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parglm vs silx

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

parglm vs silx: at a glance

Featureparglmsilx
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score0.05.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesr, glm, parallel computing, c++scientific-computing, data-visualization, synchrotron, qt
Last editorial update2d ago2h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is parglm?

Under a new maintainer, parglm traded raw speed work for glm parity and memory safety

parglm fits generalized linear models using parallel QR decomposition, targeting datasets where glm() is too slow. Tom Palmer took over maintenance at 0.1.8 in April 2026, and the package has released five times since — a burst of activity after a long quiet period. 0.2.0 in July 2026 is the first release to focus on correctness rather than throughput.

Read the full parglm 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 →

parglm vs silx: editorial side-by-side

P
parglm
ANALYTICS
0.0

Under a new maintainer, parglm traded raw speed work for glm parity and memory safety

◆ Current state

parglm fits generalized linear models using parallel QR decomposition, targeting datasets where glm() is too slow. Tom Palmer took over maintenance at 0.1.8 in April 2026, and the package has released five times since — a burst of activity after a long quiet period. 0.2.0 in July 2026 is the first release to focus on correctness rather than throughput.

◆ Where it's heading

The arc runs from performance to trustworthiness. 0.1.9 was a large optimization release — deque-based task queues, fused memory passes, upper-triangle-only Fisher information, thread_local IDs — plus ecosystem integration with sandwich and gtsummary. 0.2.0 then fixed an out-of-bounds write triggered by small block_size values and a path where a non-finite working response could poison the QR decomposition, and brought response-type handling in line with glm().

◆ Prediction

With the memory-safety issues addressed and glm parity closed for binomial responses, further work is likely to extend family coverage or the benchmark suite rather than revisit the threading model. The C++17 requirement set at 0.1.8 gives room for more aggressive optimization if the maintainer returns to that.

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 parglm 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 parglm or silx.

See all parglm alternatives → · See all silx alternatives →

Recent activity from parglm 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. 1mo agoparglmglm-compatible response types plus out-of-bounds and QR safety fixes
  4. 2mo agoparglmBuild fixes for macOS SDK and thread pool includes
  5. 3mo agoparglmAdd missing <thread> include for older Apple SDKs
  6. 3mo agoparglmThreading overhaul, quasi families, and sandwich/gtsummary compatibility
  7. 3mo agosilx3.0.1: silx view fails to disable HDF5 file locking
  8. 3mo agosilx3.0.0: PySide6 becomes the default Qt binding, Python 3.10 required
  9. 3mo agosilx3.0.0rc1: release candidate for the PySide6 migration
  10. 3mo agoparglmNew maintainer takes over; C++17 now required
  11. 1y agosilx2.2.2: plot axes limits, OpenGL axes and libhdf5 1.14 fixes

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between parglm 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 parglm 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 parglm?

Top parglm alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "parglm alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/parglm 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.