diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 96f530924..f3a9de7a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Low-code form builder for frontend
 - Add snowflake vector search engine
 - Add a meta-datatype `Vector` to handle different databackend requirements
+- Add type annotatiions as a way to declare schema
 
 #### Bug Fixes
 
diff --git a/plugins/ibis/superduper_ibis/utils.py b/plugins/ibis/superduper_ibis/utils.py
index b8215bf55..94b8c68bd 100644
--- a/plugins/ibis/superduper_ibis/utils.py
+++ b/plugins/ibis/superduper_ibis/utils.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 from ibis.expr.datatypes import dtype
 from superduper.components.datatype import (
     BaseDataType,
-    File,
+    FileItem,
 )
 from superduper.components.schema import ID, FieldType, Schema
 
 SPECIAL_ENCODABLES_FIELDS = {
-    File: "str",
+    FileItem: "str",
 }
 
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 3d3f08668..07b8ffd99 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ target-version = ["py38"]
 ignore_missing_imports = true
 no_implicit_optional = true
 warn_unused_ignores = true
-disable_error_code = ["has-type", "attr-defined", "assignment", "misc", "override", "call-arg", "import-untyped"]
+disable_error_code = ["has-type", "attr-defined", "assignment", "misc", "override", "call-arg", "import-untyped", "no-redef", "valid-type", "valid-newtype"]
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 addopts = "-W ignore"
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ ignore = [
   "D401",
   "D102",
   "E402",
+  "F403"
 ]
 exclude = ["templates", "superduper/templates"]
 
diff --git a/superduper/base/document.py b/superduper/base/document.py
index 1dd98dce9..85fd66564 100644
--- a/superduper/base/document.py
+++ b/superduper/base/document.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from superduper.base.leaf import Leaf, import_item
 from superduper.base.variables import _replace_variables
 from superduper.components.component import Component
-from superduper.components.datatype import BaseDataType, Blob, File
+from superduper.components.datatype import BaseDataType, Blob, FileItem
 from superduper.components.schema import Schema, get_schema
 from superduper.misc.reference import parse_reference
 from superduper.misc.special_dicts import MongoStyleDict, SuperDuperFlatEncode
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ def decode(
             )
 
         def my_getter(x):
-            return File(path=r[KEY_FILES].get(x.split(':')[-1]), db=db)
+            return FileItem(path=r[KEY_FILES].get(x.split(':')[-1]), db=db)
 
         if r.get(KEY_FILES):
             getters.add_getter('file', my_getter)
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ def _deep_flat_encode(
         blobs[r.identifier] = r.bytes
         return '&:blob:' + r.identifier
 
-    if isinstance(r, File):
+    if isinstance(r, FileItem):
         files[r.identifier] = r.path
         return '&:file:' + r.identifier
 
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ def _get_component(db, path):
 
 def _get_file_callback(db):
     def callback(ref):
-        return File(identifier=ref, db=db)
+        return FileItem(identifier=ref, db=db)
 
     return callback
 
diff --git a/superduper/components/component.py b/superduper/components/component.py
index 75244d9b2..5be6775b1 100644
--- a/superduper/components/component.py
+++ b/superduper/components/component.py
@@ -152,6 +152,17 @@ def __new__(cls, name, bases, dct):
                     new_cls._fields[field.name] = 'default'
                 elif annotation is t.Callable or _is_optional_callable(annotation):
                     new_cls._fields[field.name] = 'default'
+                # a hack...
+                elif 'superduper.misc.typing' in str(annotation):
+                    annotation = str(annotation)
+                    import re
+
+                    match1 = re.match('^typing\.Optional\[(.*)\]$', annotation)
+                    match2 = re.match('^t\.Optional\[(.*)\]$', annotation)
+                    match = match1 or match2
+                    if match:
+                        annotation = match.groups()[0]
+                    new_cls._fields[field.name] = annotation.split('.')[-1]
             except KeyError:
                 continue
         return new_cls
diff --git a/superduper/components/datatype.py b/superduper/components/datatype.py
index 68e6c765f..1238c7d93 100644
--- a/superduper/components/datatype.py
+++ b/superduper/components/datatype.py
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@
 
 from superduper import CFG
 from superduper.base.leaf import Leaf
-from superduper.components.component import Component
+from superduper.components.component import Component, ComponentMeta
 
