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Comparison · Analytics

DHARMa vs hubEvals

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

Shared themes:r-package

DHARMa vs hubEvals: at a glance

FeatureDHARMahubEvals
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score0.02.5
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesresidual-diagnostics, glmm, breaking-change, bayesianforecast-evaluation, scoring, epidemiology, r-package
Last editorial update46m ago1h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is DHARMa?

DHARMa changed how GLMM residuals are simulated, so the same code now returns different numbers.

DHARMa generates scaled quantile residuals for fitted GLMMs and runs the dispersion, uniformity, and autocorrelation tests built on them. Version 0.5.0 changed the default simulation for hierarchical models from the model's own default, mostly unconditional, to conditional simulation, and states plainly that residuals will differ from those computed by older versions. The same release added brms to the supported model set and reworked how predictors are passed to plotting and testing functions.

Read the full DHARMa trajectory →

What is hubEvals?

Forecast-hub scoring that learned to handle joint, sample-based predictions.

hubEvals scores model output from collaborative forecasting hubs, wrapping scoringutils and translating hubverse formats into forecast objects it can evaluate. The package has moved quickly from a thin translation layer to something that handles every output type the hubverse defines — quantile, mean, median, nominal and ordinal pmf, and samples. The most recent releases are almost entirely about the failure modes of relative skill scoring rather than about new metrics.

Read the full hubEvals trajectory →

DHARMa vs hubEvals: editorial side-by-side

D
DHARMa
ANALYTICS
0.0

DHARMa changed how GLMM residuals are simulated, so the same code now returns different numbers.

◆ Current state

DHARMa generates scaled quantile residuals for fitted GLMMs and runs the dispersion, uniformity, and autocorrelation tests built on them. Version 0.5.0 changed the default simulation for hierarchical models from the model's own default, mostly unconditional, to conditional simulation, and states plainly that residuals will differ from those computed by older versions. The same release added brms to the supported model set and reworked how predictors are passed to plotting and testing functions.

◆ Where it's heading

The package has spent several releases widening which model backends it can diagnose, from glmmTMB through mgcv, phylolm and now brms, while methodological work has gone into handling correlated residuals via the rotation argument. Version 0.5.0 shifts from adding coverage to changing defaults for statistical power. The formula interface arriving across plotResiduals, testCategorical, testQuantiles and the autocorrelation tests suggests the API is being unified rather than extended function by function.

◆ Prediction

The next releases will likely broaden brms support past the simple-model restriction and continue converting remaining functions to the formula interface.

H
hubEvals
ANALYTICS
2.5

Forecast-hub scoring that learned to handle joint, sample-based predictions.

◆ Current state

hubEvals scores model output from collaborative forecasting hubs, wrapping scoringutils and translating hubverse formats into forecast objects it can evaluate. The package has moved quickly from a thin translation layer to something that handles every output type the hubverse defines — quantile, mean, median, nominal and ordinal pmf, and samples. The most recent releases are almost entirely about the failure modes of relative skill scoring rather than about new metrics.

◆ Where it's heading

Two threads dominate. The first is coverage of output types, which reached its widest point with sample-based and compound scoring. The second, and the one occupying every recent release, is making relative skill degrade gracefully: single-model input, comparison groups with one model, and groups missing the requested baseline have each been converted from a cryptic upstream abort into a defined result. That pattern — inherited scoringutils errors being caught and given hub-specific meaning — is the clearest signal of where this package adds value.

◆ Prediction

Expect continued work smoothing scoringutils error surfaces into hub-aware behaviour, and performance attention on relative skill, which was explicitly optimised in the latest release.

Alternatives to DHARMa and hubEvals

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 DHARMa or hubEvals.

See all DHARMa alternatives → · See all hubEvals alternatives →

Recent activity from DHARMa and hubEvals

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

  1. 24d agohubEvalsScored-forecast counts and faster relative skill
  2. 1mo agohubEvalsDisaggregated relative skill no longer aborts the whole call
  3. 1mo agohubEvalsSingle-model scoring returns relative skill of 1 instead of erroring
  4. 2mo agoDHARMaConditional simulation becomes the GLMM default, changing residuals
  5. 5mo agohubEvalsSample output types and multivariate compound scoring
  6. 6mo agohubEvalsScoring on transformed scales via transform arguments
  7. 11mo agohubEvalsFirst release: score_model_out() and the scoringutils bridge
  8. 1y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.7
  9. 3y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.6
  10. 4y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.5
  11. 4y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.4
  12. 5y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.3

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DHARMa and hubEvals?

Both compete on the same themes — r-package — within Analytics. hubEvals 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 DHARMa better than hubEvals?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. hubEvals 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 DHARMa?

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

What are the best alternatives to hubEvals?

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