diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entities/Dataset.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entities/Dataset.java
index 855cf78..d207f7f 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entities/Dataset.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entities/Dataset.java
@@ -740,8 +740,10 @@
         // Set the serde/traits for primary keys
         for (int i = 0; i < numPrimaryKeys; i++) {
             IAType keyType =
-                    (indicators == null || indicators.get(i) == 0) ? itemType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i))
-                            : metaType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i));
+                    datasetType == DatasetType.EXTERNAL ? IndexingConstants.getFieldType(i)
+                            : (indicators == null || indicators.get(i) == 0)
+                                    ? itemType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i))
+                                    : metaType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i));
             primaryRecFields[i] = serdeProvider.getSerializerDeserializer(keyType);
             primaryTypeTraits[i] = TypeTraitProvider.INSTANCE.getTypeTrait(keyType);
         }
@@ -778,8 +780,9 @@
             indicators = ((InternalDatasetDetails) getDatasetDetails()).getKeySourceIndicator();
         }
         for (int i = 0; i < numPrimaryKeys; i++) {
-            IAType keyType =
-                    (indicators == null || indicators.get(i) == 0) ? recordType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i))
+            IAType keyType = datasetType == DatasetType.EXTERNAL ? IndexingConstants.getFieldType(i)
+                    : (indicators == null || indicators.get(i) == 0)
+                            ? recordType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i))
                             : metaType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i));
             cmpFactories[i] = cmpFactoryProvider.getBinaryComparatorFactory(keyType, true);
         }
@@ -806,8 +809,9 @@
             indicators = ((InternalDatasetDetails) getDatasetDetails()).getKeySourceIndicator();
         }
         for (int i = 0; i < numPrimaryKeys; i++) {
-            IAType keyType =
-                    (indicators == null || indicators.get(i) == 0) ? recordType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i))
+            IAType keyType = datasetType == DatasetType.EXTERNAL ? IndexingConstants.getFieldType(i)
+                    : (indicators == null || indicators.get(i) == 0)
+                            ? recordType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i))
                             : metaType.getSubFieldType(partitioningKeys.get(i));
             hashFuncFactories[i] = BinaryHashFunctionFactoryProvider.INSTANCE.getBinaryHashFunctionFactory(keyType);
         }
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparator.java
index 4510310..e907f75 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparator.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
             new PointableBinaryComparatorFactory(UTF8StringPointable.FACTORY).createBinaryComparator();
     private final IBinaryComparator ascByteArrayComp =
             new PointableBinaryComparatorFactory(ByteArrayPointable.FACTORY).createBinaryComparator();
-    // the type fields can be null
+
     protected final IAType leftType;
     protected final IAType rightType;
     private final ListObjectPool<IMutableValueStorage, Void> storageAllocator = new ListObjectPool<>(STORAGE_FACTORY);
@@ -70,28 +70,27 @@
     private final ListObjectPool<SortedRecord, ARecordType> recordPool = new ListObjectPool<>(RECORD_FACTORY);
 
     AbstractAGenericBinaryComparator(IAType leftType, IAType rightType) {
-        // factory should have already made sure to get the actual type
+        // factory should have already made sure to get the actual type (and no null types)
         this.leftType = leftType;
         this.rightType = rightType;
     }
 
