feat(python): expose DatasetDeltaBuilder and relevant apis

python/python/lance/dataset.py

@@ -3586,6 +3586,88 @@ def sql(self, sql: str) -> "SqlQueryBuilder":
         """
         return SqlQueryBuilder(self._ds.sql(sql))
 
+    def delta(
+        self,
+        compared_against: Optional[int] = None,
+        *,
+        begin_version: Optional[int] = None,
+        end_version: Optional[int] = None,
+    ) -> "DatasetDelta":
+        """
+        Compare changes between two versions of this dataset.
+
+        You must specify either ``compared_against`` (shorthand for comparing the
+        current version against a specific older version) or both ``begin_version``
+        and ``end_version`` for an explicit range.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        compared_against : int, optional
+            The version to compare the current dataset version against.
+            This is a shorthand for setting ``begin_version=compared_against``
+            and ``end_version=self.version``.
+        begin_version : int, optional
+            The start version (exclusive) for the comparison range.
+            Must be used together with ``end_version``.
+        end_version : int, optional
+            The end version (inclusive) for the comparison range.
+            Must be used together with ``begin_version``.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        DatasetDelta
+            An object that can list transactions or stream inserted/updated rows.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        ValueError
+            If both ``compared_against`` and version range are specified,
+            or if neither is specified.
+
+        Examples
+        --------
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+            import lance
+            import pyarrow as pa
+
+            # Write initial data (v1)
+            ds = lance.write_dataset(
+                pa.table({"id": [1, 2], "val": ["a", "b"]}),
+                "memory://delta_demo"
+            )
+
+            # Append some data to create v2
+            ds_append = lance.write_dataset(
+                pa.table({"id": [3], "val": ["c"]}),
+                "memory://delta_demo",
+                mode="append"
+            )
+
+            # Compute inserted rows from v1 -> v2 (shorthand)
+            delta = ds_append.delta(compared_against=1)
+            reader = delta.get_inserted_rows()
+            for batch in reader:
+                print(batch)
+
+            # Or using explicit version range
+            delta = ds_append.delta(begin_version=1, end_version=2)
+        """
+        has_compared_against = compared_against is not None
+
+        builder = _DatasetDeltaBuilder(self._ds.delta())
+
+        if has_compared_against:
+            builder = builder.compared_against_version(compared_against)
+        else:
+            if begin_version:
+                builder = builder.with_begin_version(begin_version)
+
+            if end_version:
+                builder = builder.with_end_version(end_version)
+
+        return builder.build()
+
     @property
     def optimize(self) -> "DatasetOptimizer":
         return DatasetOptimizer(self)
@@ -3750,6 +3832,61 @@ def build(self) -> SqlQuery:
         return SqlQuery(self._builder.build())
 
 
+class DatasetDelta:
+    """
+    A view of differences between two versions.
+
+    Created by :meth:`LanceDataset.delta`.
+    Provides convenient methods to stream inserted/updated rows or list transactions.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, delta):
+        self._delta = delta
+
+    def list_transactions(self) -> List[Transaction]:
+        """
+        List transactions in the range from begin_version + 1 to end_version.
+        """
+        return self._delta.list_transactions()
+
+    def get_inserted_rows(self) -> pa.RecordBatchReader:
+        """
+        Return a streaming RecordBatchReader for inserted rows.
+        """
+        return self._delta.get_inserted_rows()
+
+    def get_updated_rows(self) -> pa.RecordBatchReader:
+        """
+        Return a streaming RecordBatchReader for updated rows.
+        """
+        return self._delta.get_updated_rows()
+
+
+class _DatasetDeltaBuilder:
+    """Internal builder for :class:`DatasetDelta`.
+
+    This class is not part of the public API. Use :meth:`LanceDataset.delta` instead.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, builder):
+        self._builder = builder
+
+    def compared_against_version(self, version: int) -> "_DatasetDeltaBuilder":
+        self._builder = self._builder.compared_against_version(version)
+        return self
+
+    def with_begin_version(self, version: int) -> "_DatasetDeltaBuilder":
+        self._builder = self._builder.with_begin_version(version)
+        return self
+
+    def with_end_version(self, version: int) -> "_DatasetDeltaBuilder":
+        self._builder = self._builder.with_end_version(version)
+        return self
+
+    def build(self) -> DatasetDelta:
+        return DatasetDelta(self._builder.build())
+
+
 class BulkCommitResult(TypedDict):
     dataset: LanceDataset
     merged: Transaction

