diff --git a/crates/core/Cargo.toml b/crates/core/Cargo.toml
index 2e8cf6c92..e2e922a82 100644
--- a/crates/core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/core/Cargo.toml
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ serde_json = { workspace = true }
 uuid = { workspace = true, features = ["v4"] }
 mimalloc = { workspace = true, optional = true, features = [
   "local_dynamic_tls",
+  # Pin to mimalloc v2 until apache/datafusion-python#1607 resolves.
+  "v2",
 ] }
 async-trait = { workspace = true }
 futures = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/skills/datafusion_python/SKILL.md b/skills/datafusion_python/SKILL.md
index b6c548a83..296b6fdd5 100644
--- a/skills/datafusion_python/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/datafusion_python/SKILL.md
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ df = ctx.from_pylist([{"a": 1, "b": "x"}, {"a": 2, "b": "y"}])
 df = ctx.from_pandas(pandas_df)
 df = ctx.from_polars(polars_df)
 df = ctx.from_arrow(arrow_table)
+df = ctx.read_batch(record_batch)               # one pa.RecordBatch, no named table
+df = ctx.read_batches([batch1, batch2])         # several pa.RecordBatch
 
 # From SQL
 df = ctx.sql("SELECT a, b FROM my_table WHERE a > 1")
@@ -434,11 +436,19 @@ logical operators.
 ```python
 col("a").is_null()
 col("a").is_not_null()
-col("a").fill_null(lit(0))          # replace NULL with a value
+col("a").fill_null(lit(0))          # replace NULL with a value (single expression)
 F.coalesce(col("a"), col("b"))     # first non-null value
 F.nullif(col("a"), lit(0))         # return NULL if a == 0
 ```
 
+To fill nulls across the whole DataFrame (optionally limited to a subset of
+columns), use the DataFrame-level method:
+
+```python
+df.fill_null(0)                     # every column
+df.fill_null(0, subset=["a", "b"])  # only these columns
+```
+
 ### CASE / WHEN
 
 ```python
@@ -466,6 +476,15 @@ import pyarrow as pa
 col("a").cast(pa.float64())
 col("a").cast(pa.utf8())
 col("a").cast(pa.date32())
+
+col("a").try_cast(pa.int32())        # like cast(), but yields NULL on failure instead of erroring
+```
+
+To cast several columns at once at the DataFrame level, pass a mapping to
+`df.cast(...)`:
+
+```python
+df.cast({"a": pa.float64(), "b": pa.int32()})
 ```
 
 ### Aliasing
@@ -477,7 +496,7 @@ col("a").cast(pa.date32())
 ### BETWEEN and IN
 
 ```python
-col("a").between(lit(1), lit(10))                       # 1 <= a <= 10
+col("a").between(1, 10)                                 # 1 <= a <= 10 (bounds auto-wrap)
 F.in_list(col("a"), [lit(1), lit(2), lit(3)])           # a IN (1, 2, 3)
 F.in_list(col("a"), [lit(1), lit(2)], negated=True)     # a NOT IN (1, 2)
 ```
@@ -534,7 +553,7 @@ F.array_transform(col("a"), F.lambda_(["v"], F.lambda_var("v") * lit(2)))
 | `CASE x WHEN 1 THEN 'a' END` | `F.case(col("x")).when(lit(1), lit("a")).end()` |
 | `CASE WHEN x > 1 THEN 'a' END` | `F.when(col("x") > 1, lit("a")).end()` |
 | `x IN (1, 2, 3)` | `F.in_list(col("x"), [lit(1), lit(2), lit(3)])` |
-| `x BETWEEN 1 AND 10` | `col("x").between(lit(1), lit(10))` |
+| `x BETWEEN 1 AND 10` | `col("x").between(1, 10)` |
 | `CAST(x AS DOUBLE)` | `col("x").cast(pa.float64())` |
 | `ROW_NUMBER() OVER (...)` | `F.row_number(partition_by=[...], order_by=[...])` |
 | `SUM(x) OVER (...)` | `F.sum(col("x")).over(window)` |
@@ -556,8 +575,9 @@ F.array_transform(col("a"), F.lambda_(["v"], F.lambda_var("v") * lit(2)))
    - arithmetic between two literals with no column involved:
      `lit(1) - col("discount")` is fine, but `lit(1) - lit(2)` needs both
    - values that must carry a specific Arrow type, via `lit(pa.scalar(...))`
-   - `.when(...)`, `.otherwise(...)`, `F.nullif(...)`, `.between(...)`,
-     `F.in_list(...)` and similar method/function arguments
+   - `.when(...)`, `.otherwise(...)`, `F.nullif(...)`, `F.in_list(...)`
+     and similar method/function arguments (note: `.between(...)`
+     auto-wraps its bounds, so `col("a").between(1, 10)` needs no `lit()`)
 
 3. **Column name quoting**: Column names are normalized to lowercase by default
    in both `select("...")` and `col("...")`. To reference a column with
@@ -576,7 +596,8 @@ F.array_transform(col("a"), F.lambda_(["v"], F.lambda_var("v") * lit(2)))
    partition frame, set `window_frame=WindowFrame("rows", None, None)`.
 
 6. **Arithmetic on aggregates belongs in a later `select`, not inside
-   `aggregate`**: Each item in the aggregate list must be a single aggregate
+   `aggregate`** *(applies to datafusion-python 53 and earlier; fixed in 54)*:
+   Each item in the aggregate list must be a single aggregate
    call (optionally aliased). Combining aggregates with arithmetic inside
    `aggregate(...)` fails with `Internal error: Invalid aggregate expression`.
    Alias the aggregates, then compute the combination downstream:
@@ -609,6 +630,12 @@ F.array_transform(col("a"), F.lambda_(["v"], F.lambda_var("v") * lit(2)))
    # (note: join_on keeps both key columns in the output, unlike on="key")
    li.join_on(failed, col("l_orderkey") == col("o_orderkey"))
    ```
+   When the same column name exists on both sides, `DataFrame.col(name)`
+   (and `DataFrame.column(name)`) returns a column reference qualified to
+   that DataFrame, which disambiguates the predicate explicitly:
+   ```python
+   li.join_on(failed, li.col("l_orderkey") == failed.col("o_orderkey"))
+   ```
 
 ## Idiomatic Patterns
 
@@ -746,7 +773,7 @@ F.left(col("c_phone"), lit(2))                # prefix shortcut
 
 **Array/List**: `array`, `make_array`, `array_agg`, `array_length`,
 `array_element`, `array_slice`, `array_append`, `array_prepend`,
-`array_concat`, `array_has`, `array_has_all`, `array_has_any`, `array_position`,
+`array_concat`, `array_contains`, `array_has`, `array_has_all`, `array_has_any`, `array_position`,
 `array_remove`, `array_distinct`, `array_sort`, `array_reverse`, `flatten`,
 `array_to_string`, `array_intersect`, `array_union`, `array_except`,
 `generate_series`
@@ -808,7 +835,6 @@ both `functions` and `functions.spark` may behave differently:
 | `concat` | NULL inputs treated as empty | NULL inputs propagate to NULL |
 | `round` | HALF_EVEN (banker's) | HALF_UP |
 | `trunc` | Numeric truncation | Date truncation |
-| `substring` | 1-indexed | 1-indexed (parity) |
 
 Pick the namespace whose semantics match your intent — both stay imported
 side by side; `enable_spark_functions()` only affects SQL.