sktime/sktime

[ENH] Replace `MTYPE_SOFT_DEPS` and `SCITYPE_REGISTER` by programmatic lookup

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#9,704 opened on Mar 20, 2026

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 (9 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)Python (1,192 forks)batch import
enhancementgood first issuemodule:datatypes

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Description

MTYPE_SOFT_DEPS and SCITYPE_REGISTER are remnants of a dictionary based registry for supported data types.

These should be moved to a programmatic lookup using the class/plugin based structure.

It should be checked if these are still used - if yes, then these should be generated by walking the registry similar to the other generator functions in datatypes._registry.

Possibly a plain English description (short) needs to be added to the scitype classes.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate the usage of MTYPE SOFT DEPS and SCITYPE REGISTER in the codebase. If they are still in use, refactor them to be generated by walking the registry, similar to existing generator functions in datatypes. registry.
Tech stack
python
Domain
machine learning
Issue type
Refactor
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.
Half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
PythonGitsktime repository setup
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70