huggingface_hub v1.0 introduces httpx backend, redesigned hf CLI, and Xet-based file transfers

AI Impact Summary

huggingface_hub has reached v1.0, marking maturity and broad ecosystem reliance (2M+ public models, 1M+ spaces). The release introduces a foundational shift: an httpx-backed backend, a redesigned hf CLI, and the Xet protocol for chunk-based file transfers, enabling faster, HTTP-based interactions and large-file handling. While backward compatibility is claimed for most libraries, Transformers explicitly requires v0.x in v4 and v1.x in v5, signaling meaningful downstream impact and the need to audit dependency graphs and workflows as teams upgrade.