     protected final int compare(IAType leftType, byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, IAType rightType, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2)
             throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (b1[s1] == ATypeTag.SERIALIZED_MISSING_TYPE_TAG) {
-            return b2[s2] == ATypeTag.SERIALIZED_MISSING_TYPE_TAG ? 0 : -1;
-        } else if (b2[s2] == ATypeTag.SERIALIZED_MISSING_TYPE_TAG) {
-            return 1;
-        }
-        if (b1[s1] == ATypeTag.SERIALIZED_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-            return b2[s2] == ATypeTag.SERIALIZED_NULL_TYPE_TAG ? 0 : -1;
-        } else if (b2[s2] == ATypeTag.SERIALIZED_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-            return 1;
-        }
         ATypeTag tag1 = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(b1[s1]);
         ATypeTag tag2 = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(b2[s2]);
-        // tag being null could mean several things among of which is that the passed args are not tagged
         if (tag1 == null || tag2 == null) {
-            return RawBinaryComparatorFactory.compare(b1, s1, l1, b2, s2, l2);
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Could not recognize the type of data.");
+        }
+        if (tag1 == ATypeTag.MISSING) {
+            return tag2 == ATypeTag.MISSING ? 0 : -1;
+        } else if (tag2 == ATypeTag.MISSING) {
+            return 1;
+        }
+        if (tag1 == ATypeTag.NULL) {
+            return tag2 == ATypeTag.NULL ? 0 : -1;
+        } else if (tag2 == ATypeTag.NULL) {
+            return 1;
         }
         if (ATypeHierarchy.isCompatible(tag1, tag2) && ATypeHierarchy.getTypeDomain(tag1) == Domain.NUMERIC) {
             return ComparatorUtil.compareNumbers(tag1, b1, s1 + 1, tag2, b2, s2 + 1);
@@ -142,9 +141,9 @@
             case BINARY:
                 return ascByteArrayComp.compare(b1, s1 + 1, l1 - 1, b2, s2 + 1, l2 - 1);
             case ARRAY:
-                return compareArrays(leftType, b1, s1, l1, rightType, b2, s2, l2);
+                return compareArrays(leftType, b1, s1, rightType, b2, s2);
             case OBJECT:
-                return compareRecords(leftType, b1, s1, l1, rightType, b2, s2, l2);
+                return compareRecords(leftType, b1, s1, rightType, b2, s2);
             default:
                 return RawBinaryComparatorFactory.compare(b1, s1, l1, b2, s2, l2);
         }
@@ -154,11 +153,8 @@
         return AIntervalAscPartialBinaryComparatorFactory.compare(b1, s1 + 1, l1 - 1, b2, s2 + 1, l2 - 1);
     }
 
-    private int compareArrays(IAType leftType, byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, IAType rightType, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2)
+    private int compareArrays(IAType leftType, byte[] b1, int s1, IAType rightType, byte[] b2, int s2)
             throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (leftType == null || rightType == null) {
-            return RawBinaryComparatorFactory.compare(b1, s1, l1, b2, s2, l2);
-        }
         int leftNumItems = ListAccessorUtil.numberOfItems(b1, s1);
         int rightNumItems = ListAccessorUtil.numberOfItems(b2, s2);
         IAType leftArrayType = TypeComputeUtils.getActualTypeOrOpen(leftType, ATypeTag.ARRAY);
@@ -195,11 +191,8 @@
         }
     }
 
-    private int compareRecords(IAType leftType, byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, IAType rightType, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2)
+    private int compareRecords(IAType leftType, byte[] b1, int s1, IAType rightType, byte[] b2, int s2)
             throws HyracksDataException {
-        if (leftType == null || rightType == null) {
-            return RawBinaryComparatorFactory.compare(b1, s1, l1, b2, s2, l2);
-        }
         ARecordType leftRecordType = (ARecordType) TypeComputeUtils.getActualTypeOrOpen(leftType, ATypeTag.OBJECT);
         ARecordType rightRecordType = (ARecordType) TypeComputeUtils.getActualTypeOrOpen(rightType, ATypeTag.OBJECT);
         SortedRecord leftRecord = recordPool.allocate(leftRecordType);
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory.java b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory.java
index 140db22..c743e6e 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/comparators/AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 package org.apache.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.comparators;
 
 import org.apache.asterix.om.typecomputer.impl.TypeComputeUtils;
+import org.apache.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
 import org.apache.asterix.om.types.IAType;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
@@ -28,36 +29,32 @@
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.ObjectNode;
 
