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datasetjson vs rbmi

A side-by-side editorial comparison of datasetjson and rbmi — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Shared themes:r-packagepharmaverse

datasetjson vs rbmi: at a glance

Featuredatasetjsonrbmi
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score0.02.5
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesclinical-data, cdisc, json, r-packageclinical-trials, missing-data, multiple-imputation, pharmaverse
Last editorial update1h ago4h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

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.

Read the full datasetjson trajectory →

What is rbmi?

Reference-based multiple imputation for trials, now shipping without Bayesian support by default.

rbmi implements reference-based multiple imputation for longitudinal clinical trial data with missing values — the estimand machinery regulators expect for handling intercurrent events and dropout. The consequential recent change was 1.3.0 moving rstan from a hard dependency to Suggests, which takes Bayesian imputation out of the default install. Since then the work has been documentation and nomenclature discipline: 1.6.1 standardized on MNAR over a mixed NMAR/MNAR vocabulary and deprecated the nmar.rm argument accordingly.

Read the full rbmi trajectory →

datasetjson vs rbmi: editorial side-by-side

D
datasetjson
ANALYTICS
0.0

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.

R
rbmi
ANALYTICS
2.5

Reference-based multiple imputation for trials, now shipping without Bayesian support by default.

◆ Current state

rbmi implements reference-based multiple imputation for longitudinal clinical trial data with missing values — the estimand machinery regulators expect for handling intercurrent events and dropout. The consequential recent change was 1.3.0 moving rstan from a hard dependency to Suggests, which takes Bayesian imputation out of the default install. Since then the work has been documentation and nomenclature discipline: 1.6.1 standardized on MNAR over a mixed NMAR/MNAR vocabulary and deprecated the nmar.rm argument accordingly.

◆ Where it's heading

The package is optimizing for adoption friction over feature breadth. Dropping a compiled Stan dependency from the default install, deprecating a bespoke seed argument in favor of base set.seed(), and aligning lsmeans() behavior and weight naming with emmeans all point the same direction — behave like a conventional R package rather than a specialized one. Documentation work in 1.6.1 covering @return on every exported function and executable examples reads as preparation for validation scrutiny rather than user demand.

◆ Prediction

Given the FAQ vignette's validation statement and the recent documentation completeness pass, the next work is more likely qualification and estimand documentation than new imputation methods.

Alternatives to datasetjson and rbmi

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 rbmi.

See all datasetjson alternatives → · See all rbmi alternatives →

Recent activity from datasetjson and rbmi

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 22d agorbmiMNAR nomenclature standardized, documentation completed
  2. 1y agodatasetjsonDataset-JSON 1.1.0 support with a redesigned object model
  3. 1y agorbmirstan demoted to Suggests, Bayesian imputation now opt-in
  4. 2y agodatasetjsonReads and validates Dataset-JSON from URLs
  5. 2y agorbmirbmi v1.2.5
  6. 2y agodatasetjsonInitial CRAN release

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between datasetjson and rbmi?

Both compete on the same themes — r-package, pharmaverse — within Analytics. rbmi is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 2.5 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is datasetjson better than rbmi?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. rbmi is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 2.5 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. 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 rbmi?

Top rbmi alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "rbmi alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/rbmi for the full list with editorial commentary on each.