feat(arrow-avro): accept default value of null for Avro union with null type in any branch position [avro 1.12] - #9487
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Test the Avro 1.12 spec behavior of resolving default values in the specific case when the default value for the field added in the reader schema is null, and null the second branch in the field's union type.
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Avro 1.12, new rules.
Introduce the "avro_1_12" feature flag and use it to guard the behavior of JSON null defaults for union types having null schema in a position other than the first.
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April 7, 2026 20:14
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Which issue does this PR close?
Rationale for this change
The Avro specification version 1.12 extends acceptance of default values for unions to match any schema branch in the union rather than the first.
This change implements the new behavior in the specific case of the default value being null, which is important for some real-world cases of Iceberg schema evolution. Spark converts nullable fields in its SQL schema to Avro field types with the null variant listed last. When a column is added to an iceberg table backed by Avro files, the default value of its field in the reader schema shall be specified as null.
What changes are included in this PR?
Introduce the "avro_1_12" feature as requested by #8703.
When this feature is enabled, change the validation of a null default value for union and nullable types to allow null in any branch (for unions treated as Arrow unions) and nullability order (for unions treated as nullable types).
Are these changes tested?
Added a test gated by the newly introduced "avro_1_12" feature to exercise the
["int", "null"]type with the default of null.Are there any user-facing changes?
This is a behavioral change where more schema resolution cases become accepted than were permitted by the Avro 1.11 spec. Despite the feature-gating, there may be unexpected effects as explained in #8703 (comment)