feat: named axis for ak.Array

.gitignore

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 studies/**/sample-*
+studies/named_axis.*
 docs/demos/countries.geojson
 docs/demos/test-program
 docs/demos/test-program.cpp

docs/_toc.yml

@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@ title: "Awkward Array"
 defaults:
   titlesonly: True
 
-
 subtrees:
   - entries:
       - file: getting-started/index
         subtrees:
-            - entries:
+          - entries:
               - file: getting-started/what-is-an-awkward-array
               - file: getting-started/10-minutes-to-awkward-array
               - file: getting-started/uproot-awkward-columnar-hats
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ subtrees:
               - file: getting-started/papers-and-talks
       - file: user-guide/index
         subtrees:
-            - entries:
+          - entries:
               - file: user-guide/how-to-convert
                 title: "Converting arrays"
                 subtrees:
@@ -74,6 +73,13 @@ subtrees:
                       - file: user-guide/how-to-examine-checking-validity
                         title: "Checking validity"
 
+              - file: user-guide/how-to-array-properties
+                title: "Array properties"
+                subtrees:
+                  - entries:
+                      - file: user-guide/how-to-array-properties-named-axis
+                        title: "Named axes"
+
               - file: user-guide/how-to-math
                 title: "Numerical math"
                 subtrees:

docs/conf.py

@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 html_js_files = ["js/awkward.js"]
 