 Decode = t.Callable[[bytes], t.Any]
 Encode = t.Callable[[t.Any], bytes]
 
+INBUILT_DATATYPES = {}
+
 
 class DataTypeFactory:
     """Abstract class for creating a DataType # noqa."""
@@ -43,7 +45,21 @@ def create(data: t.Any) -> "BaseDataType":
         raise NotImplementedError
 
 
-class BaseDataType(Component):
+class DataTypeMeta(ComponentMeta):
+    """Metaclass for the `Model` class and descendants # noqa."""
+
+    def __new__(mcls, name, bases, dct):
+        """Create a new class with merged docstrings # noqa."""
+        cls = super().__new__(mcls, name, bases, dct)
+        try:
+            instance = cls(cls.__name__)
+            INBUILT_DATATYPES[cls.__name__] = instance
+        except TypeError:
+            pass
+        return cls
+
+
+class BaseDataType(Component, metaclass=DataTypeMeta):
     """Base class for datatype."""
 
     type_id: t.ClassVar[str] = 'datatype'
@@ -173,7 +189,7 @@ def decode_data(self, item):
         return pickle.loads(item)
 
 
-class PickleSerializer(_Artifact, _PickleMixin, BaseDataType):
+class Pickle(_Artifact, _PickleMixin, BaseDataType):
     """Serializer with pickle."""
 
 
@@ -189,7 +205,7 @@ def decode_data(self, item):
         return dill.loads(item)
 
 
-class DillSerializer(_Artifact, _DillMixin, BaseDataType):
+class Dill(_Artifact, _DillMixin, BaseDataType):
     """Serializer with dill.
 
     This is also the default serializer.
@@ -197,18 +213,20 @@ class DillSerializer(_Artifact, _DillMixin, BaseDataType):
     """
 
 
-class _DillEncoder(_Encodable, _DillMixin, BaseDataType):
+class DillEncoder(_Encodable, _DillMixin, BaseDataType):
+    """Encoder with dill."""
+
     ...
 
 
-class FileType(BaseDataType):
+class File(BaseDataType):
     """Type for encoding files on disk."""
 
     encodable: t.ClassVar[str] = 'file'
 
     def encode_data(self, item):
         assert os.path.exists(item)
-        return File(path=item)
+        return FileItem(path=item)
 
     def decode_data(self, item):
         return item
@@ -247,7 +265,7 @@ def unpack(self):
         pass
 
 
-class File(Saveable):
+class FileItem(Saveable):
     """Placeholder for a file.
 
     :param path: Path to file.
@@ -306,25 +324,27 @@ def reference(self):
 
 json_encoder = JSON('json')
 pickle_encoder = PickleEncoder('pickle_encoder')
-pickle_serializer = PickleSerializer('pickle_serializer')
-dill_encoder = _DillEncoder('dill_encoder')
-dill_serializer = DillSerializer('dill_serializer')
-file = FileType('file')
-
-DEFAULT_ENCODER = PickleEncoder('default_encoder')
-DEFAULT_SERIALIZER = DillSerializer('default')
-
-
-INBUILT_DATATYPES = {
-    dt.identifier: dt
-    for dt in [
-        json_encoder,
-        pickle_encoder,
-        pickle_serializer,
-        dill_encoder,
-        dill_serializer,
-        file,
-        DEFAULT_SERIALIZER,
-        DEFAULT_ENCODER,
-    ]
-}
+pickle_serializer = Pickle('pickle_serializer')
+dill_encoder = DillEncoder('dill_encoder')
+dill_serializer = Dill('dill_serializer')
+file = File('file')
+
+
+INBUILT_DATATYPES.update(
+    {
+        dt.identifier: dt
+        for dt in [
+            json_encoder,
+            pickle_encoder,
+            pickle_serializer,
+            dill_encoder,
+            dill_serializer,
+            file,
+        ]
+    }
+)
+
+DEFAULT_ENCODER = INBUILT_DATATYPES['PickleEncoder']
+DEFAULT_SERIALIZER = INBUILT_DATATYPES['Dill']
+INBUILT_DATATYPES['default'] = DEFAULT_SERIALIZER
+INBUILT_DATATYPES['Blob'] = INBUILT_DATATYPES['Pickle']
diff --git a/superduper/components/plugin.py b/superduper/components/plugin.py
index 22256a910..417ef04e5 100644
--- a/superduper/components/plugin.py
+++ b/superduper/components/plugin.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import typing as t
 
