeferredTypeEvidence.from(value, row);
if (evidence === undefined) {
throw typeInferenceError(path, row);
}
const conflict = this.fields.set(
path,
evidence,
(existing) =>
existing instanceof DeferredTypeEvidence && existing.isOnlyNulls(),
);
if (conflict !== undefined) {
throw branchConflictError(conflict, row, "Struct");
}
}
private addSchemaField(
schema: Schema,
path: string[],
value: unknown,
row: number,
): void {
const field = fieldAtPath(schema, path);
if (field === undefined) {
throw new Error(
`Found field not in schema: ${path.join(".")} at row ${row}`,
);
}
if (DataType.isStruct(field.type)) {
assertStructValue(path, value, row);
}
// Nulls are kept as deferred evidence so that a struct field seen first as
// null can be replaced by a record in a later row, just as a record seen
// first already ignores later nulls.
const conflict = this.fields.set(
path,
DeferredTypeEvidence.from(value, row) ?? field.type,
(existing) =>
existing instanceof DeferredTypeEvidence && existing.isOnlyNulls(),
);
if (conflict !== undefined) {
throw branchConflictError(conflict, row, "Struct");
}
}
private updateInferredField(
path: string[],
value: unknown,
row: number,
current: FieldNode,
): void {
const newType = this.inferType(value, path);
const deferred = DeferredTypeEvidence.from(value, row);
if (current instanceof FieldTree) {
if (deferred?.isOnlyNulls()) {
return;
}
throw schemaInferenceError(
path,
row,
"Struct",
describeEvidence(newType ?? deferred),
);
}
if (current instanceof DeferredTypeEvidence) {
this.resolveDeferredField(path, row, current, newType, deferred);
return;
}
if (newType !== undefined) {
if (!inferredTypesEqual(current, newType)) {
throw schemaInferenceError(
path,
row,
describeEvidence(current),
describeEvidence(newType),
);
}
return;
}
if (deferred === undefined || !deferred.matches(current)) {
throw schemaInferenceError(
path,
row,
describeEvidence(current),
describeEvidence(deferred),
);
}
}
private resolveDeferredField(
path: string[],
row: number,
current: DeferredTypeEvidence,
newType: DataType | undefined,
deferred: DeferredTypeEvidence | undefined,
): void {
if (newType !== undefined) {
if (!current.matches(newType)) {
throw schemaInferenceError(
path,
row,
current.describe(),
describeEvidence(newType),
);
}
this.fields.set(path, newType);
return;
}
if (deferred !== undefined) {
this.fields.set(path, current.merge(deferred));
return;
}
throw schemaInferenceError(
path,
row,
current.describe(),
describeEvidence(newType),
);
}
private inferType(value: unknown, path: string[]): DataType | undefined {
if (typeof value === "bigint") {
return new Int64();
}
if (typeof value === "number") {
return new Float64();
}
if (typeof value === "string") {
return this.options.dictionaryEncodeStrings
? new Dictionary(new Utf8(), new Int32())
: new Utf8();
}
if (typeof value === "boolean") {
return new Bool();
}
if (value instanceof Buffer) {
return new Binary();
}
if (ArrayBuffer.isView(value) && !(value instanceof DataView)) {
const typedArray = typedArrayToArrowType(value);
return typedArray === undefined
? undefined
: new FixedSizeList(
typedArray.length,
new Field("item", typedArray.elementType, true),
);
}
if (!Array.isArray(value) || value.length === 0) {
return undefined;
}
const configuredVector =
path.length === 1 ? this.options.vectorColumns[path[0]] : undefined;
if (configuredVector !== undefined) {
return new FixedSizeList(
value.length,
new Field("item", sanitizeType(configuredVector.type), true),
);
}
const itemType = this.inferArrayItemType(value, path);
if (itemType === undefined) {
return undefined;
}
return nameSuggestsVectorColumn(path[path.length - 1])
? new FixedSizeList(value.length, new Field("item", new Float32(), true))
: new List(new Field("item", itemType, true));
}
private inferArrayItemType(
values: unknown[],
path: string[],
): DataType | undefined {
let itemType: DataType | undefined;
const deferredItems: unknown[] = [];
for (const value of values) {
const candidate = this.inferType(value, path);
if (candidate === undefined) {
if (!isDeferredValue(value)) {
return undefined;
}
deferredItems.push(value);
} else if (itemType === undefined) {
itemType = candidate;
} else if (!inferredTypesEqual(itemType, candidate)) {
return undefined;
}
}
if (itemType === undefined) {
return undefined;
}
return deferredItems.every((value) =>
deferredValueMatchesType(value, itemType),
)
