[ENH] Top-Level Convenience Aliases for Common Operations

[Omswastik-11]

Redundant syntax for getters

In getters, syntax is repeated and redundant, mainly through
the submodule having to be imported or addressed.

import openml

# List all datasets and their properties
openml.datasets.list_datasets(output_format="dataframe")

# Get dataset by ID
dataset = openml.datasets.get_dataset(61)

# Get dataset by name
dataset = openml.datasets.get_dataset('Fashion-MNIST')

# This is similar for flows, runs, studies, such as

study = openml.studies.get_study(42)
flow = openml.flows.get_flows(42)

API

import openml

# List all datasets with minimal friction
datasets_df = openml.list_datasets(output_format="dataframe")

# Get dataset by ID
dataset = openml.get_dataset(61)

# Get dataset by name
dataset = openml.get_dataset("Fashion-MNIST")

# Similarly for other types (no submodule import needed)
task = openml.get_task(31)
flow = openml.get_flow(10)
run = openml.get_run(20)

tasks_df = openml.list_tasks(task_type=TaskType.SUPERVISED_CLASSIFICATION)
flows_df = openml.list_flows(size=5)
runs_df = openml.list_runs(size=10)

Implementation Details

• Added re-exports in __init__.py for:

  • list_datasets, get_dataset
  • list_flows, get_flow
  • list_tasks, get_task
  • list_runs, get_run

• Functions are imported directly from their respective submodules and exposed via __all__.

• All existing submodule-level imports remain fully functional.

• No changes to the underlying implementations — these are pure convenience aliases.

• Added unit tests to confirm that the aliases reference the correct underlying functions.