lance-format/lance

Write specification doc describing schema format

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#5,707 opened on Jan 13, 2026

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Description

We should describe what data types are supported in schemas. They are represented as strings, so we should state what strings map to what Arrow types, for example.

Should also include an explanation of field ids.

Should go somewhere on https://lance.org/format/, either under file format or table format. The source for this is at:

https://github.com/lance-format/lance/tree/main/docs/src/format

Contributor guide

Research direction
Locate the docs source directory at https://github.com/lance format/lance/tree/main/docs/src/format, then draft a specification describing the supported data types and their mapping to Arrow types, along with an explanation of field ids.
Tech stack
rust
Domain
backenddata
Issue type
Documentation
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
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Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
Git
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70