? itemType
: undefined;
}
}
/** Nulls and empty/all-null lists that do not determine a type by themselves. */
class DeferredTypeEvidence {
private constructor(
private readonly values: Array<{ value: unknown; row: number }>,
) {}
static from(value: unknown, row: number): DeferredTypeEvidence | undefined {
return isDeferredValue(value)
? new DeferredTypeEvidence([{ value, row }])
: undefined;
}
isOnlyNulls(): boolean {
return this.values.every(({ value }) => value == null);
}
matches(type: DataType): boolean {
return this.values.every(({ value }) =>
deferredValueMatchesType(value, type),
);
}
merge(other: DeferredTypeEvidence): DeferredTypeEvidence {
return new DeferredTypeEvidence([...this.values, ...other.values]);
}
describe(): string {
const list = this.values.find(({ value }) => Array.isArray(value));
return list === undefined
? "null"
: `List[${(list.value as unknown[]).length}]`;
}
firstRow(): number {
return this.values[0].row;
}
}
type FieldNode = DataType | DeferredTypeEvidence | FieldTree;
type LeafNode = Exclude<FieldNode, FieldTree>;
type FieldConflict = { path: string[]; value: FieldNode };
/** Nested field state, kept separate from Arrow's eventual Struct types. */
class FieldTree {
private readonly children = new Map<string, FieldNode>();
get(path: string[]): FieldNode | undefined {
let current: FieldNode = this;
for (const part of path) {
if (!(current instanceof FieldTree)) {
return undefined;
}
const child = current.children.get(part);
if (child === undefined) {
return undefined;
}
current = child;
}
return current;
}
set(
path: string[],
value: LeafNode,
canReplaceLeaf: (value: LeafNode) => boolean = () => false,
): FieldConflict | undefined {
let branch: FieldTree = this;
for (const [index, part] of path.slice(0, -1).entries()) {
const child = branch.children.get(part);
if (child === undefined || (isLeaf(child) && canReplaceLeaf(child))) {
const nextBranch = new FieldTree();
branch.children.set(part, nextBranch);
branch = nextBranch;
} else if (child instanceof FieldTree) {
branch = child;
} else {
return { path: path.slice(0, index + 1), value: child };
}
}
const name = path[path.length - 1];
const current = branch.children.get(name);
if (current instanceof FieldTree) {
return { path, value: current };
}
branch.children.set(name, value);
return undefined;
}
entries(): IterableIterator<[string, FieldNode]> {
return this.children.entries();
}
has(name: string): boolean {
return this.children.has(name);
}
}
function isLeaf(value: FieldNode): value is LeafNode {
return !(value instanceof FieldTree);
}
function fieldsFromTree(tree: FieldTree, path: string[] = []): Field[] {
const fields: Field[] = [];
for (const [name, value] of tree.entries()) {
if (value instanceof FieldTree) {
fields.push(
new Field(
name,
new Struct(fieldsFromTree(value, [...path, name])),
true,
),
);
} else if (value instanceof DeferredTypeEvidence) {
throw typeInferenceError([...path, name], value.firstRow());
} else {
fields.push(new Field(name, value, true));
}
}
return fields;
}
function matchingFields(fields: Field[], tree: FieldTree): Field[] {
const matches: Field[] = [];
for (const field of fields) {
if (!tree.has(field.name)) {
continue;
}
const value = tree.get([field.name]);
if (value instanceof FieldTree) {
const struct = field.type as Struct;
matches.push(
new Field(
field.name,
new Struct(matchingFields(struct.children, value)),
field.nullable,
field.metadata,
),
);
} else {
matches.push(field);
}
}
return matches;
}
function* recordPathsAndValues(
record: Record<string, unknown>,
path: string[] = [],
): Generator<[string[], unknown]> {
for (const [name, value] of Object.entries(record)) {
if (isRecord(value)) {
yield* recordPathsAndValues(value, [...path, name]);
} else if (value !== undefined) {
yield [[...path, name], value];
}
}
}
function isRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
if (typeof value !== "object" || value === null) {
return false;
}
const prototype = Object.getPrototypeOf(value);
return (
(prototype === Object.prototype || prototype === null) &&
Object.keys(value).length > 0
);
}
function isUnsupportedObject(value: unknown): boolean {
if (
typeof value !== "object" ||
value === null ||
Array.isArray(value) ||
isRecord(value)
) {
return false;
}
// Preserve the object types already passed through to Arrow. Other objects
// must not disappear while walking struct fields.
