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eiaapi vs silx

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

eiaapi vs silx: at a glance

Featureeiaapisilx
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score0.05.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesenergy-data, api-client, eia, time-seriesscientific-computing, data-visualization, synchrotron, qt
Last editorial update1d ago2h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is eiaapi?

A thin EIA energy-data client whose whole story is making bulk queries survive the API's limits.

eiaapi wraps the US Energy Information Administration API: eia_get() issues a single query, and eia_backfill() decomposes a large date range into chunks the API will actually serve. Three releases across two years cover the package's entire history, and the second and third both exist because of eia_backfill().

Read the full eiaapi trajectory →

What is silx?

silx settles into maintenance a release after its PySide6 migration

silx is in the quiet phase after a generational release. 3.1.1 is a single fix to FitWidget loading a fit function from file. The release before it, 3.1.0, was the first real feature work since the migration - asinh axis scaling, twilight colormaps, and dark-theme icons - and 3.0.1 was similarly small. The 3.0.0 cut that reset the Qt binding and Python floor still defines what the line is doing.

Read the full silx trajectory →

eiaapi vs silx: editorial side-by-side

E
eiaapi
ANALYTICS
0.0

A thin EIA energy-data client whose whole story is making bulk queries survive the API's limits.

◆ Current state

eiaapi wraps the US Energy Information Administration API: eia_get() issues a single query, and eia_backfill() decomposes a large date range into chunks the API will actually serve. Three releases across two years cover the package's entire history, and the second and third both exist because of eia_backfill().

◆ Where it's heading

The package's development is a single problem being worked: pulling more data than one request allows. Version 0.1.2 introduced eia_backfill() for exactly that, and 0.2.0 fixed it for non-hourly frequencies by adding the frequency and data arguments so it matches eia_get()'s interface and by reworking Date handling. That convergence of the two functions' signatures is the visible design direction — one query idiom regardless of range size.

◆ Prediction

With the two functions now taking aligned arguments, further work most plausibly extends coverage to more EIA endpoints or response shapes. The entries name no specific target.

S
silx
ANALYTICS
5.0

silx settles into maintenance a release after its PySide6 migration

◆ Current state

silx is in the quiet phase after a generational release. 3.1.1 is a single fix to FitWidget loading a fit function from file. The release before it, 3.1.0, was the first real feature work since the migration - asinh axis scaling, twilight colormaps, and dark-theme icons - and 3.0.1 was similarly small. The 3.0.0 cut that reset the Qt binding and Python floor still defines what the line is doing.

◆ Where it's heading

The cadence has slowed markedly since April, and the content has shifted from structural change to plotting and colormap refinement. That is the expected shape after a binding migration: downstream beamline code needs a stable target, so the project trades feature velocity for a quiet surface. The gap between 3.0.1 in May and 3.1.0 in August is the clearest signal of the deliberate slowdown.

◆ Prediction

Expect further point releases servicing the plotting and fitting widgets rather than another structural change, with feature work continuing to arrive in the 3.1.x minors rather than patches.

Alternatives to eiaapi and silx

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 eiaapi or silx.

See all eiaapi alternatives → · See all silx alternatives →

Recent activity from eiaapi and silx

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

  1. 5h agosilxFitWidget fix for loading a fit function from file
  2. 9d agosilx3.1.0: asinh axis scaling, twilight colormaps, dark-theme icons
  3. 3mo agosilx3.0.1: silx view fails to disable HDF5 file locking
  4. 3mo agosilx3.0.0: PySide6 becomes the default Qt binding, Python 3.10 required
  5. 3mo agosilx3.0.0rc1: release candidate for the PySide6 migration
  6. 1y agoeiaapieia_backfill() works for non-hourly frequencies
  7. 1y agosilx2.2.2: plot axes limits, OpenGL axes and libhdf5 1.14 fixes
  8. 3y agoeiaapieia_backfill() added for large data queries
  9. 3y agoeiaapiInitial release with eia_get() API query function

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between eiaapi and silx?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. silx is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 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 eiaapi better than silx?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. silx is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 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 eiaapi?

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

What are the best alternatives to silx?

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