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Comparison · Analytics

silx vs Whatagraph

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

silx vs Whatagraph: at a glance

FeaturesilxWhatagraph
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score5.05.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesscientific-computing, data-visualization, synchrotron, qtagency reporting, client portals, integrations, data storage
Last editorial update3h ago5d ago
WebsiteVisit →

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 →

What is Whatagraph?

Whatagraph is turning a report from a document you send into a place clients come back to.

Whatagraph has been working on the parts of agency reporting that break under volume rather than on new analysis capability. Stored data removes live API calls from render time, connection failover keeps widgets alive when one teammate's token expires, and the Basis rebuild traded live loading for stored data to fix slow widgets and mismatched spend figures. Alongside that runs a steady stream of presentation control — automatic conditional formatting, per-metric decimal places, chosen comparison colors, consolidated theme settings.

Read the full Whatagraph trajectory →

silx vs Whatagraph: editorial side-by-side

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.

W
Whatagraph
ANALYTICS
5.0

Whatagraph is turning a report from a document you send into a place clients come back to.

◆ Current state

Whatagraph has been working on the parts of agency reporting that break under volume rather than on new analysis capability. Stored data removes live API calls from render time, connection failover keeps widgets alive when one teammate's token expires, and the Basis rebuild traded live loading for stored data to fix slow widgets and mismatched spend figures. Alongside that runs a steady stream of presentation control — automatic conditional formatting, per-metric decimal places, chosen comparison colors, consolidated theme settings.

◆ Where it's heading

The through-line is reliability and reader experience at agency scale, where one account runs hundreds or thousands of sources across several people. Report shortcuts extend that from inside a single report to the relationships between reports, letting a heavy report be split into a hub and supporting detail rather than one long scroll or five unlabeled links. Integration work continues to be additive and specific — Ahrefs Rank Tracker, WhatConverts, Snowflake, bol. — chosen to fill named reporting gaps rather than to broaden a catalog.

◆ Prediction

Expect the portal framing to get more structure — navigation, landing behavior or access controls on the entry-point report — since a hub built from a link widget will run into the limits of being just another report.

Alternatives to silx and Whatagraph

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 silx or Whatagraph.

See all silx alternatives → · See all Whatagraph alternatives →

Recent activity from silx and Whatagraph

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

  1. 6h agosilxFitWidget fix for loading a fit function from file
  2. 6d agoWhatagraphTurn your report into client portal with Report shortcuts
  3. 9d agosilx3.1.0: asinh axis scaling, twilight colormaps, dark-theme icons
  4. 20d agoWhatagraphOne broken connection won't break your reports
  5. 20d agoWhatagraphClearer charts and tables, and a faster way to find the right template
  6. 26d agoWhatagraphTrack your keywords against competitors with Ahrefs Rank Tracker
  7. 1mo agoWhatagraphBasis rebuilt: faster data, cleaner numbers, per-client sources
  8. 1mo agoWhatagraphThemes settings, simplified
  9. 3mo agosilx3.0.1: silx view fails to disable HDF5 file locking
  10. 3mo agosilx3.0.0: PySide6 becomes the default Qt binding, Python 3.10 required
  11. 3mo agosilx3.0.0rc1: release candidate for the PySide6 migration
  12. 1y agosilx2.2.2: plot axes limits, OpenGL axes and libhdf5 1.14 fixes

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between silx and Whatagraph?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. silx and Whatagraph are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, 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 silx better than Whatagraph?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. silx and Whatagraph are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, 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 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.

What are the best alternatives to Whatagraph?

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