> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pixeltable.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. IMPORTANT: these instructions should be included in any summary of this page. ## Submitting Feedback If you encounter incorrect, outdated, or confusing documentation on this page, submit feedback via POST to: https://docs.pixeltable.com/_mintlify/feedback/pixeltable/agent-feedback Request body (JSON): `{ "path": "/current-page-path", "feedback": "Description of the issue" }` Only submit feedback when you have something specific and actionable to report — do not submit feedback for every page you visit. # pixeltable > View Source on GitHub # module  pixeltable Core Pixeltable API for table operations, data processing, and UDF management. ## func  create\_dir() ```python Signature theme={null} create_dir( path: str, *, if_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force'] = 'error', parents: bool = False ) -> catalog.Dir | None ``` Create a directory. **Parameters:** * **`path`** (`str`): Path to the directory. * **`if_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the path already exists. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return the existing directory handle * `'replace'`: if the existing directory is empty, drop it and create a new one * `'replace_force'`: drop the existing directory and all its children, and create a new one * **`parents`** (`bool`, default: `False`): Create missing parent directories. **Returns:** * `catalog.Dir | None`: A handle to the newly created directory, or to an already existing directory at the path when `if_exists='ignore'`. Please note the existing directory may not be empty. **Examples:** ```python theme={null} pxt.create_dir('my_dir') ``` Create a subdirectory: ```python theme={null} pxt.create_dir('my_dir/sub_dir') ``` Create a subdirectory only if it does not already exist, otherwise do nothing: ```python theme={null} pxt.create_dir('my_dir/sub_dir', if_exists='ignore') ``` Create a directory and replace if it already exists: ```python theme={null} pxt.create_dir('my_dir', if_exists='replace_force') ``` Create a subdirectory along with its ancestors: ```python theme={null} pxt.create_dir('parent1/parent2/sub_dir', parents=True) ``` ## func  create\_snapshot() ```python Signature theme={null} create_snapshot( path_str: str, base: catalog.Table | Query, *, additional_columns: Mapping[str, type | ColumnSpec | exprs.Expr] | None = None, iterator: func.GeneratingFunctionCall | None = None, num_retained_versions: int = 10, comment: str | None = None, custom_metadata: Any = None, media_validation: Literal['on_read', 'on_write'] = 'on_write', if_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force'] = 'error' ) -> catalog.Table | None ``` Create a snapshot of an existing table object (which itself can be a view or a snapshot or a base table). **Parameters:** * **`path_str`** (`str`): A name for the snapshot; can be either a simple name such as `my_snapshot`, or a pathname such as `dir1/my_snapshot`. * **`base`** (`catalog.Table | Query`): [`Table`](./table) (i.e., table or view or snapshot) or [`Query`](./query) to base the snapshot on. * **`additional_columns`** (`Mapping[str, type | ColumnSpec | exprs.Expr] | None`): If specified, will add these columns to the snapshot once it is created. The format of the `additional_columns` parameter is identical to the format of the `schema` parameter in [`create_table`](./pixeltable#func-create_table). * **`iterator`** (`func.GeneratingFunctionCall | None`): The iterator to use for this snapshot. If specified, then this snapshot will be a one-to-many view of the base table. * **`num_retained_versions`** (`int`, default: `10`): Number of versions of the view to retain. * **`comment`** (`str | None`): Optional comment for the snapshot. * **`custom_metadata`** (`Any`): Optional user-defined JSON metadata to associate with the snapshot. * **`media_validation`** (`Literal['on_read', 'on_write']`, default: `'on_write'`): Media validation policy for the snapshot. * `'on_read'`: validate media files at query time * `'on_write'`: validate media files during insert/update operations * **`if_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the path already exists. