ENH: Allow `convert_dtypes` to convert to `pd.ArrowDtype`

[mroeschke]

Feature Type

• Adding new functionality to pandas

• Changing existing functionality in pandas

• Removing existing functionality in pandas

Problem Description

Currently df.convert_dtypes() will convert to nullable types (Int64, Boolean, etc), but it would be nice if there was an option to opt into the pyarrow-backed nullable types via pd.ArrowDtype

Feature Description

Maybe either

• New keyword argument nullable_type="pandas"|"pyarrow"
• Refactor io.nullable_backend global setting to mode.nullable_backend and allow that global config to apply to df.convert_dtypes

Alternative Solutions

For loop over the existing DataFrame object using astype and constructing pd.ArrowDtype?

Additional Context

No response

[phofl]

I'd prefer the option solution I think, keeps us consistent with the I/O stuff

[seanjedi]

take

[mroeschke]

@seanjedi I would advise waiting until there are been a little more discussion regarding the direction of this issue.

[seanjedi]

@mroeschke Hmm alright, let me know when I should work on it.
I am a bit new here, and this issue seems to be doable for my skill level, but if I am committing too much than I can handle, then feel free to let me know.
I also plan on working on this with a group of peers, so it won't just be me if I work on it. (A group of 3 to be exact)

Should I unassign myself?

[mroeschke]

Yeah additionally I was hoping to work on this myself in a few days after some discussion and consensus.

May I recommend some of these older issues with a lot of community interest? https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+sort%3Areactions-%2B1-desc

[seanjedi]

Alright, I will take a look then, thanks for the recommendation