 # MyST settings
-myst_enable_extensions = ["colon_fence"]
+myst_enable_extensions = ["colon_fence", "deflist"]
 
 nb_execution_mode = "cache"
 nb_execution_raise_on_error = True

docs/user-guide/how-to-array-properties-named-axis.md

@@ -0,0 +1,304 @@
+---
+jupytext:
+  text_representation:
+    extension: .md
+    format_name: myst
+    format_version: 0.13
+    jupytext_version: 1.14.1
+kernelspec:
+  display_name: Python 3 (ipykernel)
+  language: python
+  name: python3
+---
+
+Named axes
+==========
+
+Named axes are a feature in Awkward Array that allows you to give names to the axes of an array.
+This can be useful for documentation, debugging, and for writing code that is more robust to changes in the structure of the data.
+As argumented at [PyHEP.dev 2023](https://indico.cern.ch/event/1234156/) and by the Harvard NLP group in their ["Tensor Considered Harmful"](https://nlp.seas.harvard.edu/NamedTensor.html) write-up, named axes can be a powerful tool to make code more readable and less error-prone.
+
+Awkward array ensures that named axes are properly propagated to the result.
+All highlevel, indexing, and broadcasting operations in awkward array support named axes.
+
+Other libraries that support named axes include:
+- [hist](https://hist.readthedocs.io/en/latest/)
+- [haliax](https://github.com/stanford-crfm/haliax)
+- [Tensor Considered Harmful](https://nlp.seas.harvard.edu/NamedTensor.html)
+- [PyTorch Named Tensors](https://pytorch.org/docs/stable/name_inference.html#name-inference-reference-doc)
+- [Penzai Named Axis](https://penzai.readthedocs.io/en/stable/notebooks/named_axes.html)
+- [xarray Named Axis](https://docs.xarray.dev/en/stable/user-guide/indexing.html#)
+
+Named axes in Awkward Array are inspired primarily by `hist` and `PyTorch Named Tensors`.
+
++++
+
+How to (de-)attach named axes?
+-------------------------
+
+Named axes can be attached to an array using the high-level {func}`ak.with_named_axis` function.
+Awkward Array allows strings as named axes and integers as positional axes.
+
+The `named_axis` argument of {func}`ak.with_named_axis` accepts either a `tuple` or `dict`:
+- `tuple`:
+  - `named axis`: item
+  - `positional axis`: index of the item
+  - _additional_: `None` represents a wildcard for not specifying a name, e.g.: `("x", None)` means that the first axis is named "x" and the second is not named.
+- `dict`:
+  - `named axis`: key
+  - `positional axis`: value
+  - _additional_: not specifying a name is not allowed, e.g.: `{"x": 0}` means that the first axis is named "x", all other existing dimensions are unnamed. The `dict` option also allows for renaming negative axes, e.g.: `{"x": -1}` means that the last axis is named "x".
+
+
+```{code-cell}
+import awkward as ak
+import numpy as np
+```
+
+The axis names of an array can be attached through the constructor:
+```{code-cell}
+named_array = ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]], named_axis=("x", "y"))
+# or
+named_array = ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]], named_axis={"x": 0, "y": 1})
+```
+
+... or through `ak.with_named_axis`:
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y"))
+# or
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis={"x": 0, "y": 1})
+```
+
+After attaching named axes, you can see the named axes comma-separated in the arrays representation and in `.show(named_axis=True)`:
+
+```{code-cell}
+ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]], named_axis=("x", "y"))
+```
+
+```{code-cell}
+ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]], named_axis=("x", "y")).show(named_axis=True)
+```
+
+Accessing the named axis mapping to positional axis can be done using the `named_axis` and `positional_axis` properties:
+
+```{code-cell}
+named_array.named_axis
+```
+
+```{code-cell}
+named_array.positional_axis
+```
+
+If you want to remove the named axes from an array, you can use the {func}`ak.without_named_axis` function:
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.without_named_axis(named_array)
+array.named_axis
+```
+
+
+Indexing with Named Axes
+------------------------
+
+Named axes can be used for indexing operations.
+This is enabled throuhg a special syntax that allows you to index with a dictionary where keys refer to named (or positional) axes and the values to the slice or index.
+
+Simple examples:
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[[1, 2]], [[3]], [[4]], [[5, 6], [7]]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y", "z"))
+
+# named axes
+named_array[{"x": 0}] # array[0, :, :]
+named_array[{"z": 0}] # array[:, :, 0]
+
+named_array[{"x": 0, "y": 0}] # array[0, 0, :]
+named_array[{"x": slice(0, 1), "y": 0}] # array[0:1, 0, :]
+
+named_array[named_array > 3] # array[array > 3]
+
+
+# positional axes
+named_array[{0: 0}] # array[0, :, :]
+named_array[{2: 0}] # array[:, :, 0]
+
+named_array[{-3: 0}] # array[0, :, :]
+named_array[{-1: 0}] # array[:, :, 0]
+None
+```
+
+If multiple keys that point to the same positional axis are used, the last key will be used and all others will be ignored:
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[[1, 2]], [[3]], [[4]], [[5, 6], [7]]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y", "z"))
+
+assert ak.all(named_array[{0: 0, "x": slice(0, 2)}] == named_array[0:2])
+assert ak.all(named_array[{"x": slice(0, 2), 0: 0}] == named_array[0])
+```
+
+
+More detailed example:
+
+```{code-cell}
+# create a Record Array that represents four events with a variable number of jets
+events = ak.zip({
+  "event_no": np.arange(4),
+  "jetpt": ak.Array([[50, 60], [45], [], [80, 30, 50]]),
+})
+named_events = ak.with_named_axis(events, ("events", "jets"))
+
+print("classic indexing:", named_events[0, 0:1])
+print("named indexing  :", named_events[{"events": 0, "jets": slice(0, 1)}])
+```
+
+For syntatic suger, use `np.s_` to define slices more easily:
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[[1, 2]], [[3]], [[4]], [[5, 6], [7]]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y", "z"))
+
+assert ak.all(named_array[{"x": np.s_[0:2]}] == named_array[{"x": slice(0, 2)}])
+```
+
+Highlevel Operations with Named Axes
+------------------------------------
+
+Named axes can be used for specifying the axis of a highlevel operation given that the operation is performed on an array that supports this named axis.
+
+For example, the `ak.sum` operation can be performed on an array with named axes:
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[[1, 2]], [[3]], [[4]], [[5, 6], [7]]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y", "z"))
+
+print("Sum over axis 'x':", ak.sum(named_array, axis="x"))  # ak.sum(array, axis=0)
+print("Sum over axis 'y':", ak.sum(named_array, axis="y"))  # ak.sum(array, axis=1)
+print("Sum over axis 'z':", ak.sum(named_array, axis="z"))  # ak.sum(array, axis=2)
+```
+
+
+Named Axes Propagation Strategies
+---------------------------------
+
+
+Named axes are propagated through all operations in Awkward Array.
+For this, specific strategies are defined for each operation to ensure that the named axes are properly propagated to the result.
+
+The possible strategies are:
+- `keep all`: keep all named axes
+- `keep one`: keep one named axis
+- `keep up to`: keep all named axes up to a certain positional axis
+- `remove all`: remove all named axis
+- `remove one`: remove one named axis
+- `add one`: add a new axis
+- `unify`: unify named axes of two arrays. The named axes are unifiable if the have the same name (or `None`) and point to the same positional axis.
+
+Indexing operations
+:   The following table shows the strategy for indexing operations:
+
+| Operation            | Strategy     |
+|----------------------|--------------|
+| `array[:]`           | `keep all`   |
+| `array[...]`         | `keep all`   |
+| `array[()]`          | `keep all`   |
+| `array[0:1]`         | `keep all`   |
+| `array[[0, 1]]`      | `keep all`   |
+| `array[array % 2]`   | `keep all`   |
+| `array[0]`           | `remove one` |
+| `array[np.array(0)]` | `remove one` |
+| `array[None]`        | `add one`    |
+| `array[np.newaxis]`  | `add one`    |
+
+Universal functions (`ufuncs`)
+:   `ufuncs` with single argument signatures (i.e. unary operations, such as `__abs__`, `__neg__`, `__invert__`, ...) do not modify named axes (strategy: `keep all`).
+:   `ufuncs` with two argument signatures (i.e. binary operations, such as `__add__`, `__sub__`, `__mul__`, ...) try to merge named axis of the given arrays (strategy: `unify`).
+    This means that the named axes of the two arrays are merged if they have the same name (or either is `None`) and point to the same positional axis.
+    If there's a mismatch of named axes, e.g., the same named axis has different names or point to different positional axes, an exception is raised.
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y"))
+
+# unary operations with named axes
+assert (-named_array).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+assert (+named_array).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+assert (~named_array).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+assert abs(named_array).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+
+# binary operations with named axes
+named_array1 = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=(None, "y"))
+named_array2 = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", None))
+named_array3 = ak.with_named_axis(array, named_axis=("x", "y"))
+
+assert (array + array).named_axis == {}
+assert (named_array1 + array).named_axis == {"y": 1}
+assert (named_array2 + array).named_axis == {"x": 0}
+assert (named_array3 + array).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+
+assert (named_array1 + named_array2).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+assert (named_array3 + named_array3).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+```
+
+Reducers (`ak.sum`, `ak.any`, ...)
+:   If `axis=int` and `keepdims=False` (typical use-case) removes the named axis that is reduced (strategy: `remove one`).
+:   If `keepdims=True` is set, the named axis is kept (strategy: `keep all`).
+:   If `axis=None` is set, all named axes are removed (strategy: `remove all`).
+
+```{code-cell}
+array = ak.Array([[1, 2], [3], [], [4, 5, 6]])
+named_array = ak.with_named_axis(array, ("x", "y"))
+
+assert ak.sum(named_array, axis="x", keepdims=False).named_axis == {"y": 0}
+assert ak.sum(named_array, axis="x", keepdims=True).named_axis == {"x": 0, "y": 1}
+```
+
+---
+A full list of operations and their strategies can be found in the following table.
+If an operation is not listed, the strategy is either `keep all` or automatically inferred from the below listed operations.
+
+
+| Operation                                           | Strategy           |
+|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
+| `ak.all(..., axis=None)`                            | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.all(..., axis=int, keepdims=False)`             | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.all(..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`              | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.any(..., axis=None)`                            | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.any(..., axis=int, keepdims=False)`             | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.any(..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`              | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.[arg]cartesian`                                 | `unify`            |
+| `ak.[arg]combinations`                              | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.[arg]max(..., axis=None)`                       | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.[arg]max(..., axis=int, keepdims=False)`        | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.[arg]max(..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`         | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.[arg]min(..., axis=None)`                       | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.[arg]min(..., axis=int, keepdims=False)`        | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.[arg]min(..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`         | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.[arg]sort`                                      | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.broadcast_arrays`                               | `unify`, `add one` |
+| `ak.broadcast_fields`                               | `unify`, `add one` |
+| `ak.categories`                                     | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.concatenate`                                    | `unify`            |
+| `ak.count[_nonzero](..., axis=None)`                | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.count[_nonzero](..., axis=int, keepdims=False)` | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.count[_nonzero](..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`  | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.firsts`                                         | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.flatten(..., axis=None)`                        | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.flatten(..., axis=0)`                           | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.flatten(..., axis=(!=0), keepdims=True)`        | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.local_index`                                    | `keep up to`       |
+| `ak.num`                                            | `keep one`         |
+| `ak.prod(..., axis=None)`                           | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.prod(..., axis=int, keepdims=False)`            | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.prod(..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`             | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.ravel`                                          | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.singletons`                                     | `add one`          |
+| `ak.sum(..., axis=None)`                            | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.sum(..., axis=int, keepdims=False)`             | `remove one`       |
+| `ak.sum(..., axis=int, keepdims=True)`              | `keep all`         |
+| `ak.unflatten`                                      | `remove all`       |
+| `ak.where`                                          | `unify`, `add one` |
+| `ak.with_field`                                     | `unify`, `add one` |
+| `ak.zip`                                            | `unify`, `add one` |

