Document pa.field(str, str)

python/pyarrow/tests/test_types.py

@@ -1153,6 +1153,13 @@ def test_field_basic():
         pa.field('foo', None)
 
 
+def test_field_datatype_alias():
+    f = pa.field('foo', 'string')
+
+    assert f.name == 'foo'
+    assert f.type is pa.string()
+
+
 def test_field_equals():
     meta1 = {b'foo': b'bar'}
     meta2 = {b'bizz': b'bazz'}

python/pyarrow/types.pxi

@@ -3713,8 +3713,8 @@ def field(name, type=None, nullable=None, metadata=None):
         Name of the field.
         Alternatively, you can also pass an object that implements the Arrow
         PyCapsule Protocol for schemas (has an ``__arrow_c_schema__`` method).
-    type : pyarrow.DataType
-        Arrow datatype of the field.
+    type : pyarrow.DataType or str
+        Arrow datatype of the field or a string matching one.
     nullable : bool, default True
         Whether the field's values are nullable.
     metadata : dict, default None
@@ -3746,6 +3746,11 @@ def field(name, type=None, nullable=None, metadata=None):
 
     >>> pa.struct([field])
     StructType(struct<key: int32>)
+
+    A str can also be passed for the type parameter:
+
+    >>> pa.field('key', 'int32')
+    pyarrow.Field<key: int32>
     """
     if hasattr(name, "__arrow_c_schema__"):
         if type is not None: