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Comparison · Infra & APIs

onemap vs polyRAD

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

onemap vs polyRAD: at a glance

FeatureonemappolyRAD
SectorInfra & APIsInfra & APIs
Velocity score0.00.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesgenetic-mapping, linkage-analysis, genotyping-by-sequencing, mappolypolyploid-genetics, genotype-calling, bayesian, bioinformatics
Last editorial update58m ago2h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is onemap?

A genetic-mapping mainstay that now points new users toward MAPpoly at load time

OneMap constructs genetic linkage maps for experimental crosses, and its 3.x line turned it into a hub in a wider mapping toolchain: export functions for VIEWpoly and QTLpoly, summary and interactive ordering functions adapted from MAPpoly, and retention of reference and alternative allele information from imported VCFs. The most recent release, 3.2.0 in January 2025, adds an announcement about MAPpoly to the README and the package load message, fixes a subscript-out-of-bounds warning in rf_2pts and refreshes vignettes and tests.

Read the full onemap trajectory →

What is polyRAD?

Polyploid genotype calling went quiet for three years, then returned with a bug-fix tag.

polyRAD calls genotypes from RAD sequencing data in polyploid and diploid populations using Bayesian estimation. Its capability surface has been settled since 2.0 in late 2022, which added support for ploidy that varies among individuals. The March 2026 release is a CRAN bug-fix sync after a three-and-a-half-year gap, with the substance deferred to NEWS.

Read the full polyRAD trajectory →

onemap vs polyRAD: editorial side-by-side

O
onemap
INFRA · APIS
0.0

A genetic-mapping mainstay that now points new users toward MAPpoly at load time

◆ Current state

OneMap constructs genetic linkage maps for experimental crosses, and its 3.x line turned it into a hub in a wider mapping toolchain: export functions for VIEWpoly and QTLpoly, summary and interactive ordering functions adapted from MAPpoly, and retention of reference and alternative allele information from imported VCFs. The most recent release, 3.2.0 in January 2025, adds an announcement about MAPpoly to the README and the package load message, fixes a subscript-out-of-bounds warning in rf_2pts and refreshes vignettes and tests.

◆ Where it's heading

Versions 3.0.0 and 3.1.0 were driven by a benchmarking preprint on genotyping-by-sequencing best practice, and their content follows directly: marker filtering from two-point estimates, memory reduction after filtering, and optimisation of find_bins and map_avoid_unlinked. What has happened since is signposting rather than capability — a package that spent two releases integrating with MAPpoly now tells users about it every time it loads. The pre-3.0 tags are backfilled, with versions 2.3 through 2.7 sharing a single August 2021 timestamp, so their order carries no information.

◆ Prediction

The load-message announcement suggests attention is flowing toward the MAPpoly side of the toolchain; expect maintenance and compatibility releases here rather than new mapping algorithms.

P
polyRAD
INFRA · APIS
0.0

Polyploid genotype calling went quiet for three years, then returned with a bug-fix tag.

◆ Current state

polyRAD calls genotypes from RAD sequencing data in polyploid and diploid populations using Bayesian estimation. Its capability surface has been settled since 2.0 in late 2022, which added support for ploidy that varies among individuals. The March 2026 release is a CRAN bug-fix sync after a three-and-a-half-year gap, with the substance deferred to NEWS.

◆ Where it's heading

The releases between 1.0 and 2.0 followed a consistent pattern: add export paths to other tools in the polyploid genetics stack, add simulation controls, fix what CRAN checks caught. That expansion stopped at 2.0, and 2.0.1 does not resume it. The package reads as complete and maintained rather than under development.

◆ Prediction

Continued low-frequency patch releases keeping the package on CRAN as R and its dependencies move. The release notes give no sign of a 2.1 feature line.

Alternatives to onemap and polyRAD

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 onemap or polyRAD.

See all onemap alternatives → · See all polyRAD alternatives →

Recent activity from onemap and polyRAD

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

  1. 4mo agopolyRADBug-fix sync with CRAN after a three-year gap
  2. 1y agoonemapMAPpoly announcement added to README and load message
  3. 3y agoonemapExports to VIEWpoly and QTLpoly; marker ordering and map summaries
  4. 3y agoonemapTwo-point marker filtering and memory reduction
  5. 3y agopolyRADMultiploidy support arrives and breaks saved RADdata objects
  6. 4y agopolyRADContamination and error-rate simulation controls added
  7. 4y agoonemapPSOCK and FORK parallelization choice; vcfR as an import
  8. 4y agopolyRADMapping-population simulation and DArTag import added
  9. 5y agoonemaphmm=FALSE option for ordering algorithms
  10. 5y agoonemapMDSMap dependency removed
  11. 5y agopolyRADGWASpoly export gains continuous genotypes; adegenet export added
  12. 5y agopolyRADpolyRAD v1.3

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between onemap and polyRAD?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. onemap and polyRAD 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 onemap better than polyRAD?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. onemap and polyRAD 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 Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to onemap?

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

What are the best alternatives to polyRAD?

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