Promote Operator.output more

docs/apache-airflow/concepts/dynamic-task-mapping.rst

@@ -180,17 +180,19 @@ It is possible to use ``partial`` and ``expand`` with classic style operators as
 Mapping over result of classic operators
 ----------------------------------------
 
-If you want to map over the result of a classic operator you will need to create an ``XComArg`` object manually.
+If you want to map over the result of a classic operator, you should explicitly reference the *output*, instead of the operator itself.
 
 .. code-block:: python
 
-    from airflow import XComArg
+    # Create a list of data inputs.
+    extract = ExtractOperator(task_id="extract")
 
-    task = MyOperator(task_id="source")
+    # Expand the operator to transform each input.
+    transform = TransformOperator.partial(task_id="transform").expand(input=extract.output)
 
-    downstream = MyOperator2.partial(task_id="consumer").expand(input=XComArg(task))
+    # Collect the transformed inputs, expand the operator to load each one of them to the target.
+    load = LoadOperator.partial(task_id="load").expand(input=transform.output)
 
-.. note:: Only a return value can be mapped against. Therefore, it is not allowed to set the ``XComArg``'s ``key`` property manually.
 
 Mixing TaskFlow and classic operators
 =====================================
@@ -201,7 +203,7 @@ In this example you have a regular data delivery to an S3 bucket and want to app
 
     from datetime import datetime
 
-    from airflow import DAG, XComArg
+    from airflow import DAG
     from airflow.decorators import task
     from airflow.providers.amazon.aws.hooks.s3 import S3Hook
     from airflow.providers.amazon.aws.operators.s3 import S3ListOperator
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ In this example you have a regular data delivery to an S3 bucket and want to app
             return sum(lines)
 
         counts = count_lines.partial(aws_conn_id="aws_default", bucket=list_filenames.bucket).expand(
-            filename=XComArg(list_filenames)
+            filename=list_filenames.output
         )
 
         total(lines=counts)
@@ -266,7 +268,7 @@ Similar to ``expand``, you can also map against a XCom that returns a list of di
         }
 
 
-    copy_kwargs = create_copy_kwargs.expand(filename=XComArg(list_filenames))
+    copy_kwargs = create_copy_kwargs.expand(filename=list_filenames.output)
 
     # Copy files to another bucket, based on the file's extension.
     copy_filenames = S3CopyObjectOperator.partial(
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ Since it is common to want to transform the output data format for task mapping,
         }
 
 
-    copy_kwargs = XComArg(list_filenames).map(create_copy_kwargs)
+    copy_kwargs = list_filenames.output.map(create_copy_kwargs)
 
     # Unchanged.
     copy_filenames = S3CopyObjectOperator.partial(...).expand_kwargs(copy_kwargs)
@@ -345,7 +347,7 @@ This is especially useful for conditional logic in task mapping. For example, if
     )
     list_filenames_b = ["rename_1", "rename_2", "rename_3", ...]
 
-    filenames_a_b = XComArg(list_filenames_a).zip(list_filenames_b)
+    filenames_a_b = list_filenames_a.output.zip(list_filenames_b)
 
 
     @task

tests/api_connexion/endpoints/test_mapped_task_instance_endpoint.py

@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 from airflow.models.baseoperator import BaseOperator
 from airflow.models.dagbag import DagBag
 from airflow.models.taskmap import TaskMap
-from airflow.models.xcom_arg import XComArg
 from airflow.security import permissions
 from airflow.utils.platform import getuser
 from airflow.utils.session import provide_session
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ def create_dag_runs_with_mapped_tasks(self, dag_maker, session, dags={}):
             count = dags[dag_id]['success'] + dags[dag_id]['running']
             with dag_maker(session=session, dag_id=dag_id, start_date=DEFAULT_DATETIME_1):
                 task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-                mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=XComArg(task1))
+                mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=task1.output)
 
             dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun(run_id=f"run_{dag_id}")
 

tests/decorators/test_python.py

@@ -735,8 +735,7 @@ def fn(arg1, arg2):
 
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        xcom_arg = XComArg(task1)
-        mapped = fn.partial(arg2='{{ ti.task_id }}').expand(arg1=xcom_arg)
+        mapped = fn.partial(arg2='{{ ti.task_id }}').expand(arg1=task1.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
     ti: TaskInstance = dr.get_task_instance(task1.task_id, session=session)

tests/models/test_dagrun.py

@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 from airflow.models import DAG, DagBag, DagModel, DagRun, TaskInstance as TI, clear_task_instances
 from airflow.models.baseoperator import BaseOperator
 from airflow.models.taskmap import TaskMap
-from airflow.models.xcom_arg import XComArg
 from airflow.operators.empty import EmptyOperator
 from airflow.operators.python import ShortCircuitOperator
 from airflow.serialization.serialized_objects import SerializedDAG
@@ -1036,7 +1035,7 @@ def task_2(arg2):
     dag._remove_task('task_2')
 
     with dag:
-        mapped = task_2.expand(arg2=XComArg(t1)).operator
+        mapped = task_2.expand(arg2=t1.output).operator
 
     # At this point, we need to test that the change works on the serialized
     # DAG (which is what the scheduler operates on)
@@ -1667,7 +1666,7 @@ def test_mapped_mixed__literal_not_expanded_at_create(dag_maker, session):
     literal = [1, 2, 3, 4]
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task = BaseOperator(task_id='task_1')
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg1=literal, arg2=XComArg(task))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg1=literal, arg2=task.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
     query = (
@@ -1686,7 +1685,7 @@ def test_mapped_mixed__literal_not_expanded_at_create(dag_maker, session):
 def test_ti_scheduling_mapped_zero_length(dag_maker, session):
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task = BaseOperator(task_id='task_1')
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=XComArg(task))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=task.output)
 
     dr: DagRun = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
     ti1, ti2 = sorted(dr.task_instances, key=lambda ti: ti.task_id)

tests/models/test_mappedoperator.py

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def test_map_xcom_arg():
     """Test that dependencies are correct when mapping with an XComArg"""
     with DAG("test-dag", start_date=DEFAULT_DATE):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=XComArg(task1))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=task1.output)
         finish = MockOperator(task_id="finish")
 
         mapped >> finish
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ def execute(self, context):
     with dag_maker("test-dag", session=session, start_date=DEFAULT_DATE) as dag:
         upstream_return = [1, 2, 3]
         task1 = PushExtraXComOperator(return_value=upstream_return, task_id="task_1")
-        task2 = PushExtraXComOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(return_value=XComArg(task1))
-        task3 = PushExtraXComOperator.partial(task_id='task_3').expand(return_value=XComArg(task2))
+        task2 = PushExtraXComOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(return_value=task1.output)
+        task3 = PushExtraXComOperator.partial(task_id='task_3').expand(return_value=task2.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
     ti_1 = dr.get_task_instance("task_1", session)
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def test_expand_mapped_task_instance(dag_maker, session, num_existing_tis, expec
     literal = [1, 2, {'a': 'b'}]
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=XComArg(task1))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=task1.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
 
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def test_expand_mapped_task_instance(dag_maker, session, num_existing_tis, expec
 def test_expand_mapped_task_instance_skipped_on_zero(dag_maker, session):
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=XComArg(task1))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand(arg2=task1.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
 
@@ -281,10 +281,8 @@ def __init__(self, value, arg1, **kwargs):
 
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        xcom_arg = XComArg(task1)
-        mapped = MyOperator.partial(task_id='a', arg2='{{ ti.task_id }}').expand(
-            value=xcom_arg, arg1=xcom_arg
-        )
+        output1 = task1.output
+        mapped = MyOperator.partial(task_id='a', arg2='{{ ti.task_id }}').expand(value=output1, arg1=output1)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
     ti: TaskInstance = dr.get_task_instance(task1.task_id, session=session)
@@ -357,7 +355,7 @@ def test_expand_kwargs_mapped_task_instance(dag_maker, session, num_existing_tis
     literal = [{"arg1": "a"}, {"arg1": "b"}, {"arg1": "c"}]
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand_kwargs(XComArg(task1))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='task_2').expand_kwargs(task1.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
 
@@ -408,7 +406,7 @@ def test_expand_kwargs_mapped_task_instance(dag_maker, session, num_existing_tis
 def test_expand_kwargs_render_template_fields_validating_operator(dag_maker, session, map_index, expected):
     with dag_maker(session=session):
         task1 = BaseOperator(task_id="op1")
-        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='a', arg2='{{ ti.task_id }}').expand_kwargs(XComArg(task1))
+        mapped = MockOperator.partial(task_id='a', arg2='{{ ti.task_id }}').expand_kwargs(task1.output)
 
     dr = dag_maker.create_dagrun()
     ti: TaskInstance = dr.get_task_instance(task1.task_id, session=session)