return !(
value instanceof RegExp ||
value instanceof Date ||
value instanceof Set ||
value instanceof Map ||
Buffer.isBuffer(value) ||
ArrayBuffer.isView(value)
);
}
function assertSupportedValue(
value: unknown,
field: string,
row: number,
): void {
if (Array.isArray(value)) {
for (const [index, item] of value.entries()) {
assertSupportedValue(item, `${field}[${index}]`, row);
}
} else if (isRecord(value)) {
for (const [name, child] of Object.entries(value)) {
assertSupportedValue(child, `${field}.${name}`, row);
}
} else if (isUnsupportedObject(value)) {
throw new Error(
`Unsupported object value for field ${field} at row ${row}.`,
);
}
}
/**
* Rejects primitives, arrays, and typed arrays given for a struct field, which
* would otherwise be written as a struct with every child null.
*/
function assertStructValue(path: string[], value: unknown, row: number): void {
if (
value == null ||
(typeof value === "object" &&
!Array.isArray(value) &&
!ArrayBuffer.isView(value))
) {
return;
}
const kind =
typeof value === "object" ? value.constructor.name : typeof value;
throw new Error(
`Expected a struct value for field ${path.join(".")} at row ${row}, got ${kind}.`,
);
}
function fieldAtPath(schema: Schema, path: string[]): Field | undefined {
let fields = schema.fields;
let field: Field | undefined;
for (const [index, name] of path.entries()) {
field = fields.find((candidate) => candidate.name === name);
if (field === undefined || index === path.length - 1) {
return field;
}
if (!DataType.isStruct(field.type)) {
return undefined;
}
fields = field.type.children;
}
return field;
}
function isDeferredValue(value: unknown): boolean {
return (
value == null || (Array.isArray(value) && value.every(isDeferredValue))
);
}
function deferredValueMatchesType(value: unknown, type: DataType): boolean {
if (value == null) {
return true;
}
if (!Array.isArray(value)) {
return false;
}
if (DataType.isList(type)) {
return value.every((item) =>
deferredValueMatchesType(item, type.valueType),
);
}
if (DataType.isFixedSizeList(type)) {
return (
value.length === type.listSize &&
value.every((item) => deferredValueMatchesType(item, type.valueType))
);
}
return false;
}
function inferredTypesEqual(current: DataType, candidate: DataType): boolean {
if (DataType.isDictionary(current)) {
return (
DataType.isDictionary(candidate) &&
current.isOrdered === candidate.isOrdered &&
inferredTypesEqual(current.indices, candidate.indices) &&
inferredTypesEqual(current.dictionary, candidate.dictionary)
);
}
if (DataType.isList(current)) {
return (
DataType.isList(candidate) &&
current.valueField.name === candidate.valueField.name &&
current.valueField.nullable === candidate.valueField.nullable &&
inferredTypesEqual(current.valueType, candidate.valueType)
);
}
if (DataType.isFixedSizeList(current)) {
return (
DataType.isFixedSizeList(candidate) &&
current.listSize === candidate.listSize &&
current.valueField.name === candidate.valueField.name &&
current.valueField.nullable === candidate.valueField.nullable &&
inferredTypesEqual(current.valueType, candidate.valueType)
);
}
return arrowUtil.compareTypes(current, candidate);
}
function describeEvidence(
evidence: DataType | DeferredTypeEvidence | undefined,
): string {
if (evidence === undefined) {
return "an unsupported value";
}
return evidence instanceof DeferredTypeEvidence
? evidence.describe()
: evidence.toString();
}
function branchConflictError(
conflict: FieldConflict,
row: number,
candidate: string,
): Error {
return schemaInferenceError(
conflict.path,
row,
conflict.value instanceof FieldTree
? "Struct"
: describeEvidence(conflict.value),
candidate,
);
}
function schemaInferenceError(
path: string[],
row: number,
currentType: string,
newType: string,
): Error {
return new Error(
`Failed to infer schema for data. Previously inferred type ${currentType} ` +
`but found ${newType} for field ${path.join(".")} at row ${row}. ` +
"Consider providing an explicit schema.",
);
}
function typeInferenceError(path: string[], row: number): Error {
return new Error(
`Failed to infer data type for field ${path.join(".")} at row ${row}. ` +
"Consider providing an explicit schema.",
);
}
function nameSuggestsVectorColumn(name: string): boolean {
const normalized = name.toLowerCase();
return normalized.includes("vector") || normalized.includes("embedding");
}