Using a registry instead of calling globals for fetching feature types
State: closed

Hello,

When working with bio-data, each feature often has metadata associated with it (e.g. species, lineage, snp position, etc). To store this, I like to use the feature classes with the added `metadata` attribute. However, when saving or loading with custom features, you get an error since that class doesn't exist in the global namespace in `datasets.features.features`. Take for example,



```python
from dataclasses import dataclass, field
from datasets import Dataset
from datasets.features.features import Value, Features

@dataclass
class FeatureA(Value):
    metadata: dict = field(default=dict)
    _type: str = field(default="FeatureA", init=False, repr=False)

@dataclass
class FeatureB(Value):
    metadata: dict = field(default_factory=dict)
    _type: str = field(default="FeatureB", init=False, repr=False)

test_data = {
    "a": [1, 2, 3],
    "b": [4, 5, 6],
}
test_data = Dataset.from_dict(
    test_data, 
    features=Features({
        "a": FeatureA("int32", metadata={"species": "lactobacillus acetotolerans"}),
        "b": FeatureB("int32", metadata={"species": "lactobacillus iners"}),
    })
)

# returns an error since FeatureA and FeatureB are not in the global namespace
test_data.save_to_disk('./test_data')
```


    Saving the dataset (0/1 shards):   0%|          | 0/3 [00:00<?, ? examples/s]



    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    KeyError                                  Traceback (most recent call last)

    Cell In[2], line 28
         19 test_data = Dataset.from_dict(
         20     test_data, 
         21     features=Features({
       (...)
         24     })
         25 )
         27 # returns an error since FeatureA and FeatureB are not in the global namespace
    ---> 28 test_data.save_to_disk('./test_data')
    ...
    File ~\Documents\datasets\src\datasets\features\features.py:1361, in generate_from_dict(obj)
       1359     return {key: generate_from_dict(value) for key, value in obj.items()}
       1360 obj = dict(obj)
    -> 1361 class_type = globals()[obj.pop("_type")]
       1363 if class_type == Sequence:
       1364     return Sequence(feature=generate_from_dict(obj["feature"]), length=obj.get("length", -1))
    

    KeyError: 'FeatureA'


We can avoid this by having a registry (like formatters) and doing


```python
from datasets.features.features import register_feature
register_feature(FeatureA, "FeatureA")
register_feature(FeatureB, "FeatureB")
test_data.save_to_disk('./test_data')
```


    Saving the dataset (1/1 shards): 100%|------| 3/3 [00:00<00:00, 211.13 examples/s]


and loading from disk returns with all metadata information


```python
from datasets import load_from_disk
test_data = load_from_disk('./test_data')
test_data.features
```




    {'a': FeatureA(dtype='int32', id=None, metadata={'species': 'lactobacillus acetotolerans'}),
     'b': FeatureB(dtype='int32', id=None, metadata={'species': 'lactobacillus iners'})}




Comments:
The docs for this PR live [here](https://moon-ci-docs.huggingface.co/docs/datasets/pr_6727). All of your documentation changes will be reflected on that endpoint. The docs are available until 30 days after the last update.

looks like some files are missing in your google storage

cc @mariosasko is it related to https://github.com/huggingface/datasets/pull/6474 ? The files should ideally not move for backward compatibility anyway

@lhoestq All the files are still there.

The problem is that the `natural_questions` is now a no-code dataset, so the test's paths are no longer correct (unless the revision is pinned to the previous version). 

@psmyth94 This has been fixed on `main`, so you can make the CI tests green with the following:
```python
git remote add upstream https://github.com/huggingface/datasets.git
git pull upstream main
git push
```

