Transformers and Estimators

Transformer is a function object that transforms one dataset to another by applying the transformation logic (function) to the input dataset yielding an output dataset. There are two types of Transformers the standard Transformer and the Estimator Transformer.

Standard Transformer

A standard Transformer transforms the input dataset into the output dataset, explicitly applying transformation function to the input data. There is no dependency on the input data other than reading the input column and generating the output column.

Such Transformers are invoked as shown next:

outputDF = transfomer.transform(inputDF)

Examples of standard Transformers are as follows and will be explained in detail in the...