docs/user-guide/how-to-array-properties.md

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+---
+jupytext:
+  text_representation:
+    extension: .md
+    format_name: myst
+    format_version: 0.13
+    jupytext_version: 1.10.3
+kernelspec:
+  display_name: Python 3
+  language: python
+  name: python3
+---
+
+Array properties
+================
+
+The user guide is a collection of "how to..." guides for common tasks. See the left side-bar (or bring it into view by clicking on the upper-left `≡`) to access the guides, grouped by topic.
+
+If you're looking for documentation on a specific function, see the API reference instead.
+
+You can test any examples in a new window/tab by clicking on [![Try It! ⭷](https://img.shields.io/badge/-Try%20It%21%20%E2%86%97-orange?style=for-the-badge)](https://awkward-array.org/doc/main/_static/try-it.html).
+
+<br><br><br><br><br>

pyproject.toml

@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ ignore_missing_imports = true
 [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
 module = [
     'awkward._nplikes.*',
+    'awkward._namedaxis',
     'awkward._behavior.*',
     'awkward._backends.*',
     'awkward._meta.*',

src/awkward/__init__.py

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import awkward._errors
 import awkward._lookup
 import awkward._ext  # strictly for unpickling from Awkward 1
+import awkward._namedaxis
 
 # third-party connectors
 import awkward._connect.numpy