 from superduper import Component, logging
-from superduper.components.datatype import File, file
+from superduper.components.datatype import FileItem, file
 
 
 class Plugin(Component):
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class Plugin(Component):
     cache_path: str = "~/.superduper/plugins"
 
     def __post_init__(self, db):
-        if isinstance(self.path, File):
+        if isinstance(self.path, FileItem):
             self._prepare_plugin()
         else:
             path_name = os.path.basename(self.path.rstrip("/"))
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def _pip_install(self, requirement_path):
 
     def _prepare_plugin(self):
         plugin_name_tag = f"{self.identifier}"
-        assert isinstance(self.path, File)
+        assert isinstance(self.path, FileItem)
         cache_path = os.path.expanduser(self.cache_path)
         uuid_path = os.path.join(cache_path, self.uuid)
         # Check if plugin is already in cache
diff --git a/superduper/misc/typing.py b/superduper/misc/typing.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2283e980a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/superduper/misc/typing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import typing as t
+
+from superduper.components.datatype import *
+
+File = t.NewType('File', t.AnyStr)
+Blob = t.NewType('Blob', t.Callable)
+Dill = t.NewType('Dill', t.Callable)
+Pickle = t.NewType('Pickle', t.Callable)
+JSON = t.NewType('JSON', t.Dict)
diff --git a/superduper/rest/build.py b/superduper/rest/build.py
index 92db6d4e6..8887e517b 100644
--- a/superduper/rest/build.py
+++ b/superduper/rest/build.py
@@ -248,10 +248,9 @@ def db_edit(
         db: 'Datalayer' = DatalayerDependency(),
     ):
         component = db.load(type_id, identifier)
-        template = db.load('template', component['build_template'])
-        template: Template = db.load(type_id=type_id, identifier=identifier)
+        template: Template = db.load('template', component.build_template)
         form = template.form_template
-        form['_variables'] = component['build_variables']
+        form['_variables'] = component.build_variables
         return form
 
     @app.add('/db/metadata/show_jobs', method='get')
diff --git a/test/unittest/component/test_schema.py b/test/unittest/component/test_schema.py
index 54d735f63..522521035 100644
--- a/test/unittest/component/test_schema.py
+++ b/test/unittest/component/test_schema.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from superduper import Component, Schema, Table
 from superduper.components.datatype import (
     Blob,
-    File,
+    FileItem,
     dill_serializer,
     file,
     pickle_encoder,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def test_schema_with_file(db, tmp_file):
     r = db['documents'].select().tolist()[0]
 
     # loaded document contains a pointer to the file
-    assert isinstance(r['my_file'], File)
+    assert isinstance(r['my_file'], FileItem)
 
     # however the path has not been populated
     assert not r['my_file'].path
diff --git a/test/unittest/misc/test_auto_schema.py b/test/unittest/misc/test_auto_schema.py
index 196f9cc1a..1caf57e6f 100644
--- a/test/unittest/misc/test_auto_schema.py
+++ b/test/unittest/misc/test_auto_schema.py
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ def test_infer_datatype():
 
     assert infer_datatype({"a": 1}).identifier == "json"
 
-    assert infer_datatype({"a": np.array([1, 2, 3])}).identifier == "default_encoder"
+    assert infer_datatype({"a": np.array([1, 2, 3])}).identifier == "PickleEncoder"
 
     assert (
         infer_datatype(pd.DataFrame({"col1": [1, 2], "col2": [3, 4]})).identifier
-        == "default_encoder"
+        == "PickleEncoder"
     )
 
     with pytest.raises(UnsupportedDatatype):