HydroPortailStats
France's national flood statistics, ported out of Fortran and into R.
Comparison · Infra & APIs
bolasso vs ltertools
A side-by-side editorial comparison of bolasso and ltertools — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:r-package
bolasso vs ltertools: 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 ltertools?
A column-key toolkit for stitching decades of ecological field data into one table.
ltertools serves the Long Term Ecological Research network, where the same measurement carries a different column name at every site and in every era. Its core is a column key: begin_key drafts one, harmonize applies it, and the 2.0.0 release added check_key to validate a key and standardize to apply one to a single dataset. Harmonization of files above 5 MB now runs in roughly half the time.
bolasso vs ltertools: 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.
ltertools
0.0INFRA · APIS
A column-key toolkit for stitching decades of ecological field data into one table.
◆ Current state
ltertools serves the Long Term Ecological Research network, where the same measurement carries a different column name at every site and in every era. Its core is a column key: begin_key drafts one, harmonize applies it, and the 2.0.0 release added check_key to validate a key and standardize to apply one to a single dataset. Harmonization of files above 5 MB now runs in roughly half the time.
◆ Where it's heading
Development has moved from breadth to depth. The first year added assorted utilities — temperature conversion, solar day length, a site timeline — while the last two releases have concentrated on the key workflow itself: incremental key expansion, validation, per-dataset application, and speed. A dependency archival forced the removal of the JSON helper, trimming the package back toward that core.
◆ Prediction
The key workflow now has draft, expand, check and apply steps, so the remaining gap is diagnostics on the harmonized output; the entries show no other thread in progress.
Alternatives to bolasso and ltertools
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 ltertools.
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.
finnts
Microsoft's automated forecasting framework, still mostly a one-maintainer effort.
See all bolasso alternatives → · See all ltertools alternatives →
Recent activity from bolasso and ltertools
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 4mo agobolassoMultinomial responses supported across selection and plotting
- 10mo agobolassoBootstrap indices exposed via bootstrap_samples()
- 11mo agoltertoolsWarning wording and a ggplot2 4.0.0 test update
- 1y agoltertoolsKey validation and single-dataset standardizing; JSON helper dropped
- 1y agoltertoolsIncremental key expansion for newly added files
- 1y agobolassoFast estimation mode and a second variable selection rule ⚡
- 1y agoltertoolsSolar day calculations, JSON export, defensive checks in harmonize
- 2y agoltertoolsFirst CRAN release: the column-key harmonization workflow
- 4y agobolassoBolasso v0.2.0
- 4y agobolassoBolasso v0.1.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bolasso and ltertools?
Both compete on the same themes — r-package — within Infra & APIs. bolasso and ltertools 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 ltertools?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. bolasso and ltertools 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 ltertools?
Top ltertools alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "ltertools alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/ltertools for the full list with editorial commentary on each.