-public abstract class AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory implements IBinaryComparatorFactory {
+abstract class AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory implements IBinaryComparatorFactory {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    // these fields can be null
-    protected final IAType leftType;
-    protected final IAType rightType;
+    final IAType leftType;
+    final IAType rightType;
 
     AbstractAGenericBinaryComparatorFactory(IAType leftType, IAType rightType) {
-        this.leftType = leftType == null ? null : TypeComputeUtils.getActualType(leftType);
-        this.rightType = rightType == null ? null : TypeComputeUtils.getActualType(rightType);
+        this.leftType = TypeComputeUtils.getActualType(leftType);
+        this.rightType = TypeComputeUtils.getActualType(rightType);
     }
 
     JsonNode convertToJson(IPersistedResourceRegistry registry, Class<? extends IJsonSerializable> clazz, long version)
             throws HyracksDataException {
         ObjectNode jsonNode = registry.getClassIdentifier(clazz, version);
-        if (leftType != null) {
-            jsonNode.set("leftType", leftType.toJson(registry));
-        }
-        if (rightType != null) {
-            jsonNode.set("rightType", rightType.toJson(registry));
-        }
+        jsonNode.set("leftType", leftType.toJson(registry));
+        jsonNode.set("rightType", rightType.toJson(registry));
         return jsonNode;
     }
 
     static IJsonSerializable convertToObject(IPersistedResourceRegistry registry, JsonNode json, boolean asc)
             throws HyracksDataException {
-        JsonNode leftNode = json.get("leftType");
-        JsonNode rightNode = json.get("rightType");
-        IAType leftType = leftNode == null || leftNode.isNull() ? null : (IAType) registry.deserialize(leftNode);
-        IAType rightType = rightNode == null || rightNode.isNull() ? null : (IAType) registry.deserialize(rightNode);
+        JsonNode left = json.get("leftType");
+        JsonNode right = json.get("rightType");
+        // default to ANY for comparators that didn't originally have the new type fields
+        IAType leftType = left == null || left.isNull() ? BuiltinType.ANY : (IAType) registry.deserialize(left);
+        IAType rightType = right == null || right.isNull() ? BuiltinType.ANY : (IAType) registry.deserialize(right);
         return asc ? new AGenericAscBinaryComparatorFactory(leftType, rightType)
                 : new AGenericDescBinaryComparatorFactory(leftType, rightType);
     }
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/hash/AMurmurHash3BinaryHashFunctionFamily.java b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/hash/AMurmurHash3BinaryHashFunctionFamily.java
index 020fbd1..f02c764 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/hash/AMurmurHash3BinaryHashFunctionFamily.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/dataflow/data/nontagged/hash/AMurmurHash3BinaryHashFunctionFamily.java
@@ -122,22 +122,19 @@
                             valueBuffer.getLength(), seed);
                 case ARRAY:
                     try {
-                        return hashArray(type, bytes, offset, length);
+                        return hashArray(type, bytes, offset);
                     } catch (IOException e) {
                         throw HyracksDataException.create(e);
                     }
                 case OBJECT:
-                    return hashRecord(type, bytes, offset, length);
+                    return hashRecord(type, bytes, offset);
                 case DOUBLE:
                 default:
                     return MurmurHash3BinaryHash.hash(bytes, offset, length, seed);
             }
         }
 
-        private int hashArray(IAType type, byte[] bytes, int offset, int length) throws IOException {
-            if (type == null) {
-                return MurmurHash3BinaryHash.hash(bytes, offset, length, seed);
-            }
+        private int hashArray(IAType type, byte[] bytes, int offset) throws IOException {
             IAType arrayType = TypeComputeUtils.getActualTypeOrOpen(type, ATypeTag.ARRAY);
             IAType itemType = ((AbstractCollectionType) arrayType).getItemType();
             ATypeTag itemTag = itemType.getTypeTag();
@@ -158,10 +155,7 @@
             return hash;
         }
 
