apache / apache/datafusion

Optimize redundant calls to UDFs producing `StructArray`

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#23,655 1 comment 0 reactions 1 assignee Claimed by @tohuya6 View on GitHub
enhancement
Dominant language
Rust
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Description

### Is your feature request related to a problem or challenge?

Since UDF can only return a single column as output, returning a `StructArray` is desired in many cases. However, accessing fields of the returned struct results in redundant calls to the UDF.

```sql
SELECT
example_struct(c)['a'],
example_struct(c)['b']
FROM (SELECT unnest(range(1,100)) as c)
```

Datafusion produces the following projection step for the query, resulting in calling the UDF with the same column twice.

```
ProjectionExec: expr=[get_field(example_struct(c@0), a) as example_struct(c)[a], get_field(example_struct(c@0), b) as example_struct(c)[b]]
```

Note that calling the UDF in a CTE or view does not change the execution plan.

Here is a minimal example .

### Describe the solution you'd like

@adriangb mentioned that CSE (Common Sub-expression Elimination) optimizer might be able to handle this.

### Describe alternatives you've considered

_No response_

### Additional context

_No response_

Contributor guide

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