tidytlg
A tables-listings-graphs package that reached CRAN and then went quiet.
Comparison · Analytics
datasetjson vs forestly
A side-by-side editorial comparison of datasetjson and forestly — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
datasetjson vs forestly: at a glance
What is datasetjson?
datasetjson rebuilt its object model to track the CDISC Dataset-JSON 1.1 schema.
datasetjson reads and writes CDISC Dataset-JSON, the JSON replacement for SAS transport files in clinical-trial submissions. The package went from a thin reader in 2023 to a redesigned interface in 0.3.0 that targets the 1.1.0 schema, uses yyjsonr as its JSON backend, and exposes column metadata as first-class arguments. Development is contributor-driven inside the Atorus and pharmaverse orbit.
What is forestly?
forestly built an interactive safety review tool, then taught it to produce submission-ready RTF.
forestly renders adverse-event forest plots as interactive reactable widgets — filterable by AE category, with sliders for incidence thresholds and a toggle for the risk-difference column. Version 0.1.3 added `rtf_static_forestly()` for static RTF output, and 0.1.4 has been about giving the display owner control over what reviewers see: the CSV download button, the AE filter label, and the diff toggle can each be switched off.
datasetjson vs forestly: editorial side-by-side
datasetjson
0.0ANALYTICS
datasetjson rebuilt its object model to track the CDISC Dataset-JSON 1.1 schema.
◆ Current state
datasetjson reads and writes CDISC Dataset-JSON, the JSON replacement for SAS transport files in clinical-trial submissions. The package went from a thin reader in 2023 to a redesigned interface in 0.3.0 that targets the 1.1.0 schema, uses yyjsonr as its JSON backend, and exposes column metadata as first-class arguments. Development is contributor-driven inside the Atorus and pharmaverse orbit.
◆ Where it's heading
The package's roadmap is not its own — it tracks a CDISC standard that is still moving, and 0.3.0 is what happens when the standard revises: object model, read and write paths, and JSON backend all changed together. Performance was addressed in the same pass, which matters because submission datasets are large enough that a slow serialiser is a real constraint.
◆ Prediction
The next significant release will most likely follow the next Dataset-JSON schema revision rather than an internal roadmap, given that 0.3.0 was driven entirely by the 1.1.0 update.
forestly
0.0ANALYTICS
forestly built an interactive safety review tool, then taught it to produce submission-ready RTF.
◆ Current state
forestly renders adverse-event forest plots as interactive reactable widgets — filterable by AE category, with sliders for incidence thresholds and a toggle for the risk-difference column. Version 0.1.3 added `rtf_static_forestly()` for static RTF output, and 0.1.4 has been about giving the display owner control over what reviewers see: the CSV download button, the AE filter label, and the diff toggle can each be switched off.
◆ Where it's heading
The arc runs from a fixed interactive widget toward a configurable one with two output modes. Nearly every new argument in the last two releases exists to remove something from the display or relabel it, which suggests the users driving development are producing outputs for others to review under conventions they do not control. The x-axis range, column header, figure header and slider range arguments point the same way — this is a tool being fitted into standardised reporting rather than used ad hoc.
◆ Prediction
Given that the last two releases have consisted almost entirely of display-control arguments, the next is likely more of the same, applied to whichever parts of the interactive layout are still fixed.
Alternatives to datasetjson and forestly
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 datasetjson or forestly.
Tplyr
Tplyr made clinical summary tables explain where every number came from.
rlistings
Clinical listings that keep inheriting their hardest problem — pagination — from the layer below.
hoardr
A cache-directory helper that has shipped nothing but CRAN-triggered patches for seven years.
gigs
gigs redesigned its whole conversion API for rOpenSci, then spent three releases getting the docs to build.
riem
A weather-data client that keeps rewriting its HTTP layer while slowly tightening its API.
See all datasetjson alternatives → · See all forestly alternatives →
Recent activity from datasetjson and forestly
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 5mo agoforestlyDownload button, AE filter label and diff toggle become optional
- 11mo agoforestlyStatic RTF forest plots join the interactive output ⚡
- 1y agodatasetjsonDataset-JSON 1.1.0 support with a redesigned object model ⚡
- 1y agoforestlyreactR 0.6.0 rendering fix and slider label control
- 2y agoforestlyTreatment group selection and rough-edge fixes
- 2y agodatasetjsonReads and validates Dataset-JSON from URLs
- 2y agodatasetjsonInitial CRAN release
- 3y agoforestlyFirst release on GitHub and CRAN
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between datasetjson and forestly?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. datasetjson and forestly 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 datasetjson better than forestly?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. datasetjson and forestly 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 datasetjson?
Top datasetjson alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "datasetjson alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/datasetjson for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to forestly?
Top forestly alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "forestly alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/forestly for the full list with editorial commentary on each.