-        private int hashRecord(IAType type, byte[] bytes, int offset, int length) throws HyracksDataException {
-            if (type == null) {
-                return MurmurHash3BinaryHash.hash(bytes, offset, length, seed);
-            }
+        private int hashRecord(IAType type, byte[] bytes, int offset) throws HyracksDataException {
             ARecordType recordType = (ARecordType) TypeComputeUtils.getActualTypeOrOpen(type, ATypeTag.OBJECT);
             SortedRecord record = recordPool.allocate(recordType);
             IPointable fieldValue = voidPointableAllocator.allocate(null);
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/BinaryComparatorFactoryProvider.java b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/BinaryComparatorFactoryProvider.java
index 7567e0c..b3a6d27 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/BinaryComparatorFactoryProvider.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/BinaryComparatorFactoryProvider.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.comparators.ARectanglePartialBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.comparators.AUUIDPartialBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
+import org.apache.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
 import org.apache.asterix.om.types.IAType;
 import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.data.IBinaryComparatorFactoryProvider;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparatorFactory;
@@ -91,19 +92,23 @@
     @Override
     public IBinaryComparatorFactory getBinaryComparatorFactory(Object leftType, Object rightType, boolean ascending,
             boolean ignoreCase) {
-        if (leftType == null || rightType == null) {
-            return createGenericBinaryComparatorFactory(null, null, ascending);
-        }
         IAType left = (IAType) leftType;
         IAType right = (IAType) rightType;
+        // TODO(ali): what if someone passed ignoreCase=true and type ANY (at runtime it could be a string)?
         if (left.getTypeTag() == ATypeTag.STRING && right.getTypeTag() == ATypeTag.STRING && ignoreCase) {
             return addOffset(UTF8STRING_LOWERCASE_POINTABLE_INSTANCE, ascending);
         }
+        if (isShortWithoutTag(left, right)) {
+            return SHORT_POINTABLE_INSTANCE;
+        }
         return createGenericBinaryComparatorFactory(left, right, ascending);
     }
 
     @Override
     public IBinaryComparatorFactory getBinaryComparatorFactory(Object leftType, Object rightType, boolean ascending) {
+        if (isShortWithoutTag((IAType) leftType, (IAType) rightType)) {
+            return SHORT_POINTABLE_INSTANCE;
+        }
         // During a comparison, since proper type promotion among several numeric types are required,
         // we will use AGenericAscBinaryComparatorFactory, instead of using a specific comparator
         return createGenericBinaryComparatorFactory((IAType) leftType, (IAType) rightType, ascending);
@@ -113,8 +118,9 @@
         switch (type) {
             case ANY:
             case UNION:
+                // i think UNION shouldn't be allowed. the actual type could be closed array or record. ANY would fail.
                 // we could do smth better for nullable fields
-                return createGenericBinaryComparatorFactory(null, null, ascending);
+                return createGenericBinaryComparatorFactory(BuiltinType.ANY, BuiltinType.ANY, ascending);
             case NULL:
             case MISSING:
                 return new AnyBinaryComparatorFactory();
@@ -186,4 +192,17 @@
             return AIntervalDescPartialBinaryComparatorFactory.INSTANCE;
         }
     }
+
+    private static boolean isShortWithoutTag(IAType left, IAType right) {
+        ATypeTag leftTag = left.getTypeTag();
+        ATypeTag rightTag = right.getTypeTag();
+        if (leftTag != ATypeTag.SHORTWITHOUTTYPEINFO && rightTag != ATypeTag.SHORTWITHOUTTYPEINFO) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        if (leftTag != rightTag) {
+            // this should not happen (i.e. comparing untagged (short without tag) vs some tagged)
+            throw new IllegalStateException();
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/TypeTraitProvider.java b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/TypeTraitProvider.java
index 8cfe78d..51f4664 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/TypeTraitProvider.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-om/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/formats/nontagged/TypeTraitProvider.java
@@ -27,18 +27,17 @@
 public class TypeTraitProvider implements ITypeTraitProvider {
 
