apache/seatunnel

[Feature][Core] Support define all nested types

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#9744 opened on Aug 21, 2025

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 (2 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)Java (6,897 stars) (1,432 forks)batch import
corefeaturehelp wanted

Description

Search before asking

  • I had searched in the feature and found no similar feature requirement.

Description

Currently, our API design has limited support for nested data structures, and we need to support the definition and processing of any nested data types. Please refer https://github.com/apache/seatunnel/blob/45609ef1dfd88d4844a90eec0d0984b1797e44d4/seatunnel-api/src/main/java/org/apache/seatunnel/api/table/type/ArrayType.java#L22 and https://github.com/apache/seatunnel/blob/45609ef1dfd88d4844a90eec0d0984b1797e44d4/seatunnel-api/src/main/java/org/apache/seatunnel/api/table/type/MapType.java#L30

Usage Scenario

No response

Related issues

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Are you willing to submit a PR?

  • Yes I am willing to submit a PR!

Code of Conduct

Contributor guide

Tech stack
java
Domain
backenddata
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
Familiarity with Java genericsUnderstanding of Seatunnel API type system
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
30
Research direction
Examine ArrayType.java and MapType.java in seatunnel api/src/main/java/org/apache/seatunnel/api/table/type/ to understand current type constraints. Identify how nested structures are limited (e.g., lack of support for ArrayType<MapType<...>> or MapType<ArrayType<...>>). Propose changes to type definitions to allow arbitrary nesting, potentially using wildcard or recursive type parameters. Existing issue comments may provide further insight.