HydroPortailStats
France's national flood statistics, ported out of Fortran and into R.
Comparison · Infra & APIs
bolasso vs driveR
A side-by-side editorial comparison of bolasso and driveR — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:r-package
bolasso vs driveR: at a glance
What is bolasso?
Bootstrap lasso got a fast mode, a second selection rule, and multinomial support
bolasso implements the bootstrapped lasso, refitting a regularized regression across bootstrap replicates and selecting variables by how consistently they survive. The 0.3.0 release reshaped it: a fast argument computes one cross-validated lambda on the full dataset instead of cross-validating inside every replicate, and selected_variables() gained a choice between the variable inclusion probability rule and a quantile rule based on bootstrap confidence intervals. Since then 0.4.0 exposed the bootstrap indices through bootstrap_samples(), and 0.5.0 extended the whole surface to multinomial responses, returning one list element per outcome level.
What is driveR?
A cancer driver prioritization package that ships rarely and mostly to stay installable
driveR prioritizes cancer driver genes from somatic variant and copy number data, combining coding impact scores, noncoding impact, copy number alteration scores and hotspot annotations into a multi-task learning classification model. Version 0.5.0 added gene-level SCNA data frames as an accepted input to create_features_df(), with an example table shipped alongside, widening the entry point beyond the segment-level format. The same release moved org.Hs.eg.db and both hg19 and hg38 TxDb annotation packages from Imports to Suggests under new CRAN policy, with dependent functions now raising an error when they are absent rather than silently degrading.
bolasso vs driveR: editorial side-by-side
bolasso
0.0INFRA · APIS
Bootstrap lasso got a fast mode, a second selection rule, and multinomial support
◆ Current state
bolasso implements the bootstrapped lasso, refitting a regularized regression across bootstrap replicates and selecting variables by how consistently they survive. The 0.3.0 release reshaped it: a fast argument computes one cross-validated lambda on the full dataset instead of cross-validating inside every replicate, and selected_variables() gained a choice between the variable inclusion probability rule and a quantile rule based on bootstrap confidence intervals. Since then 0.4.0 exposed the bootstrap indices through bootstrap_samples(), and 0.5.0 extended the whole surface to multinomial responses, returning one list element per outcome level.
◆ Where it's heading
The package spent 2022 dormant after its initial releases and has been actively developed since late 2024, moving from a single algorithm toward a workbench. The additions cluster around inspection rather than estimation: tidy() for bootstrap-level coefficients, plot_selection_thresholds() for selection stability across thresholds, plot_selected_variables() for the surviving covariates, and now the extracted bootstrap indices. Documented gaps remain, with mgaussian unsupported and multinomial prediction limited to class output.
◆ Prediction
The two stated limitations in 0.5.0 - no mgaussian family and class-only multinomial prediction - are the most likely next targets, since the maintainer flagged both as possible later additions.
driveR
0.0INFRA · APIS
A cancer driver prioritization package that ships rarely and mostly to stay installable
◆ Current state
driveR prioritizes cancer driver genes from somatic variant and copy number data, combining coding impact scores, noncoding impact, copy number alteration scores and hotspot annotations into a multi-task learning classification model. Version 0.5.0 added gene-level SCNA data frames as an accepted input to create_features_df(), with an example table shipped alongside, widening the entry point beyond the segment-level format. The same release moved org.Hs.eg.db and both hg19 and hg38 TxDb annotation packages from Imports to Suggests under new CRAN policy, with dependent functions now raising an error when they are absent rather than silently degrading.
◆ Where it's heading
Releases are infrequent and split cleanly between capability and correction. GRCh38 support arrived in 0.4.0 and cancer-type-specific thresholds were refreshed in 0.3.0, while the 0.2.x pair fixed scoring errors serious enough to require retraining: a column name mismatch meant the SCNA score was not being computed at all, and MCR table coordinates needed converting from hg18 to hg19. Both times the bundled classification model and thresholds were rebuilt as a consequence. Since 0.4.0 the changes have been input handling and packaging rather than method.
◆ Prediction
The move of the annotation databases to Suggests suggests a leaner install is the current priority; the entries give no indication of planned model or scoring changes.
Alternatives to bolasso and driveR
Other Infra & APIs 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 bolasso or driveR.
bsvarSIGNs
Sign, zero and narrative restrictions brought into the bsvars ecosystem.
estimatr
Fast design-based estimators for experiments, coasting on CRAN patches.
ggdist
The grammar of uncertainty visualization, now drawing the uncertainty in its own estimates.
ipaddress
IP address vectors for R that hit 1.0 and then went quiet.
ltertools
A column-key toolkit for stitching decades of ecological field data into one table.
See all bolasso alternatives → · See all driveR alternatives →
Recent activity from bolasso and driveR
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 4mo agobolassoMultinomial responses supported across selection and plotting
- 7mo agodriveRGene-level copy number input accepted, annotation packages made optional
- 10mo agobolassoBootstrap indices exposed via bootstrap_samples()
- 1y agobolassoFast estimation mode and a second variable selection rule ⚡
- 3y agodriveRCRAN documentation error fixed
- 4y agodriveRGRCh38 genome build supported
- 4y agobolassoBolasso v0.2.0
- 4y agodriveRCancer-type-specific thresholds updated
- 4y agobolassoBolasso v0.1.0
- 5y agodriveRMCR coordinates converted to hg19 and the model retrained
- 5y agodriveRCopy number score was never being computed, model rebuilt
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bolasso and driveR?
Both compete on the same themes — r-package — within Infra & APIs. bolasso and driveR 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 bolasso better than driveR?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. bolasso and driveR 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 Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to bolasso?
Top bolasso alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "bolasso alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/bolasso for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to driveR?
Top driveR alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "driveR alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/driver for the full list with editorial commentary on each.