python/python/tests/test_delta.py

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lance Authors
+
+import pyarrow as pa
+import pytest
+from lance import write_dataset
+
+
+def test_delta_get_inserted_rows():
+    # Create initial dataset (version 1)
+    table1 = pa.table(
+        {
+            "id": pa.array([1, 2, 3], type=pa.int32()),
+            "val": pa.array(["a", "b", "c"], type=pa.string()),
+        }
+    )
+    ds = write_dataset(table1, "memory://delta_api_test", enable_stable_row_ids=True)
+
+    # Append more rows to create version 2
+    table2 = pa.table(
+        {
+            "id": pa.array([4, 5], type=pa.int32()),
+            "val": pa.array(["d", "e"], type=pa.string()),
+        }
+    )
+    ds.insert(table2)
+
+    # Build delta compared to v1 and fetch inserted rows
+    delta = ds.delta(compared_against=1)
+    print(delta.list_transactions())
+    reader = delta.get_inserted_rows()
+
+    # Sum rows from all batches
+    total_rows = 0
+    for batch in reader:
+        total_rows += batch.num_rows
+
+    assert total_rows == 2
+
+
+def test_delta_get_updated_rows():
+    # Create initial dataset (version 1)
+    table1 = pa.table(
+        {
+            "id": pa.array([1, 2, 3], type=pa.int32()),
+            "val": pa.array(["a", "b", "c"], type=pa.string()),
+        }
+    )
+    ds = write_dataset(
+        table1, "memory://delta_api_test_update", enable_stable_row_ids=True
+    )
+
+    # Update an existing row to create version 2
+    update_stats = ds.update({"val": "'b_updated'"}, where="id = 2")
+    assert update_stats["num_rows_updated"] == 1
+
+    # Build delta compared to v1 and fetch updated rows
+    delta = ds.delta(compared_against=1)
+
+    # Ensure the transaction is an Update (not an Append/Delete)
+    txs = delta.list_transactions()
+    assert len(txs) == 1
+    assert type(txs[0].operation).__name__ == "Update"
+
+    reader = delta.get_updated_rows()
+
+    # Collect updated rows and validate contents
+    total_rows = 0
+    for batch in reader:
+        total_rows += batch.num_rows
+
+    assert total_rows == 1
+
+    # Ensure no inserted rows are present in this diff
+    inserted_reader = delta.get_inserted_rows()
+    total_inserted = 0
+    for batch in inserted_reader:
+        total_inserted += batch.num_rows
+    assert total_inserted == 0
+
+
+def test_delta_with_explicit_version_range():
+    # Create initial dataset (version 1)
+    table1 = pa.table(
+        {
+            "id": pa.array([1, 2, 3], type=pa.int32()),
+            "val": pa.array(["a", "b", "c"], type=pa.string()),
+        }
+    )
+    ds = write_dataset(
+        table1, "memory://delta_version_range_test", enable_stable_row_ids=True
+    )
+
+    # Append more rows to create version 2
+    table2 = pa.table(
+        {
+            "id": pa.array([4, 5], type=pa.int32()),
+            "val": pa.array(["d", "e"], type=pa.string()),
+        }
+    )
+    ds.insert(table2)
+
+    # Use explicit version range instead of compared_against
+    delta = ds.delta(begin_version=1, end_version=2)
+    reader = delta.get_inserted_rows()
+
+    total_rows = 0
+    for batch in reader:
+        total_rows += batch.num_rows
+
+    assert total_rows == 2
+
+
+def test_delta_validation_errors():
+    table = pa.table({"id": pa.array([1, 2, 3], type=pa.int32())})
+    ds = write_dataset(table, "memory://delta_validation_test")
+
+    # Error: no parameters specified
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Must specify either"):
+        ds.delta()
+
+    # Error: only begin_version specified
+    with pytest.raises(
+        ValueError,
+        match="Invalid user input: Must specify both with_begin_version "
+        "and with_end_version",
+    ):
+        ds.delta(begin_version=1)
+
+    # Error: only end_version specified
+    with pytest.raises(
+        ValueError,
+        match="Invalid user input: Must specify both with_begin_version "
+        "and with_end_version",
+    ):
+        ds.delta(end_version=2)

