NullPropagation Logical Optimization -- Nullability (NULL Value) Propagation¶

NullPropagation is a base logical optimization that <>.

NullPropagation is part of the Operator Optimization before Inferring Filters fixed-point batch in the standard batches of the Logical Optimizer.

NullPropagation is simply a <> for transforming <>, i.e. Rule[LogicalPlan].

=== [[example-count-with-nullable-expressions-only]] Example: Count Aggregate Operator with Nullable Expressions Only

NullPropagation optimization rewrites Count aggregate expressions that include expressions that are all nullable to Cast(Literal(0L)).

val table = (0 to 9).toDF("num").as[Int]

// NullPropagation applied
scala> table.select(countDistinct($"num" === null)).explain(true)
== Parsed Logical Plan ==
'Project [count(distinct ('num = null)) AS count(DISTINCT (num = NULL))#45]
+- Project [value#1 AS num#3]
   +- LocalRelation [value#1]

== Analyzed Logical Plan ==
count(DISTINCT (num = NULL)): bigint
Aggregate [count(distinct (num#3 = cast(null as int))) AS count(DISTINCT (num = NULL))#45L]
+- Project [value#1 AS num#3]
   +- LocalRelation [value#1]

== Optimized Logical Plan ==
Aggregate [0 AS count(DISTINCT (num = NULL))#45L] // <-- HERE
+- LocalRelation

== Physical Plan ==
*HashAggregate(keys=[], functions=[], output=[count(DISTINCT (num = NULL))#45L])
+- Exchange SinglePartition
   +- *HashAggregate(keys=[], functions=[], output=[])
      +- LocalTableScan

=== [[example-count-without-nullable-distinct-expressions]] Example: Count Aggregate Operator with Non-Nullable Non-Distinct Expressions

NullPropagation optimization rewrites any non-nullable non-distinct Count aggregate expressions to Literal(1).

val table = (0 to 9).toDF("num").as[Int]

// NullPropagation applied
// current_timestamp() is a non-nullable expression (see the note below)
val query = table.select(count(current_timestamp()) as "count")

scala> println(query.queryExecution.optimizedPlan)
Aggregate [count(1) AS count#64L]
+- LocalRelation

// NullPropagation skipped
val tokens = Seq((0, null), (1, "hello")).toDF("id", "word")
val query = tokens.select(count("word") as "count")

scala> println(query.queryExecution.optimizedPlan)
Aggregate [count(word#55) AS count#71L]
+- LocalRelation [word#55]

[NOTE]¶

Count aggregate expression represents count function internally.

import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.aggregate.Count
import org.apache.spark.sql.functions.count

scala> count("*").expr.children(0).asInstanceOf[Count]
res0: org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.aggregate.Count = count(1)

¶

[NOTE]¶

current_timestamp() function is non-nullable expression.

[source, scala]¶

import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.CurrentTimestamp import org.apache.spark.sql.functions.current_timestamp

scala> current_timestamp().expr.asInstanceOf[CurrentTimestamp].nullable res38: Boolean = false

====

=== [[example]] Example

[source, scala]¶

val table = (0 to 9).toDF("num").as[Int] val query = table.where('num === null)

scala> query.explain(extended = true) == Parsed Logical Plan == 'Filter ('num = null) +- Project [value#1 AS num#3] +- LocalRelation [value#1]

== Analyzed Logical Plan == num: int Filter (num#3 = cast(null as int)) +- Project [value#1 AS num#3] +- LocalRelation [value#1]

== Optimized Logical Plan == LocalRelation , [num#3]

== Physical Plan == LocalTableScan , [num#3]

Executing Rule¶

apply(plan: LogicalPlan): LogicalPlan

apply...FIXME

apply is part of the Rule abstraction.