kosiew
diff --git a/‎python/datafusion/udf.py
Lines changed: 14 additions & 4 deletions b/‎python/datafusion/udf.py
Lines changed: 14 additions & 4 deletions
diff --git a/‎python/tests/test_udwf.py
Lines changed: 49 additions & 1 deletion b/‎python/tests/test_udwf.py
Lines changed: 49 additions & 1 deletion
@@ -22,7 +22,16 @@
 import functools
 from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 from enum import Enum
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, Optional, TypeVar, overload
+from typing import (
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
+    Any,
+    Callable,
+    Optional,
+    Protocol,
+    runtime_checkable,
+    overload,
+    TypeVar,
+)
 
 import pyarrow as pa
 
@@ -429,8 +438,9 @@ def wrapper(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Expr:
         return _decorator(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
-class WindowEvaluator:
-    """Evaluator class for user-defined window functions (UDWF).
+@runtime_checkable
+class WindowEvaluator(Protocol):
+    """Protocol defining interface for user-defined window functions (UDWF).
 
     It is up to the user to decide which evaluate function is appropriate.
 
@@ -711,7 +721,7 @@ def _create_window_udf(
             msg = "`func` must be callable."
             raise TypeError(msg)
         if not isinstance(func(), WindowEvaluator):
-            msg = "`func` must implement the abstract base class WindowEvaluator"
+            msg = "`func` must implement the WindowEvaluator protocol"
             raise TypeError(msg)
 
         name = name or func.__qualname__.lower()
 
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ def test_udwf_errors(complex_window_df):
 def test_udwf_errors_with_message():
     """Test error cases for UDWF creation."""
     with pytest.raises(
-        TypeError, match="`func` must implement the abstract base class WindowEvaluator"
+        TypeError, match="`func` must implement the WindowEvaluator protocol"
     ):
         udwf(
             NotSubclassOfWindowEvaluator, pa.int64(), pa.int64(), volatility="immutable"
@@ -466,3 +466,51 @@ def test_udwf_named_function(ctx, count_window_df):
         FOLLOWING) FROM test_table"""
     ).collect()[0]
     assert result.column(0) == pa.array([0, 1, 2])
+
+
+def test_window_evaluator_protocol(count_window_df):
+    """Test that WindowEvaluator works as a Protocol without explicit inheritance."""
+
+    # Define a class that implements the Protocol interface without inheriting
+    class CounterWithoutInheritance:
+        def __init__(self, base: int = 0) -> None:
+            self.base = base
+
+        def evaluate_all(self, values: list[pa.Array], num_rows: int) -> pa.Array:
+            return pa.array([self.base + i for i in range(num_rows)])
+
+        # Protocol methods with default implementations don't need to be defined
+
+    # Create a UDWF using the class that doesn't inherit from WindowEvaluator
+    protocol_counter = udwf(
+        CounterWithoutInheritance, pa.int64(), pa.int64(), volatility="immutable"
+    )
+
+    # Use the window function
+    df = count_window_df.select(
+        protocol_counter(column("a"))
+        .window_frame(WindowFrame("rows", None, None))
+        .build()
+        .alias("count")
+    )
+
+    result = df.collect()[0]
+    assert result.column(0) == pa.array([0, 1, 2])
+
+    # Also test with constructor args
+    protocol_counter_with_args = udwf(
+        lambda: CounterWithoutInheritance(10),
+        pa.int64(),
+        pa.int64(),
+        volatility="immutable",
+    )
+
+    df = count_window_df.select(
+        protocol_counter_with_args(column("a"))
+        .window_frame(WindowFrame("rows", None, None))
+        .build()
+        .alias("count")
+    )
+
+    result = df.collect()[0]
+    assert result.column(0) == pa.array([10, 11, 12])