python/src/dataset.rs

@@ -2625,6 +2625,14 @@ impl Dataset {
             .map(|desc| PyIndexDescription::new(desc.as_ref(), self.ds.as_ref()))
             .collect())
     }
+
+    /// Create a delta builder to explore changes between dataset versions.
+    #[pyo3(signature=())]
+    fn delta(&self) -> PyResult<DatasetDeltaBuilder> {
+        let ds = self.ds.as_ref().clone();
+        let builder = ds.delta();
+        Ok(DatasetDeltaBuilder { builder })
+    }
 }
 
 #[pyclass(name = "SqlQuery", module = "_lib", subclass)]
@@ -2726,6 +2734,83 @@ impl SqlQueryBuilder {
     }
 }
 
+// -------------------- Delta API Bindings --------------------
+
+#[pyclass(name = "DatasetDelta", module = "_lib", subclass)]
+pub struct DatasetDelta {
+    inner: lance::dataset::delta::DatasetDelta,
+}
+
+#[pymethods]
+impl DatasetDelta {
+    /// List transactions between begin_version+1 and end_version.
+    fn list_transactions(
+        &self,
+    ) -> PyResult<Vec<PyLance<lance::dataset::transaction::Transaction>>> {
+        let txs = rt()
+            .block_on(None, self.inner.list_transactions())?
+            .infer_error()?;
+        Ok(txs.into_iter().map(PyLance).collect())
+    }
+
+    /// Get inserted rows between begin_version (exclusive) and end_version (inclusive) as a stream reader.
+    fn get_inserted_rows(&self) -> PyResult<PyObject> {
+        use arrow::pyarrow::IntoPyArrow;
+        use arrow_array::RecordBatchReader;
+        let stream = rt()
+            .block_on(None, self.inner.get_inserted_rows())?
+            .infer_error()?;
+        let reader: Box<dyn RecordBatchReader + Send> = Box::new(LanceReader::from_stream(stream));
+        Python::with_gil(|py| reader.into_pyarrow(py))
+    }
+
+    /// Get updated rows between begin_version (exclusive) and end_version (inclusive) as a stream reader.
+    fn get_updated_rows(&self) -> PyResult<PyObject> {
+        use arrow::pyarrow::IntoPyArrow;
+        use arrow_array::RecordBatchReader;
+        let stream = rt()
+            .block_on(None, self.inner.get_updated_rows())?
+            .infer_error()?;
+        let reader: Box<dyn RecordBatchReader + Send> = Box::new(LanceReader::from_stream(stream));
+        Python::with_gil(|py| reader.into_pyarrow(py))
+    }
+}
+
+#[pyclass(name = "DatasetDeltaBuilder", module = "_lib", subclass)]
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct DatasetDeltaBuilder {
+    builder: lance::dataset::delta::DatasetDeltaBuilder,
+}
+
+#[pymethods]
+impl DatasetDeltaBuilder {
+    #[pyo3(signature = (version))]
+    fn compared_against_version(&self, version: u64) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            builder: self.builder.clone().compared_against_version(version),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[pyo3(signature = (begin_version))]
+    fn with_begin_version(&self, begin_version: u64) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            builder: self.builder.clone().with_begin_version(begin_version),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[pyo3(signature = (end_version))]
+    fn with_end_version(&self, end_version: u64) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            builder: self.builder.clone().with_end_version(end_version),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn build(&self) -> PyResult<DatasetDelta> {
+        let delta = self.builder.clone().build().infer_error()?;
+        Ok(DatasetDelta { inner: delta })
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(FromPyObject)]
 pub enum PyWriteDest {
     Dataset(Dataset),

rust/lance/src/dataset/delta.rs

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ use snafu::location;
 /// # Ok(())
 /// # }
 /// ```
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct DatasetDeltaBuilder {
     dataset: Dataset,
     compared_against_version: Option<u64>,