qqman
The Manhattan-plot package for GWAS results, finished and dormant since 2017.
Comparison · Analytics
ggdemetra vs grex
A side-by-side editorial comparison of ggdemetra and grex — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
ggdemetra vs grex: at a glance
What is ggdemetra?
A ggplot2 layer for seasonal adjustment output, filling in one plot type at a time.
ggdemetra is a thin, focused bridge: it puts RJDemetra's seasonal adjustment results — TRAMO-SEATS and X-13 models — into ggplot2 geoms and autoplot methods. Development runs in short bursts separated by long quiet stretches, and the most recent work has been correcting SI ratio handling rather than adding surface. The API is small enough that a single function rename counts as the notable change in a release.
What is grex?
grex is a lookup table with a version number — it ships when the annotation moves.
grex converts the deprecated Ensembl gene IDs found in GTEx data into current gene symbols and identifiers, using org.Hs.eg.db as its reference. Its value is entirely in that bundled reference data, so a release either refreshes the mapping or does nothing to it. The 2025 release does nothing to it: GitHub Actions for the docs site, a check-note fix, and a smaller vignette.
ggdemetra vs grex: editorial side-by-side
ggdemetra
0.0ANALYTICS
A ggplot2 layer for seasonal adjustment output, filling in one plot type at a time.
◆ Current state
ggdemetra is a thin, focused bridge: it puts RJDemetra's seasonal adjustment results — TRAMO-SEATS and X-13 models — into ggplot2 geoms and autoplot methods. Development runs in short bursts separated by long quiet stretches, and the most recent work has been correcting SI ratio handling rather than adding surface. The API is small enough that a single function rename counts as the notable change in a release.
◆ Where it's heading
The package has been steadily completing its coverage of the seasonal adjustment output surface: component extractors and autoplot methods in 0.2.3, SI ratio plotting in 0.2.5, then two releases of corrections to make SI ratios behave under TRAMO-SEATS jSA models and when no seasonal component is exported. Alongside that, the naming is being tidied — y_forecast() became raw(), and init_ggplot() shortened the setup boilerplate. This reads as a package approaching the edge of its intended scope and spending its effort on correctness.
◆ Prediction
Two consecutive releases fixing SI ratios under TRAMO-SEATS suggest that code path is the least settled part of the package, so further corrections there are the most likely next move. The entries give no indication of new model families or plot types being planned.
grex
0.0ANALYTICS
grex is a lookup table with a version number — it ships when the annotation moves.
◆ Current state
grex converts the deprecated Ensembl gene IDs found in GTEx data into current gene symbols and identifiers, using org.Hs.eg.db as its reference. Its value is entirely in that bundled reference data, so a release either refreshes the mapping or does nothing to it. The 2025 release does nothing to it: GitHub Actions for the docs site, a check-note fix, and a smaller vignette.
◆ Where it's heading
The annotation refreshes stopped. Between 2017 and 2019 the package tracked org.Hs.eg.db through four versions and added the GTEx V7 identifier set; since then the reference has stood still while the releases turned to packaging. That gap matters more here than it would elsewhere — a stale mapping table silently returns outdated symbols rather than failing, so the package's core asset ages invisibly.
◆ Prediction
Nothing in these entries signals a planned data refresh, and the six-year pattern suggests the next release will again be infrastructure. Users needing current annotations should check which org.Hs.eg.db version is bundled rather than assume the version number reflects it.
Alternatives to ggdemetra and grex
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 ggdemetra or grex.
constants
The R package for CODATA constants rebuilt its symbol table on NIST's naming so future updates stop being hand work.
austraits
The R client for AusTraits spends its releases chasing the dataset it reads.
fossilsim
A fossil-record simulator that quietly grew a trait-evolution engine.
tern.rbmi
Reference-based multiple imputation tables, shipping only what CRAN checks demand.
tern.mmrm
An MMRM tabulation package that has published nothing since its 2024 CRAN releases.
See all ggdemetra alternatives → · See all grex alternatives →
Recent activity from ggdemetra and grex
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1y agogrexgrex 1.9.1: pkgdown on Actions, smaller vignette
- 2y agoggdemetrasiratio() fix when TRAMO-SEATS exports no seasonal component
- 2y agoggdemetraraw() replaces y_forecast(); new init_ggplot() helper
- 2y agoggdemetraRe-tagged moments later as 0.2.7
- 3y agoggdemetraSI ratio plotting functions land
- 5y agoggdemetrats2df() conversion helper and geom_outlier date fix
- 6y agoggdemetrageom_arima no longer recomputes the model
- 7y agogrexgrex 1.9 refreshes the reference to org.Hs.eg.db 3.8.2
- 8y agogrexgrex 1.8 adds GTEx V7 IDs, updates to org.Hs.eg.db 3.6.0
- 8y agogrexgrex 1.7 updates the reference to org.Hs.eg.db 3.4.2
- 8y agogrexgrex 1.6 drops Google Fonts from vignettes
- 9y agogrexgrex 1.5 adds a pkgdown site and refreshes the reference
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ggdemetra and grex?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. ggdemetra and grex are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is ggdemetra better than grex?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. ggdemetra and grex are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to ggdemetra?
Top ggdemetra alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "ggdemetra alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/ggdemetra for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to grex?
Top grex alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "grex alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/grex-r for the full list with editorial commentary on each.