code clean up + add notes to docs

docs/reference/declarative_usage.md

@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 ### Configuring with YAML
 Configure your experiments using a YAML file, which serves as a central reference for setting up your project.
 This approach simplifies sharing, reproducing and modifying configurations.
+
+!!! note
+    You can partially define arguments in the YAML file and partially provide the arguments directly to `neps.run`.
+    However, double referencing is not allowed. You cannot define the same argument in both places.
+
 #### Simple YAML Example
 Below is a straightforward YAML configuration example for NePS covering the required arguments.
 === "config.yaml"
@@ -72,6 +77,11 @@ through `neps.run`. For a detailed list of integrated optimizers, see [here](opt
 ### Customizing NePS optimizer
 Customize an internal NePS optimizer by specifying its parameters directly under the key `searcher` in the
 `config.yaml` file.
+
+!!! note
+    For `searcher_kwargs` of `neps.run`, the optimizer arguments passed via the YAML file and those passed directly via
+    `neps.run` will be merged. In this special case, if the same argument is referenced in both places,
+    `searcher_kwargs` will be prioritized and set for this argument.
 === "config.yaml"
     ```yaml
         --8<-- "docs/doc_yamls/customizing_neps_optimizer.yaml"

neps/api.py

@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ def run(
 
     if isinstance(searcher, BaseOptimizer):
         searcher_instance = searcher
-        searcher_info["searcher_name"] = "baseoptimizer"
+        searcher_info["searcher_name"] = "custom-baseoptimizer"
         searcher_info["searcher_alg"] = searcher.whoami()
         searcher_info["searcher_selection"] = "user-instantiation"
         searcher_info["neps_decision_tree"] = False

neps/search_spaces/search_space.py

@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def pipeline_space_from_yaml(  # noqa: C901, PLR0912
                 pipeline_space[name] = CategoricalParameter(**formatted_details)
             elif param_type == "const":
                 # Constant parameter
-                formatted_details = formatting_const(details)
+                formatted_details = formatting_const(details)  # type: ignore
                 pipeline_space[name] = ConstantParameter(formatted_details)
             else:
                 # Handle unknown parameter type

neps/search_spaces/yaml_search_space_utils.py

@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def deduce_param_type(name: str, details: dict[str, int | str | float]) -> str:
     return param_type
 
 
-def formatting_int(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]):
+def formatting_int(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]) -> dict:
     """
      Converts scientific notation values to integers.
 
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ def formatting_int(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]):
     return details
 
 
-def formatting_float(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]):
+def formatting_float(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]) -> dict:
     """
     Converts scientific notation values to floats.
 
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ def formatting_float(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]):
     return details
 
 
-def formatting_cat(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]):
+def formatting_cat(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]) -> dict:
     """
     This function ensures that the 'choices' key in the details is a list and attempts
     to convert any elements expressed in scientific notation to floats. It also handles
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ def formatting_cat(name: str, details: dict[str, str | int | float]):
     return details
 
 
-def formatting_const(details: str | int | float):
+def formatting_const(details: str | int | float) -> str | int | float:
     """
     Validates and converts a constant parameter.