Thank you @mariosasko ! I'm updating this branch if you don't mind @psmyth94 

<details>
<summary>Show benchmarks</summary>

PyArrow==8.0.0

<details>
<summary>Show updated benchmarks!</summary>

### Benchmark: benchmark_array_xd.json

| metric | read_batch_formatted_as_numpy after write_array2d | read_batch_formatted_as_numpy after write_flattened_sequence | read_batch_formatted_as_numpy after write_nested_sequence | read_batch_unformated after write_array2d | read_batch_unformated after write_flattened_sequence | read_batch_unformated after write_nested_sequence | read_col_formatted_as_numpy after write_array2d | read_col_formatted_as_numpy after write_flattened_sequence | read_col_formatted_as_numpy after write_nested_sequence | read_col_unformated after write_array2d | read_col_unformated after write_flattened_sequence | read_col_unformated after write_nested_sequence | read_formatted_as_numpy after write_array2d | read_formatted_as_numpy after write_flattened_sequence | read_formatted_as_numpy after write_nested_sequence | read_unformated after write_array2d | read_unformated after write_flattened_sequence | read_unformated after write_nested_sequence | write_array2d | write_flattened_sequence | write_nested_sequence |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.004903 / 0.011353 (-0.006450) | 0.003105 / 0.011008 (-0.007903) | 0.061980 / 0.038508 (0.023471) | 0.029726 / 0.023109 (0.006617) | 0.243406 / 0.275898 (-0.032492) | 0.262530 / 0.323480 (-0.060950) | 0.003905 / 0.007986 (-0.004081) | 0.002617 / 0.004328 (-0.001712) | 0.047851 / 0.004250 (0.043601) | 0.040397 / 0.037052 (0.003345) | 0.259461 / 0.258489 (0.000972) | 0.285059 / 0.293841 (-0.008782) | 0.027321 / 0.128546 (-0.101225) | 0.009876 / 0.075646 (-0.065770) | 0.206999 / 0.419271 (-0.212273) | 0.034906 / 0.043533 (-0.008626) | 0.245120 / 0.255139 (-0.010019) | 0.270490 / 0.283200 (-0.012710) | 0.017341 / 0.141683 (-0.124342) | 1.128182 / 1.452155 (-0.323973) | 1.173024 / 1.492716 (-0.319693) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_getitem\_100B.json

| metric | get_batch_of\_1024\_random_rows | get_batch_of\_1024\_rows | get_first_row | get_last_row |
|--------|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.089337 / 0.018006 (0.071331) | 0.298256 / 0.000490 (0.297767) | 0.000216 / 0.000200 (0.000016) | 0.000047 / 0.000054 (-0.000007) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_indices_mapping.json

| metric | select | shard | shuffle | sort | train_test_split |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.018179 / 0.037411 (-0.019233) | 0.061275 / 0.014526 (0.046749) | 0.073137 / 0.176557 (-0.103419) | 0.119603 / 0.737135 (-0.617532) | 0.073969 / 0.296338 (-0.222370) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_iterating.json

| metric | read 5000 | read 50000 | read_batch 50000 10 | read_batch 50000 100 | read_batch 50000 1000 | read_formatted numpy 5000 | read_formatted pandas 5000 | read_formatted tensorflow 5000 | read_formatted torch 5000 | read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 10 | read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 1000 | shuffled read 5000 | shuffled read 50000 | shuffled read_batch 50000 10 | shuffled read_batch 50000 100 | shuffled read_batch 50000 1000 | shuffled read_formatted numpy 5000 | shuffled read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 10 | shuffled read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 1000 |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.283109 / 0.215209 (0.067900) | 2.765441 / 2.077655 (0.687787) | 1.471276 / 1.504120 (-0.032844) | 1.346365 / 1.541195 (-0.194830) | 1.360668 / 1.468490 (-0.107822) | 0.549947 / 4.584777 (-4.034830) | 2.344213 / 3.745712 (-1.401499) | 2.700905 / 5.269862 (-2.568956) | 1.689936 / 4.565676 (-2.875741) | 0.061985 / 0.424275 (-0.362290) | 0.004923 / 0.007607 (-0.002684) | 0.329833 / 0.226044 (0.103788) | 3.277580 / 2.268929 (1.008652) | 1.833987 / 55.444624 (-53.610638) | 1.571023 / 6.876477 (-5.305454) | 1.573259 / 2.142072 (-0.568813) | 0.627504 / 4.805227 (-4.177723) | 0.114106 / 6.500664 (-6.386558) | 0.041197 / 0.075469 (-0.034272) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_map_filter.json

| metric | filter | map fast-tokenizer batched | map identity | map identity batched | map no-op batched | map no-op batched numpy | map no-op batched pandas | map no-op batched pytorch | map no-op batched tensorflow |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.967400 / 1.841788 (-0.874388) | 11.046527 / 8.074308 (2.972219) | 9.542214 / 10.191392 (-0.649178) | 0.140745 / 0.680424 (-0.539679) | 0.013627 / 0.534201 (-0.520574) | 0.288429 / 0.579283 (-0.290855) | 0.260509 / 0.434364 (-0.173855) | 0.324704 / 0.540337 (-0.215633) | 0.419366 / 1.386936 (-0.967570) |