     // WARNING: the byte sizes depend on the serializer!
-    // currently assuming a serializer that adds a 1-byte type indicator before
-    // the data
-    private static final ITypeTraits ONEBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(1 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits TWOBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(2 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits FOURBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(4 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits EIGHTBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(8 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits SIXTEENBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(16 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits SEVENTEENBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(17 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits THIRTYTWOBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(32 + 1);
-    private static final ITypeTraits TWENTYFOURBYTETYPETRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(24 + 1);
-
-    private static final ITypeTraits VARLENTYPETRAIT = VarLengthTypeTrait.INSTANCE;
+    // currently assuming a serializer that adds a 1-byte type indicator before the data
+    private static final ITypeTraits ONE_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(1 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits TWO_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(2 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits FOUR_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(4 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits EIGHT_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(8 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits TWELVE_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(12 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits SIXTEEN_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(16 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits SEVENTEEN_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(17 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits THIRTY_TWO_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(32 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits TWENTY_FOUR_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(24 + 1);
+    private static final ITypeTraits VAR_LEN_TYPE_TRAIT = VarLengthTypeTrait.INSTANCE;
 
     public static final TypeTraitProvider INSTANCE = new TypeTraitProvider();
 
@@ -51,31 +50,33 @@
         switch (type.getTypeTag()) {
             case BOOLEAN:
             case TINYINT:
-                return ONEBYTETYPETRAIT;
+                return ONE_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case SMALLINT:
-                return TWOBYTETYPETRAIT;
+                return TWO_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case INTEGER:
             case FLOAT:
             case DATE:
             case TIME:
-                return FOURBYTETYPETRAIT;
+            case YEARMONTHDURATION:
+                return FOUR_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case BIGINT:
             case DOUBLE:
             case DATETIME:
+            case DAYTIMEDURATION:
+                return EIGHT_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case DURATION:
-                return EIGHTBYTETYPETRAIT;
+                return TWELVE_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case POINT:
             case UUID:
-                return SIXTEENBYTETYPETRAIT;
+                return SIXTEEN_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case INTERVAL:
-                return SEVENTEENBYTETYPETRAIT;
+                return SEVENTEEN_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case POINT3D:
-                return TWENTYFOURBYTETYPETRAIT;
+                return TWENTY_FOUR_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
             case LINE:
-                return THIRTYTWOBYTETYPETRAIT;
-            default: {
-                return VARLENTYPETRAIT;
-            }
+                return THIRTY_TWO_BYTE_TYPE_TRAIT;
+            default:
+                return VAR_LEN_TYPE_TRAIT;
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BooleanPointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BooleanPointable.java
index 3b122f8..8615529 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BooleanPointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BooleanPointable.java
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@
 
 public final class BooleanPointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 1;
+    private static final int SIZE = 1;
     public static final BooleanPointableFactory FACTORY = new BooleanPointableFactory();
-    public static final FixedLengthTypeTrait TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH);
+    public static final FixedLengthTypeTrait TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE);
 
     public static class BooleanPointableFactory implements IPointableFactory {
         private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Boolean.compare(getBoolean(b1, s1), getBoolean(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BytePointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BytePointable.java
index 41e7c82..5ac6833 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BytePointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/BytePointable.java
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
 
 public final class BytePointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable, INumeric {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 1;
+    private static final int SIZE = 1;
     public static final BytePointableFactory FACTORY = new BytePointableFactory();
-    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH);
+    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE);
 
     public static final class BytePointableFactory implements IPointableFactory {
         private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Byte.compare(getByte(b1, s1), getByte(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/DoublePointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/DoublePointable.java
index ee31f30..4f5d0a1 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/DoublePointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/DoublePointable.java
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
 
 public final class DoublePointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable, INumeric {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 8;
+    private static final int SIZE = 8;
     public static final DoublePointableFactory FACTORY = new DoublePointableFactory();
-    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH) {
+    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE) {
         private static final long serialVersionUID = 7348262203696059687L;
 
