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rgbif

ANALYTICS
Velocity0.0

Interface to the GBIF biodiversity occurrence database for R

github.com/ropensci/rgbif ↗

rgbif is steadily pushing users off paged searching and onto real downloads.

gbifbiodiversity-databulk-downloadssql-queriesapi-migration
◆Current state
rgbif ships several times a year and the recent releases cluster around downloads. 3.8.1 added `occ_download_sql()` for SQL-based occurrence downloads; 3.8.2 added DOI-to-download-key resolution and institutionKey downloads; 3.8.3 relayed GBIF's new throttling of bulk paging through `occ_search()` with a message pointing users at `occ_download()`; 3.8.5 added a family of `occ_download_stats_*()` functions plus multiple-taxonomy and verbatim-extension downloads. Alongside that, `name_backbone()` moved to GBIF API v2, and 3.8.0 soft-deprecated `occ_data()`.
◆Where it's heading
Two things are happening at once. GBIF is discouraging bulk retrieval through the search API, and rgbif is building out the download path fast enough to absorb the traffic — SQL queries, DOI round-tripping, format description, and now statistics about the downloads themselves. Metadata coverage has expanded in parallel, with a dozen `dataset_*()` functions in 3.7.9 and GRSciColl institution search in 3.8.3. The deprecations are consistent: `occ_data()`, `occ_facet()`, `occ_count(type=)` all retired in favour of narrower replacements.
◆Prediction
The download surface is where the next additions will land — likely more SQL-download tooling and further statistics endpoints, following 3.8.1 and 3.8.5.

◆Recent moves

  1. 4mo ago

    rgbif 3.8.5 adds occurrence download statistics functions

    Adds six `occ_download_stats_*()` functions for download statistics by country, dataset and source, plus multiple-taxonomy and verbatim-extension downloads. It extends the download path from retrieval into reporting on retrieval.

    View source ↗
  2. 8mo ago

    rgbif 3.8.4 moves name matching to GBIF API v2

    Moves `name_backbone()` and `name_backbone_checklist()` onto GBIF API v2 for matching and adds checklistKey search. An upstream API migration in the package's most-used name-matching path.

    View source ↗
  3. 11mo ago

    rgbif 3.8.3 adds GRSciColl search, relays GBIF paging throttle

    Adds GRSciColl institution and collection search, fixes an HTTP/2 framing error, and surfaces GBIF's new five-second throttle for users paging bulk data through `occ_search()`. That throttle is the clearest signal yet that downloads, not searches, are the sanctioned bulk path.

    View source ↗
  4. 1y ago

    rgbif 3.8.2 resolves download DOIs to keys

    Adds `occ_download_doi()` to turn a download DOI back into a key and supports institutionKey downloads. Small but useful for reproducing a cited dataset rather than re-querying for it.

    View source ↗
  5. 1y ago

    rgbif 3.8.1 adds SQL-based occurrence downloads

    ⚡ SPARK

    `occ_download_sql()` lets users express occurrence downloads as SQL queries rather than assembling predicates. It is the capability the rest of the download work in this window builds around.

    View source ↗
  6. 2y ago

    rgbif 3.8.0 soft-deprecates occ_data(), adds download describe

    Fills in missing `occ_search()` terms, adds `occ_download_describe()`, and soft-deprecates `occ_data()` with no further features planned. The deprecation is the notable part — it narrows the supported ways to pull occurrences.

    View source ↗