(extend)=

# Extending cihai

Use cihai's abstraction and your dataset's users can receive easy configuration, SQL access, and be
available in a growing list of CJKV information.

## Creating new dataset

Expand cihai's knowledge! Create a {class}`cihai.extend.Dataset`.

You can also make your dataset available in open source so other cihai users can use it! If you do,
bring it up on the [issue tracker]!

_examples/dataset.py_:

```{literalinclude} ../../examples/dataset.py
:language: python

```

In addition, view our reference implementation of UNIHAN, which is incorporated as a dataset. See
{class}`cihai.data.unihan.dataset.Unihan`

[issue tracker]: https://github.com/cihai/cihai/issues

## Plugins: Adding features to a dataset

Extend a dataset with custom behavior to avoid repetition. Create a
{class}`cihai.extend.DatasetPlugin`.

See our reference implementation of {class}`cihai.data.unihan.dataset.UnihanVariants`

Datasets can be augmented with computed methods.

These utilize a dataset to pull information out, but are frequently used / generic enough to write a

An example of this would be the
[suggestion to add variant lookups for UNIHAN](https://github.com/cihai/cihai/pull/131).

## Combining datasets

Combining general datasets in general is usually considered general library usage. But if you're
usage is common, saves from repetition, it's worth considering making into a reusable extension and
open sourcing it.

Using the library to mix and match data from various sources is what cihai is meant to do! If you
have a way you're using cihai that you think would be helpful, definitely create an issue, a gist,
github repo, etc! License it permissively please (MIT, BSD, ISC, etc!)