← Back to home
Comparison · Infra & APIs

fio vs prova

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

fio vs prova: at a glance

Featurefioprova
SectorInfra & APIsInfra & APIs
Velocity score0.06.3
Sparks · 30d01
Top themesinput-output-analysis, regional-economics, rust-backend, breaking-changesr-packages, bayesian-inference, decision-analysis, api-consolidation
Last editorial update2h ago46m ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is fio?

Input-output economics in R with a Rust core, now spanning multiple regions.

fio builds and analyses input-output models in R, using an R6 object for the model and Rust with the faer crate for the linear algebra behind technical coefficients and the Leontief inverse. Version 1.0.0 extended it from single-region tables to multi-regional models with spillover analysis, and 1.1.0 immediately corrected the naming and measures that release introduced, renaming shock-origin columns that had been labelled as destinations and replacing an interdependence index with spillover balance and export share.

Read the full fio trajectory →

What is prova?

prova adds expected-utility calculation on top of its Bayesian inference core.

prova does Bayesian nonparametric inference in R — probabilities through Pr() and qPr(), mutual information, quantile plots. Five releases in about two weeks renamed its central argument, collapsed two plotting functions into one, and then in v2.3.0 introduced exputility() for expected utilities and their revisability, with plot() and print() methods attached from the start.

Read the full prova trajectory →

fio vs prova: editorial side-by-side

F
fio
INFRA · APIS
0.0

Input-output economics in R with a Rust core, now spanning multiple regions.

◆ Current state

fio builds and analyses input-output models in R, using an R6 object for the model and Rust with the faer crate for the linear algebra behind technical coefficients and the Leontief inverse. Version 1.0.0 extended it from single-region tables to multi-regional models with spillover analysis, and 1.1.0 immediately corrected the naming and measures that release introduced, renaming shock-origin columns that had been labelled as destinations and replacing an interdependence index with spillover balance and export share.

◆ Where it's heading

The package built its foundation first and its scope second. The 0.1.x releases were almost entirely about making a Rust-backed R package install reliably across platforms and toolchain versions, with the actual economics settled at 0.1.0. Once that was stable, 1.0.0 added the multi-regional layer in one release, and 1.1.0 shows the usual consequence of a large surface arriving at once: names and derived measures needing correction before they harden. Breaking changes are being taken freely while the multi-regional interface is young.

◆ Prediction

Expect further refinement of the multi-regional measures before the interface settles, given that 1.1.0 revised them within three months of their introduction. The Rust core makes larger multi-regional systems tractable, so extending coverage to more published multi-region tables is the obvious direction, though these entries name no specific dataset.

P
prova
INFRA · APIS
6.3

prova adds expected-utility calculation on top of its Bayesian inference core.

◆ Current state

prova does Bayesian nonparametric inference in R — probabilities through Pr() and qPr(), mutual information, quantile plots. Five releases in about two weeks renamed its central argument, collapsed two plotting functions into one, and then in v2.3.0 introduced exputility() for expected utilities and their revisability, with plot() and print() methods attached from the start.

◆ Where it's heading

Two arcs run in parallel. One compresses the API: learnt= became K=, flexiplot() and plotquantiles() merged into pplot(), and omitting arguments such as Y=, X= and K= got simpler. The other extends reach — mutualinfoF() for finite-domain variates, quantile accuracy reported alongside mutual information, and now a decision-theoretic layer sitting on the inference the package already did.

◆ Prediction

exputility() shipping with print() and plot() methods matches how the probability and mutual-information classes were treated, so utilities are likely to get the same class-based handling as they mature. The notes do not say whether decision analysis extends beyond expected utility.

Alternatives to fio and prova

Other Infra & APIs 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 fio or prova.

See all fio alternatives → · See all prova alternatives →

Recent activity from fio and prova

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

  1. 13d agoprovaexputility() brings decision analysis into prova
  2. 20d agoprovaCumulative 2.x notes, plus hist() and mutual-information changes
  3. 23d agoprovalearnt= becomes K=; pplot() replaces two plot functions
  4. 27d agoprovaFix for pre-existing parallel clusters
  5. 28d agoprovaextraDistr dropped; mutual-information objects get a class
  6. 2mo agofioSpillover columns renamed to name the shock's origin
  7. 5mo agofioMulti-regional input-output models and spillover analysis
  8. 1y agofioToolchain fixes for R-devel and Windows linking
  9. 1y agofioSystem check scripts handle a missing Rust toolchain
  10. 1y agofioRust minimum version lowered to widen installability
  11. 2y agofioFirst release: Rust-backed input-output modelling in R

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between fio and prova?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. prova is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 0.0), with 1 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 fio better than prova?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. prova is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 0.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to fio?

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

What are the best alternatives to prova?

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