apache / apache/datafusion

EPIC: Complete `GroupValuesColumn` for Faster Aggregation support

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enhancement performance
Dominant language
Rust
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Description

- Follow on to https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/22715#issuecomment-5248863589

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

When running a query like `SELECT ... GROUP BY x, y` the DataFusion grouping operator computes / stores the group keys using an instance of the [`GroupValuesColumn`](https://docs.rs/datafusion/latest/datafusion/physical_plan/aggregates/group_values/multi_group_by/struct.GroupValuesColumn.html) trait.

This trait is a column-wise provides type-specific specializations under [`multi_group_by`](https://github.com/apache/datafusion/blob/1b27f348c97c6eb65d922cb1a208465a2f109311/datafusion/physical-plan/src/aggregates/group_values/multi_group_by/mod.rs#L1-L0)

If any one of the group by keys does not have a specialization of `GroupValuesColumn` DataFusion falls back to the general, but slower byte-encoded [`GroupValuesRows`](https://github.com/apache/datafusion/blob/68d587468073c1fc84ffe00db66f35d506dcc828/datafusion/physical-plan/src/aggregates/group_values/row.rs#L46-L45).

The currently supported types are listed in `group_column_supported_type`: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/blob/047f531488f6617e88c76769baf2e2d6ac8e1c0e/datafusion/physical-plan/src/aggregates/group_values/multi_group_by/mod.rs#L930

## Definition of Done
This EPIC tracks **completing the GroupValuesColumn type coverage** so that [`GroupValuesRows`](https://github.com/apache/datafusion/blob/68d587468073c1fc84ffe00db66f35d506dcc828/datafusion/physical-plan/src/aggregates/group_values/row.rs#L46-L45) can be removed

## Subtasks

- [ ] #22682
- [ ] #23993
- [x] #22701
- [ ] #23127

### Describe the solution you'd like

_No response_

### Describe alternatives you've considered

_No response_

### Additional context

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reviewing datafusion/physical-plan/src/aggregates/group_values/multi_group_by/mod.rs, especially the group_column_supported_type entry point and existing GroupValuesColumn specializations. Read the related subtasks #22682, #23993, #22701, and #23127, along with group_values/row.rs. Done means the required type coverage is complete and GroupValuesRows can be removed.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
rust, sql
Domain
databases
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
28/100

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