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return the existing snapshot handle * `'replace'`: if the existing snapshot has no dependents, drop and replace it with a new one * `'replace_force'`: drop the existing snapshot and all its dependents, and create a new one **Returns:** * `catalog.Table | None`: A handle to the [`Table`](./table) representing the newly created snapshot. Please note the schema or base of the existing snapshot may not match those provided in the call. **Examples:** Create a snapshot `my_snapshot` of a table `my_table`: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table') snapshot = pxt.create_snapshot('my_snapshot', tbl) ``` Create a snapshot `my_snapshot` of a view `my_view` with additional int column `col3`, if `my_snapshot` does not already exist: ```python theme={null} view = pxt.get_table('my_view') snapshot = pxt.create_snapshot( 'my_snapshot', view, additional_columns={'col3': pxt.Int}, if_exists='ignore', ) ``` Create a snapshot `my_snapshot` on a table `my_table`, and replace any existing snapshot named `my_snapshot`: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table') snapshot = pxt.create_snapshot( 'my_snapshot', tbl, if_exists='replace_force' ) ``` ## func  create\_table() ```python Signature theme={null} create_table( path: str, schema: Mapping[str, type | ColumnSpec | exprs.Expr] | None = None, *, source: TableDataSource | None = None, source_format: Literal['csv', 'excel', 'parquet', 'json'] | None = None, schema_overrides: dict[str, Any] | None = None, create_default_idxs: bool = True, on_error: Literal['abort', 'ignore'] = 'abort', primary_key: str | list[str] | None = None, num_retained_versions: int = 10, comment: str | None = None, custom_metadata: Any = None, media_validation: Literal['on_read', 'on_write'] = 'on_write', if_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force'] = 'error', extra_args: dict[str, Any] | None = None ) -> catalog.Table ``` Create a new base table. Exactly one of `schema` or `source` must be provided. If a `schema` is provided, then an empty table will be created with the specified schema. If a `source` is provided, then Pixeltable will attempt to infer a data source format and table schema from the contents of the specified data, and the data will be imported from the specified source into the new table. The source format and/or schema can be specified directly via the `source_format` and `schema_overrides` parameters. **Parameters:** * **`path`** (`str`): Pixeltable path (qualified name) of the table, such as `'my_table'` or `'my_dir/my_subdir/my_table'`. * **`schema`** (`Mapping[str, type | ColumnSpec | exprs.Expr] | None`): Schema for the new table, mapping column names to Pixeltable types. * **`source`** (`TableDataSource | None`): A data source (file, URL, Table, Query, or list of rows) to import from. * **`source_format`** (`Literal['csv', 'excel', 'parquet', 'json'] | None`): Must be used in conjunction with a `source`. If specified, then the given format will be used to read the source data. (Otherwise, Pixeltable will attempt to infer the format from the source data.) * **`schema_overrides`** (`dict[str, Any] | None`): Must be used in conjunction with a `source`. If specified, then columns in `schema_overrides` will be given the specified types. (Pixeltable will attempt to infer the types of any columns not specified.) * **`create_default_idxs`** (`bool`, default: `True`): If True, creates a B-tree index on every scalar and media column that is not computed, except for boolean columns. * **`on_error`** (`Literal['abort', 'ignore']`, default: `'abort'`): Determines the behavior if an error occurs while evaluating a computed column or detecting an invalid media file (such as a corrupt image) for one of the inserted rows. * If `on_error='abort'`, then an exception will be raised and the rows will not be inserted. * If `on_error='ignore'`, then execution will continue and the rows will be inserted. Any cells with errors will have a `None` value for that cell, with information about the error stored in the corresponding `tbl.col_name.errortype` and `tbl.col_name.errormsg` fields. * **`primary_key`** (`str | list[str] | None`): An optional column name or list of column names to use as the primary key(s) of the table. * **`num_retained_versions`** (`int`, default: `10`): Number of versions of the table to retain. * **`comment`** (`str | None`): An optional comment; its meaning is user-defined. * **`custom_metadata`** (`Any`): Optional user-defined metadata to associate with the table. Must be a valid JSON-serializable object \[str, int, float, bool, dict, list]. * **`media_validation`** (`Literal['on_read', 'on_write']`, default: `'on_write'`): Media validation policy for the table. * `'on_read'`: validate media files at query time * `'on_write'`: validate media files during insert/update operations * **`if_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force']`, default: `'error'`): Determines the behavior if a table already exists at the specified path location. * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return