</details>
PyArrow==latest

<details>
<summary>Show updated benchmarks!</summary>

### Benchmark: benchmark_array_xd.json

| metric | read_batch_formatted_as_numpy after write_array2d | read_batch_formatted_as_numpy after write_flattened_sequence | read_batch_formatted_as_numpy after write_nested_sequence | read_batch_unformated after write_array2d | read_batch_unformated after write_flattened_sequence | read_batch_unformated after write_nested_sequence | read_col_formatted_as_numpy after write_array2d | read_col_formatted_as_numpy after write_flattened_sequence | read_col_formatted_as_numpy after write_nested_sequence | read_col_unformated after write_array2d | read_col_unformated after write_flattened_sequence | read_col_unformated after write_nested_sequence | read_formatted_as_numpy after write_array2d | read_formatted_as_numpy after write_flattened_sequence | read_formatted_as_numpy after write_nested_sequence | read_unformated after write_array2d | read_unformated after write_flattened_sequence | read_unformated after write_nested_sequence | write_array2d | write_flattened_sequence | write_nested_sequence |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.005123 / 0.011353 (-0.006230) | 0.003119 / 0.011008 (-0.007890) | 0.048931 / 0.038508 (0.010423) | 0.032067 / 0.023109 (0.008958) | 0.276825 / 0.275898 (0.000927) | 0.297589 / 0.323480 (-0.025890) | 0.004075 / 0.007986 (-0.003911) | 0.002579 / 0.004328 (-0.001750) | 0.047862 / 0.004250 (0.043612) | 0.044032 / 0.037052 (0.006980) | 0.289469 / 0.258489 (0.030980) | 0.327269 / 0.293841 (0.033428) | 0.029369 / 0.128546 (-0.099177) | 0.010180 / 0.075646 (-0.065466) | 0.057111 / 0.419271 (-0.362161) | 0.051046 / 0.043533 (0.007513) | 0.276758 / 0.255139 (0.021619) | 0.296084 / 0.283200 (0.012884) | 0.017376 / 0.141683 (-0.124306) | 1.154486 / 1.452155 (-0.297669) | 1.192699 / 1.492716 (-0.300018) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_getitem\_100B.json

| metric | get_batch_of\_1024\_random_rows | get_batch_of\_1024\_rows | get_first_row | get_last_row |
|--------|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.085981 / 0.018006 (0.067974) | 0.296956 / 0.000490 (0.296466) | 0.000211 / 0.000200 (0.000011) | 0.000050 / 0.000054 (-0.000004) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_indices_mapping.json

| metric | select | shard | shuffle | sort | train_test_split |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.021239 / 0.037411 (-0.016172) | 0.074851 / 0.014526 (0.060326) | 0.085676 / 0.176557 (-0.090881) | 0.125876 / 0.737135 (-0.611259) | 0.087573 / 0.296338 (-0.208765) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_iterating.json

| metric | read 5000 | read 50000 | read_batch 50000 10 | read_batch 50000 100 | read_batch 50000 1000 | read_formatted numpy 5000 | read_formatted pandas 5000 | read_formatted tensorflow 5000 | read_formatted torch 5000 | read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 10 | read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 1000 | shuffled read 5000 | shuffled read 50000 | shuffled read_batch 50000 10 | shuffled read_batch 50000 100 | shuffled read_batch 50000 1000 | shuffled read_formatted numpy 5000 | shuffled read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 10 | shuffled read_formatted_batch numpy 5000 1000 |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 0.289220 / 0.215209 (0.074011) | 2.812342 / 2.077655 (0.734688) | 1.572886 / 1.504120 (0.068766) | 1.446442 / 1.541195 (-0.094752) | 1.458737 / 1.468490 (-0.009753) | 0.562010 / 4.584777 (-4.022767) | 2.422896 / 3.745712 (-1.322816) | 2.578408 / 5.269862 (-2.691454) | 1.689998 / 4.565676 (-2.875678) | 0.064782 / 0.424275 (-0.359493) | 0.005051 / 0.007607 (-0.002556) | 0.339982 / 0.226044 (0.113938) | 3.309882 / 2.268929 (1.040953) | 1.910273 / 55.444624 (-53.534351) | 1.649723 / 6.876477 (-5.226753) | 1.744073 / 2.142072 (-0.397999) | 0.651905 / 4.805227 (-4.153323) | 0.114606 / 6.500664 (-6.386058) | 0.040030 / 0.075469 (-0.035439) |

### Benchmark: benchmark_map_filter.json

| metric | filter | map fast-tokenizer batched | map identity | map identity batched | map no-op batched | map no-op batched numpy | map no-op batched pandas | map no-op batched pytorch | map no-op batched tensorflow |
|--------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| new / old (diff) | 1.008374 / 1.841788 (-0.833414) | 11.547300 / 8.074308 (3.472992) | 9.966061 / 10.191392 (-0.225331) | 0.144874 / 0.680424 (-0.535550) | 0.014400 / 0.534201 (-0.519801) | 0.285435 / 0.579283 (-0.293848) | 0.274755 / 0.434364 (-0.159609) | 0.323105 / 0.540337 (-0.217232) | 0.439172 / 1.386936 (-0.947764) |

</details>
</details>

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