compositional.mle
An MLE package rebuilt around composable solvers, then renamed to match.
Comparison · Analytics
DHARMa vs stdmod
A side-by-side editorial comparison of DHARMa and stdmod — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:r-package
DHARMa vs stdmod: at a glance
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.
What is stdmod?
A moderation-analysis package now pointing users at its own siblings for the harder work.
stdmod computes standardized moderation effects in regression, part of a cluster of R packages from the same author covering moderation, mediation and model comparison. Its release feed is a CRAN-announcement format — several entries carry nothing but a version and a link — and its development has slowed markedly, with the substantive feature work sitting back in 2024. The most recent release is documentation rather than code.
DHARMa vs stdmod: editorial side-by-side
DHARMa
0.0ANALYTICS
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.
stdmod
2.5ANALYTICS
A moderation-analysis package now pointing users at its own siblings for the harder work.
◆ Current state
stdmod computes standardized moderation effects in regression, part of a cluster of R packages from the same author covering moderation, mediation and model comparison. Its release feed is a CRAN-announcement format — several entries carry nothing but a version and a link — and its development has slowed markedly, with the substantive feature work sitting back in 2024. The most recent release is documentation rather than code.
◆ Where it's heading
The clearest signal is the latest release redirecting users toward betaselectr and manymome for tasks stdmod also covers, on the grounds that those packages handle them more comprehensively. That is a package consciously narrowing its scope within a family rather than competing with its siblings. The earlier feature work — conditional effects at chosen moderator values, R-squared increase reporting, print formatting — reads as a stable core that has since been left alone.
◆ Prediction
Expect stdmod to stay in maintenance while the author's newer packages absorb the overlapping functionality, with future releases likely limited to CRAN compliance and documentation.
Alternatives to DHARMa and stdmod
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 stdmod.
nabla
nabla dropped its C++ engine to chase exact derivatives at any order.
snowflakeauth
Eight months from first release to keyring caching and workload identity.
kwb.geosalz
A research-project workflow package where the interesting work is in the plumbing.
cyclocomp
A cyclomatic complexity checker that ships once every couple of years, and lands when it does.
revdbayes
Extreme value sampling in pure upkeep mode, mostly answering to Rcpp and CRAN.
See all DHARMa alternatives → · See all stdmod alternatives →
Recent activity from DHARMa and stdmod
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 22d agostdmodDocs now steer users to betaselectr and manymome
- 2mo agoDHARMaConditional simulation becomes the GLMM default, changing residuals ⚡
- 7mo agostdmodv0.2.12 at CRAN
- 1y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.7
- 2y agostdmodSummary printout gains rounding and p-value formatting control
- 2y agostdmodR-squared increase reporting and chosen moderator values
- 3y agostdmodv0.2.0.0 at CRAN
- 3y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.6
- 4y agostdmodv0.1.7.4 at CRAN
- 4y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.5
- 4y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.4
- 5y agoDHARMaDHARMa 0.4.3
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between DHARMa and stdmod?
Both compete on the same themes — r-package — within Analytics. stdmod 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 stdmod?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. stdmod 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 stdmod?
Top stdmod alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "stdmod alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/stdmod for the full list with editorial commentary on each.