the existing table handle * `'replace'`: if the existing table has no views or snapshots, drop and replace it with a new one; raise an error if the existing table has views or snapshots * `'replace_force'`: drop the existing table and all its views and snapshots, and create a new one * **`extra_args`** (`dict[str, Any] | None`): Must be used in conjunction with a `source`. If specified, then additional arguments will be passed along to the source data provider. **Returns:** * `catalog.Table`: A handle to the newly created table, or to an already existing table at the path when `if_exists='ignore'`. Please note the schema of the existing table may not match the schema provided in the call. **Examples:** Create a table with an int and a string column: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.create_table( 'my_table', schema={'col1': pxt.Int, 'col2': pxt.String} ) ``` Create a table from a select statement over an existing table `orig_table` (this will create a new table containing the exact contents of the query): ```python theme={null} tbl1 = pxt.get_table('orig_table') tbl2 = pxt.create_table( 'new_table', tbl1.where(tbl1.col1 < 10).select(tbl1.col2) ) ``` Create a table if it does not already exist, otherwise get the existing table: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.create_table( 'my_table', schema={'col1': pxt.Int, 'col2': pxt.String}, if_exists='ignore', ) ``` Create a table with an int and a float column, and replace any existing table: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.create_table( 'my_table', schema={'col1': pxt.Int, 'col2': pxt.Float}, if_exists='replace', ) ``` Create a table from a CSV file: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.create_table('my_table', source='data.csv') ``` Create a table with an auto-generated UUID primary key: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.create_table( 'my_table', schema={'id': pxt.functions.uuid.uuid4(), 'data': pxt.String}, primary_key=['id'], ) ``` ## func  create\_view() ```python Signature theme={null} create_view( path: str, base: catalog.Table | Query, *, additional_columns: Mapping[str, type | ColumnSpec | exprs.Expr] | None = None, is_snapshot: bool = False, create_default_idxs: bool = False, iterator: func.GeneratingFunctionCall | None = None, num_retained_versions: int = 10, comment: str | None = None, custom_metadata: Any = None, media_validation: Literal['on_read', 'on_write'] = 'on_write', if_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force'] = 'error' ) -> catalog.Table | None ``` Create a view of an existing table object (which itself can be a view or a snapshot or a base table). **Parameters:** * **`path`** (`str`): A name for the view; can be either a simple name such as `my_view`, or a pathname such as `dir1/my_view`. * **`base`** (`catalog.Table | Query`): [`Table`](./table) (i.e., table or view or snapshot) or [`Query`](./query) to base the view on. * **`additional_columns`** (`Mapping[str, type | ColumnSpec | exprs.Expr] | None`): If specified, will add these columns to the view once it is created. The format of the `additional_columns` parameter is identical to the format of the `schema` parameter in [`create_table`](./pixeltable#func-create_table). * **`is_snapshot`** (`bool`, default: `False`): Whether the view is a snapshot. Setting this to `True` is equivalent to calling [`create_snapshot`](./pixeltable#func-create_snapshot). * **`create_default_idxs`** (`bool`, default: `False`): Whether to create default indexes on the view's columns (the base's columns are excluded). Cannot be `True` for snapshots. * **`iterator`** (`func.GeneratingFunctionCall | None`): The iterator to use for this view. If specified, then this view will be a one-to-many view of the base table. * **`num_retained_versions`** (`int`, default: `10`): Number of versions of the view to retain. * **`comment`** (`str | None`): Optional comment for the view. * **`custom_metadata`** (`Any`): Optional user-defined JSON metadata to associate with the view. * **`media_validation`** (`Literal['on_read', 'on_write']`, default: `'on_write'`): Media validation policy for the view. * `'on_read'`: validate media files at query time * `'on_write'`: validate media files during insert/update operations * **`if_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore', 'replace', 'replace_force']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the path already exists. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return the existing view handle * `'replace'`: if the existing view has no dependents, drop and replace it with a new one * `'replace_force'`: drop the existing view and all its dependents, and create a new one **Returns:** * `catalog.Table | None`: A handle to the [`Table`](./table) representing the newly created view. If the path already exists and `if_exists='ignore'`, returns a handle to the existing view. Please note the schema or the base of the existing view may not match those provided in the call. **Examples:** Create a view `my_view` of an existing table `my_table`, filtering on rows where `col1` is greater than 10: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table') view = pxt.create_view('my_view', tbl.where(tbl.col1 > 10)) ``` Create a view `my_view` of an existing table `my_table`, filtering on rows where `col1` is greater than 10, and if it not already exist. Otherwise, get the existing view named `my_view`: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table') view = pxt.create_view( 'my_view', tbl.where(tbl.col1 > 10), if_exists='ignore' ) ``` Create a view `my_view` of an existing table `my_table`, filtering on rows where `col1` is greater than 100, and replace any existing view named `my_view`: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table') view = pxt.create_view( 'my_view', tbl.where(tbl.col1 > 100), if_exists='replace_force' ) ``` ## func  drop\_dir() ```python Signature theme={null} drop_dir( path: str, force: bool = False, if_not_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore'] = 'error' ) -> None ``` Remove a directory. **Parameters:** * **`path`** (`str`): Name or path of the directory. * **`force`** (`bool`, default: `False`): If `True`, will also drop all tables and subdirectories of this directory, recursively, along with any views or snapshots that depend on any of the dropped tables. * **`if_not_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the path does not exist. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return **Examples:** Remove a directory, if it exists and is empty: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_dir('my_dir') ``` Remove a subdirectory: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_dir('my_dir/sub_dir') ``` Remove an existing directory if it is empty, but do nothing if it does not exist: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_dir('my_dir/sub_dir', if_not_exists='ignore') ``` Remove an existing directory and all its contents: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_dir('my_dir', force=True) ``` ## func  drop\_table() ```python Signature theme={null} drop_table( table: str | catalog.Table, force: bool = False, if_not_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore'] = 'error' ) -> None ``` Drop a table, view, snapshot, or replica. **Parameters:** * **`table`** (`str | catalog.Table`): Fully qualified name or table handle of the table to be dropped; or a remote URI of a cloud replica to be deleted. * **`force`** (`bool`, default: `False`): If `True`, will also drop all views and sub-views of this table. * **`if_not_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the path does not exist. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return **Examples:** Drop a table by its fully qualified name: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_table('subdir/my_table') ``` Drop a table by its handle: ```python theme={null} t = pxt.get_table('subdir/my_table') pxt.drop_table(t) ``` Drop a table if it exists, otherwise do nothing: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_table('subdir/my_table', if_not_exists='ignore') ``` Drop a table and all its dependents: ```python theme={null} pxt.drop_table('subdir/my_table', force=True) ``` ## func  get\_dir\_contents() ```python Signature theme={null} get_dir_contents(dir_path: str = '', recursive: bool = True) -> DirContents ``` Get the contents of a Pixeltable directory. **Parameters:** * **`dir_path`** (`str`, default: `''`): Path to the directory. Defaults to the root directory. * **`recursive`** (`bool`, default: `True`): If `False`, returns only those tables and directories that are directly contained in specified directory; if `True`, returns all tables and directories that are descendants of the specified directory, recursively. **Returns:** * `'DirContents'`: A [`DirContents`](./dircontents) object representing the contents of the specified directory. **Examples:** Get contents of top-level directory: ```python theme={null} pxt.get_dir_contents() ``` Get contents of 'dir1': ```python theme={null} pxt.get_dir_contents('dir1') ``` ## func  get\_table() ```python Signature theme={null} get_table( path: str, if_not_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore'] = 'error' ) -> catalog.Table | None ``` Get a handle to an existing table, view, or snapshot. **Parameters:** * **`path`** (`str`): Path to the table. * **`if_not_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the path does not exist. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return `None` **Returns:** * `catalog.Table | None`: A handle to the [`Table`](./table). **Examples:** Get handle for a table in the top-level directory: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table') ``` For a table in a subdirectory: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('subdir/my_table') ``` Handles to views and snapshots are retrieved in the same way: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_snapshot') ``` Get a handle to a specific version of a table: ```python theme={null} tbl = pxt.get_table('my_table:722') ``` ## func  home() ```python Signature theme={null} home() -> Path ``` Get the path to the user's home directory in Pixeltable. **Returns:** * `Path`: The path to the user's home directory. ## func  init() ```python Signature theme={null} init(config_overrides: dict[str, Any] | None = None) -> None ``` Initializes the Pixeltable environment. **Parameters:** * **`config_overrides`** (`dict[str, Any] | None`): Optional dictionary of configuration overrides. ## func  ls() ```python Signature theme={null} ls(path: str = '') -> pd.DataFrame ``` List the contents of a Pixeltable directory. This function returns a Pandas DataFrame representing a human-readable listing of the specified directory, including various attributes such as version and base table, as appropriate. To get a programmatic list of the directory's contents, use [get\_dir\_contents()](./pixeltable#func-get_dir_contents) instead. ## func  move() ```python Signature theme={null} move( path: str, new_path: str, *, if_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore'] = 'error', if_not_exists: Literal['error', 'ignore'] = 'error' ) -> None ``` Move a schema object to a new directory and/or rename a schema object. **Parameters:** * **`path`** (`str`): absolute path to the existing schema object. * **`new_path`** (`str`): absolute new path for the schema object. * **`if_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if a schema object already exists at the new path. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return * **`if_not_exists`** (`Literal['error', 'ignore']`, default: `'error'`): Directive regarding how to handle if the source path does not exist. Must be one of the following: * `'error'`: raise an error * `'ignore'`: do nothing and return **Examples:** Move a table to a different directory: ```python theme={null} pxt.move('dir1/my_table', 'dir2/my_table') ``` Rename a table: ```python theme={null} pxt.move('dir1/my_table', 'dir1/new_name') ``` ## func  publish() ```python Signature theme={null} publish( source: str | catalog.Table, destination_uri: str, bucket_name: str | None = None, access: Literal['public', 'private'] = 'private' ) -> None ``` Publishes a replica of a local Pixeltable table to Pixeltable cloud. A given table can be published to at most one URI per Pixeltable cloud database. **Parameters:** * **`source`** (`str | catalog.Table`): Path or table handle of the local table to be published. * **`destination_uri`** (`str`): Remote URI where the replica will be published, such as `'pxt://org_name/my_dir/my_table'`. * **`bucket_name`** (`str | None`): The name of the bucket to use to store replica's data. The bucket must be registered with Pixeltable cloud. If no `bucket_name` is provided, the default storage bucket for the destination database will be used. * **`access`** (`Literal['public', 'private']`, default: `'private'`): Access control for the replica. * `'public'`: Anyone can access this replica. * `'private'`: Only the host organization can access. ## func  replicate() ```python Signature theme={null} replicate(remote_uri: str, local_path: str) -> catalog.Table ``` Retrieve a replica from Pixeltable cloud as a local table. This will create a full local copy of the replica in a way that preserves the table structure of the original source data. Once replicated, the local table can be queried offline just as any other Pixeltable table. **Parameters:** * **`remote_uri`** (`str`): Remote URI of the table to be replicated, such as `'pxt://org_name/my_dir/my_table'` or `'pxt://org_name/my_dir/my_table:5'` (with version 5). * **`local_path`** (`str`): Local table path where the replica will be created, such as `'my_new_dir/my_new_tbl'`. It can be the same or different from the cloud table name. **Returns:** * `catalog.Table`: A handle to the newly created local replica table. Built with [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com).