Python: Alter table plumbing and REST support

[Fokko]

The plumbing to do an table.alter().commit() with actions in between. We can reuse this later on to do multi table commits:

from datetime import datetime

now = str(datetime.now())

with Transaction(catalog) as transaction:
    table.alter().setProperties(updated_at=now)
    table.alter().setProperties(updated_at=now)

# Multi table commit done

[rdblue]

Do we want to combine these? Why not have separate commit_table and commit_transaction methods? Then we don't need the check that only one request is supported. I also like that you could previously pass requirements and updates to a public method. Are you trying to restrict access to those in the "public" API for some reason?

[jackye1995]

+1, given this is called afterwards in Transaction, it feels more nature to call it just commit_table so we an use self._table.catalog.commit_table instead of self._table.catalog._commit

[Fokko]

Yes, thinking of it, that makes sense. Also, the return type is different for a table and a transaction. Thanks!

[rdblue]

Looks good to me. We can always update the method signature later since this one is internal. I'd merge, but the lock file has conflicts.

[jackye1995]

mostly looks good to me, +1 for merging so we can start adding implementations for the other catalogs.

[jackye1995]

+1, given this is called afterwards in Transaction, it feels more nature to call it just commit_table so we an use self._table.catalog.commit_table instead of self._table.catalog._commit

[jackye1995]

Do we plan to have another MiltiTableTransaction for transactions across tables?

[Fokko]

I'd rather expect a List[Transaction]

[Fokko]

Thank @jackye1995 for chiming in here! 🙏🏻