DataFusion encodes Arrow-specific types (like unsigned integers) by misusing type_variation_reference. This violates Substrait's technology principle to avoid specialization for a single producer.

Per the spec, type_variation_reference is for physical variations of the same type where "all variations are expected to have the same semantics." Signed and unsigned integers have different semantics.

Types affected:

• UInt8/16/32/64
• LargeUtf8/LargeBinary/LargeList
• Decimal256
• Duration
• Date64
• Time32
• Time64

Solution

Use Arrow's official extension_types.yaml which already defines these types (u8, u16, large_string, decimal256, etc.).

Before:

Type::I8 { type_variation_reference: 1 }  // means UInt8

After:

extension_uris: [{ uri: ".../extension_types.yaml" }]
Type::UserDefined { name: "u8" }

The consumer already handles extension types, so backwards compatibility can be maintained.