         //TODO fix RTREE logic based on class comparision in LSMRTreeUtils#proposeBestLinearizer
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Double.compare(getDouble(b1, s1), getDouble(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/FloatPointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/FloatPointable.java
index 0e330e7..289e441 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/FloatPointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/FloatPointable.java
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
 
 public final class FloatPointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable, INumeric {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 4;
-    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH);
+    private static final int SIZE = 4;
+    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE);
     public static final FloatPointableFactory FACTORY = new FloatPointableFactory();
 
     public static final class FloatPointableFactory implements IPointableFactory {
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Float.compare(getFloat(b1, s1), getFloat(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/IntegerPointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/IntegerPointable.java
index 453c568..ad80e23 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/IntegerPointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/IntegerPointable.java
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
 
 public final class IntegerPointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable, INumeric {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 4;
+    private static final int SIZE = 4;
     public static final IntegerPointableFactory FACTORY = new IntegerPointableFactory();
-    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH) {
+    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE) {
         private static final long serialVersionUID = -7178318032449879790L;
 
         //TODO fix RTREE logic based on class comparision in LSMRTreeUtils#proposeBestLinearizer
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Integer.compare(getInteger(b1, s1), getInteger(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/LongPointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/LongPointable.java
index 5929171..2de7b82 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/LongPointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/LongPointable.java
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
 
 public final class LongPointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable, INumeric {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 8;
+    private static final int SIZE = 8;
     public static final LongPointableFactory FACTORY = new LongPointableFactory();
-    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH);
+    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE);
 
     public static class LongPointableFactory implements IPointableFactory {
         private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Long.compare(getLong(b1, s1), getLong(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/ShortPointable.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/ShortPointable.java
index 48599e9..3806c0c 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/ShortPointable.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-data/hyracks-data-std/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/data/std/primitive/ShortPointable.java
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
 
 public final class ShortPointable extends AbstractPointable implements IHashable, IComparable, INumeric {
 
-    private static final int LENGTH = 2;
-    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(LENGTH);
+    private static final int SIZE = 2;
+    public static final ITypeTraits TYPE_TRAITS = new FixedLengthTypeTrait(SIZE);
     public static final IPointableFactory FACTORY = new ShortPointableFactory();
 
     public static final class ShortPointableFactory implements IPointableFactory {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
     }
 
     public static int compare(byte[] b1, int s1, int l1, byte[] b2, int s2, int l2) {
-        DataUtils.ensureLengths(LENGTH, l1, l2);
+        DataUtils.ensureLengths(SIZE, l1, l2);
         return Short.compare(getShort(b1, s1), getShort(b2, s2));
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-dataflow-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/dataflow/common/utils/SerdeUtils.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-dataflow-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/dataflow/common/utils/SerdeUtils.java
index 2f200c0..292482d 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-dataflow-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/dataflow/common/utils/SerdeUtils.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-dataflow-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/dataflow/common/utils/SerdeUtils.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ITypeTraits;
+import org.apache.hyracks.data.std.accessors.BooleanBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.data.std.accessors.DoubleBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.data.std.accessors.FloatBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.data.std.accessors.IntegerBinaryComparatorFactory;
@@ -126,8 +127,7 @@
             return DoubleBinaryComparatorFactory.INSTANCE;
         }
         if (serde instanceof BooleanSerializerDeserializer) {
-            // TODO(ali): how come?
-            throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Binary comparator factory for Boolean not implemented.");
+            return BooleanBinaryComparatorFactory.INSTANCE;
         }
         if (serde instanceof UTF8StringSerializerDeserializer) {
             return PointableBinaryComparatorFactory.of(UTF8StringPointable.FACTORY);