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ribd vs silx

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

Shared themes:data-visualization

ribd vs silx: at a glance

Featureribdsilx
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score2.55.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesstatistical-genetics, pedigree-analysis, relatedness-coefficients, r-packagesscientific-computing, data-visualization, synchrotron, qt
Last editorial update2d ago2h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is ribd?

The pedsuite's coefficient engine: broadening what it computes, then making the plots publishable.

ribd computes relatedness coefficients from pedigrees, covering kinship, inbreeding, kappa, condensed and detailed identity coefficients, and two-locus versions of several of these, in autosomal and X-chromosomal form. The IBD triangle is now drawable in base graphics, ggplot2 or plotly, with an optional inset pedigree, and custom relationships can be placed on it. The most recent release is dominated by correctness work, fixing pair ordering and row alignment in coefficient tables and edge cases for pedigree lists, unrelated individuals and self-pairs.

Read the full ribd 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 →

ribd vs silx: editorial side-by-side

R
ribd
ANALYTICS
2.5

The pedsuite's coefficient engine: broadening what it computes, then making the plots publishable.

◆ Current state

ribd computes relatedness coefficients from pedigrees, covering kinship, inbreeding, kappa, condensed and detailed identity coefficients, and two-locus versions of several of these, in autosomal and X-chromosomal form. The IBD triangle is now drawable in base graphics, ggplot2 or plotly, with an optional inset pedigree, and custom relationships can be placed on it. The most recent release is dominated by correctness work, fixing pair ordering and row alignment in coefficient tables and edge cases for pedigree lists, unrelated individuals and self-pairs.

◆ Where it's heading

The arc runs from generality to presentation to precision. Early releases replaced narrow functions with general ones, most visibly when gKinship() absorbed generalisedKinship() and identityCoefs() superseded the separate autosomal and X-chromosomal identity functions in favour of an Xchrom argument. The middle stretch turned the IBD triangle into a proper plotting surface across three graphics systems. The current phase reads as consolidation, with the newest release listing six bug fixes against four features, several of them alignment errors in output tables, which is where a coefficient library most needs to be exactly right.

◆ Prediction

The two new internal functions in the latest release, inbreedingContributions() and ancestralKinship(), are the kind of thing that surfaces publicly a release or two later, so expect them to become exported decomposition tools. The correctness push through pedigree lists and edge cases suggests the near-term focus stays on hardening rather than new coefficient families.

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 ribd 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 ribd or silx.

See all ribd alternatives → · See all silx alternatives →

Recent activity from ribd 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. 15d agoribdCustom relationships on the IBD triangle; six alignment and edge-case fixes
  4. 3mo agosilx3.0.1: silx view fails to disable HDF5 file locking
  5. 3mo agosilx3.0.0: PySide6 becomes the default Qt binding, Python 3.10 required
  6. 3mo agosilx3.0.0rc1: release candidate for the PySide6 migration
  7. 1y agosilx2.2.2: plot axes limits, OpenGL axes and libhdf5 1.14 fixes
  8. 1y agoribdkappaIBD() can skip across-component pairs on large pedigrees
  9. 2y agoribdIBD triangle plots gain ggplot2 and plotly backends, plus inset pedigrees
  10. 3y agoribdTriangle line clipping, automatic plot margins, citation info
  11. 3y agoribdTwo-locus functions overhauled; twoLocusInbreeding and ELR added
  12. 4y agoribdIdentity coefficients unified behind identityCoefs() and an Xchrom argument

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ribd and silx?

Both compete on the same themes — data-visualization — within Analytics. silx is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), 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 ribd 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 2.5), 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 ribd?

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