cIRT
A choice-based IRT model published once in 2019 and kept compiling ever since
Comparison · Analytics
itp vs lazyeval
A side-by-side editorial comparison of itp and lazyeval — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
itp vs lazyeval: at a glance
What is itp?
A single-algorithm root-finder that finished its job in 2022 and has been idling since
itp implements one thing: the Interpolate, Truncate, Project root-finding algorithm of Oliveira and Takahashi, which narrows a bracketing interval each iteration and keeps bisection's worst-case guarantee while converging faster on well-behaved functions. The package reached its intended shape within about six weeks of first release, gaining a C++ entry point and the ability to take C++ function pointers. Everything after mid-2022 is compiler and CRAN upkeep.
What is lazyeval?
A package retired in 2017 just got rewritten against R's public C API.
lazyeval was the tidyverse's pre-rlang non-standard evaluation layer, formally set aside in 2017 when tidy evaluation replaced it. After eight and a half years without a release, 0.2.3 arrives as a compliance rewrite: the implementation now uses R's public C API, and the release note states it may differ from the historical one in subtle ways. Nothing about the package's role has changed.
itp vs lazyeval: editorial side-by-side
itp
0.0ANALYTICS
A single-algorithm root-finder that finished its job in 2022 and has been idling since
◆ Current state
itp implements one thing: the Interpolate, Truncate, Project root-finding algorithm of Oliveira and Takahashi, which narrows a bracketing interval each iteration and keeps bisection's worst-case guarantee while converging faster on well-behaved functions. The package reached its intended shape within about six weeks of first release, gaining a C++ entry point and the ability to take C++ function pointers. Everything after mid-2022 is compiler and CRAN upkeep.
◆ Where it's heading
The arc is short and complete. Three releases in June and July 2022 took the package from an R implementation to one that can run the whole algorithm in C++ and accept user-supplied C++ functions via Rcpp's external pointer framework. Since then the only releases have been reactions to Rcpp changes that would otherwise trip CRAN checks — 2023 and 2026, both traceable to specific upstream Rcpp issues.
◆ Prediction
There is no visible development agenda here; the entries suggest the package surfaces only when Rcpp or CRAN check policy forces a patch.
lazyeval
0.0ANALYTICS
A package retired in 2017 just got rewritten against R's public C API.
◆ Current state
lazyeval was the tidyverse's pre-rlang non-standard evaluation layer, formally set aside in 2017 when tidy evaluation replaced it. After eight and a half years without a release, 0.2.3 arrives as a compliance rewrite: the implementation now uses R's public C API, and the release note states it may differ from the historical one in subtle ways. Nothing about the package's role has changed.
◆ Where it's heading
This is a dormancy revival driven entirely from outside, R core tightening what counts as the public C API forces packages using older internals to be rewritten or be archived. lazyeval is still a dependency deep in older package trees, so keeping it installable matters more than developing it. The caveat about subtle behavioural differences is the notable part: a package nobody is developing has changed behaviour in ways its release note declines to enumerate.
◆ Prediction
Expect no further development, only additional compliance releases if R core tightens the C API again.
Alternatives to itp and lazyeval
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 itp or lazyeval.
MetaboAnalystR
The R engine behind MetaboAnalyst closes the gap from raw spectra to biological interpretation
fmtr
Rebuilding SAS's formatting layer in R, one format specification at a time
betaselectr
Standardised coefficients for models where standardising everything is wrong — but the feed only links out
SSN2
Stream-network spatial models learning to run on data that no longer fits in memory
BiocManager
Bioconductor's installer, frozen at 1.30.x and tuned almost entirely through environment variables
See all itp alternatives → · See all lazyeval alternatives →
Recent activity from itp and lazyeval
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 4mo agolazyevalReimplemented against R's public C API after eight years dormant
- 7mo agoitpRcpp Rf_error masking patch, README and help-file typo
- 2y agoitpRcpp fix clears CRAN check warnings
- 4y agoitpitp_c runs the whole algorithm in C++
- 4y agoitpAccepts C++ function pointers, adds a plot method
- 4y agoitpBracketing interval fix for locally decreasing functions
- 4y agoitpFirst release of the ITP root-finding algorithm
- 8y agolazyevalDevelopment ends as the tidyverse moves to tidy evaluation
- 10y agolazyevalFormula-based lazy evaluation system introduced
- 11y agolazyevallazyeval 0.1.10
- 11y agolazyevallazyeval 0.1.9
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between itp and lazyeval?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. itp and lazyeval 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 itp better than lazyeval?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. itp and lazyeval 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 itp?
Top itp alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "itp alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/itp for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to lazyeval?
Top lazyeval alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "lazyeval alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/lazyeval for the full list with editorial commentary on each.