ak.type
-------

.. py:module: ak.type

Defined in `awkward.operations.ak_type <https://github.com/scikit-hep/awkward/blob/76cb66b946cbf2ae355bddf2530b323465395bae/src/awkward/operations/ak_type.py>`__ on `line 21 <https://github.com/scikit-hep/awkward/blob/76cb66b946cbf2ae355bddf2530b323465395bae/src/awkward/operations/ak_type.py#L21>`__.

.. py:function:: ak.type(array, *, behavior=None)


    :param array: Array-like data (anything :py:obj:`ak.to_layout` recognizes).
    :param behavior: Custom :py:obj:`ak.behavior` for the output type, if
                 high-level.
    :type behavior: None or dict

The high-level type of an ``array`` (many types supported, including all
Awkward Arrays and Records) as :py:obj:`ak.types.Type` objects.

The high-level type ignores layout differences like
:py:obj:`ak.contents.ListArray` versus :py:obj:`ak.contents.ListOffsetArray`, but
not differences like "regular-sized lists" (i.e.
:py:obj:`ak.contents.RegularArray`) versus "variable-sized lists" (i.e.
:py:obj:`ak.contents.ListArray` and similar).

Types are rendered as `Datashape <https://datashape.readthedocs.io/>`__
strings, which makes the same distinctions.

For example,

.. code-block:: python


    >>> array = ak.Array([[{"x": 1.1, "y": [1]}, {"x": 2.2, "y": [2, 2]}],
    ...                   [],
    ...                   [{"x": 3.3, "y": [3, 3, 3]}]])

has type

.. code-block:: python


    >>> ak.type(array).show()
    3 * var * {
        x: float64,
        y: var * int64
    }

but

.. code-block:: python


    >>> array = ak.Array(np.arange(2*3*5).reshape(2, 3, 5))

has type

.. code-block:: python


    >>> ak.type(array).show()
    2 * 3 * 5 * int64

Some cases, like heterogeneous data, require `extensions beyond the
Datashape specification <https://github.com/blaze/datashape/issues/237>`__.
For example,

.. code-block:: python


    >>> array = ak.Array([1, "two", [3, 3, 3]])

has type

.. code-block:: python


    >>> ak.type(array).show()
    3 * union[
        int64,
        string,
        var * int64
    ]

but "union" is not a Datashape type-constructor. (Its syntax is
similar to existing type-constructors, so it's a plausible addition
to the language.)