qqman
The Manhattan-plot package for GWAS results, finished and dormant since 2017.
Comparison · Analytics
austraits vs netrankr
A side-by-side editorial comparison of austraits and netrankr — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
austraits vs netrankr: at a glance
What is austraits?
The R client for AusTraits spends its releases chasing the dataset it reads.
austraits is the R access layer for the AusTraits plant trait database, and its release history is almost entirely a record of keeping pace with two upstream systems it does not control: the austraits.build data releases and the Zenodo archive that hosts them. The most recent release adds a version-dispatch layer so the same package can read both v4.x and v5.0.0 data. Three of the four visible tags were backfilled to GitHub within 23 minutes of each other, so version order and publication order do not agree.
What is netrankr?
A centrality package that absorbed an abandoned neighbour rather than let its functions vanish.
netrankr computes centrality rankings on networks using partial orders rather than committing to a single index, and lets users build their own indices from relational components. The latest release folds in functions from the archived NetSwan package and clears deprecated igraph calls. Earlier work removed the midpoint calculation from rank_intervals, a change the notes themselves flag as possibly breaking.
austraits vs netrankr: editorial side-by-side
austraits
0.0ANALYTICS
The R client for AusTraits spends its releases chasing the dataset it reads.
◆ Current state
austraits is the R access layer for the AusTraits plant trait database, and its release history is almost entirely a record of keeping pace with two upstream systems it does not control: the austraits.build data releases and the Zenodo archive that hosts them. The most recent release adds a version-dispatch layer so the same package can read both v4.x and v5.0.0 data. Three of the four visible tags were backfilled to GitHub within 23 minutes of each other, so version order and publication order do not agree.
◆ Where it's heading
The package is converging on a stable public vocabulary and a versioned internal. Sites became locations across every join, plot and extract function; the extract_ and print family filled out at 1.0.0; and by 2.2.2 the core functions each carry a switch on the detected data version rather than assuming one schema. The visible cost of that is dependency churn — plotting packages moved to Suggests, which the notes admit can leave core functions unable to run.
◆ Prediction
Given that every release so far has been triggered by an upstream austraits.build or Zenodo change, the next one most likely follows the next data release rather than any independent roadmap. The entries do not indicate new analysis capability being planned in the client itself.
netrankr
0.0ANALYTICS
A centrality package that absorbed an abandoned neighbour rather than let its functions vanish.
◆ Current state
netrankr computes centrality rankings on networks using partial orders rather than committing to a single index, and lets users build their own indices from relational components. The latest release folds in functions from the archived NetSwan package and clears deprecated igraph calls. Earlier work removed the midpoint calculation from rank_intervals, a change the notes themselves flag as possibly breaking.
◆ Where it's heading
Development is sparse and driven by ecosystem pressure — igraph deprecations, CRAN archival of related packages, JOSS submission requirements. The analytic core has been stable since the partial-order framework was established; what changes is the surrounding surface and its compatibility with a moving graph stack. Absorbing NetSwan is the first real expansion in years.
◆ Prediction
Expect further igraph compatibility passes; whether the NetSwan absorption is a one-off rescue or the start of consolidating orphaned network packages is not something these entries settle.
Alternatives to austraits and netrankr
Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either austraits or netrankr.
constants
The R package for CODATA constants rebuilt its symbol table on NIST's naming so future updates stop being hand work.
ggdemetra
A ggplot2 layer for seasonal adjustment output, filling in one plot type at a time.
fossilsim
A fossil-record simulator that quietly grew a trait-evolution engine.
tern.rbmi
Reference-based multiple imputation tables, shipping only what CRAN checks demand.
tern.mmrm
An MMRM tabulation package that has published nothing since its 2024 CRAN releases.
See all austraits alternatives → · See all netrankr alternatives →
Recent activity from austraits and netrankr
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1y agonetrankrAbsorbs functions from the archived NetSwan package
- 2y agonetrankrRemoves a platform-specific failing test
- 2y agonetrankrigraph upgrade and a breaking rank_intervals change
- 2y agoaustraitsSupport for AusTraits 5.0.0 data and the rebuilt Zenodo API
- 3y agoaustraitsextract_taxa, lookup_trait and print methods arrive
- 3y agoaustraitsVignette build and extract_ function polish
- 3y agoaustraitssite becomes location across the API; AusTraits 3.0.2+ support
- 3y agonetrankrInternal changes for JOSS submission
- 5y agonetrankrHandles unconnected graphs; adds incomparable_pairs()
- 7y agonetrankrFixes index builder; adds weighted adjacency relations
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between austraits and netrankr?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. austraits and netrankr are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is austraits better than netrankr?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. austraits and netrankr are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to austraits?
Top austraits alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "austraits alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/austraits-r for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to netrankr?
Top netrankr alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "netrankr alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/netrankr-r for the full list with editorial commentary on each.