tidytable
is a data frame manipulation library for users who need
data.table
speed
but prefer tidyverse
-like syntax.
Install the released version from CRAN with:
install.packages("tidytable")
Or install the development version from GitHub with:
# install.packages("pak")
pak::pak("markfairbanks/tidytable")
tidytable
replicates tidyverse
syntax but uses data.table
in the
background. In general you can simply use library(tidytable)
to
replace your existing dplyr
and tidyr
code with data.table
backed
equivalents.
A full list of implemented functions can be found here.
library(tidytable)
df <- data.table(x = 1:3, y = 4:6, z = c("a", "a", "b"))
df %>%
select(x, y, z) %>%
filter(x < 4, y > 1) %>%
arrange(x, y) %>%
mutate(double_x = x * 2,
x_plus_y = x + y)
#> # A tidytable: 3 × 5
#> x y z double_x x_plus_y
#> <int> <int> <chr> <dbl> <int>
#> 1 1 4 a 2 5
#> 2 2 5 a 4 7
#> 3 3 6 b 6 9
You can use the normal tidyverse
group_by()
/ungroup()
workflow, or
you can use .by
syntax to reduce typing. Using .by
in a function is
shorthand for df %>% group_by() %>% some_function() %>% ungroup()
.
.by = z
.by = c(y, z)
df <- data.table(x = c("a", "a", "b"), y = c("a", "a", "b"), z = 1:3)
df %>%
summarize(avg_z = mean(z),
.by = c(x, y))
#> # A tidytable: 2 × 3
#> x y avg_z
#> <chr> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 a a 1.5
#> 2 b b 3
All functions that can operate by group have a .by
argument built in.
(mutate()
, filter()
, summarize()
, etc.)
The above syntax is equivalent to:
df %>%
group_by(x, y) %>%
summarize(avg_z = mean(z)) %>%
ungroup()
#> # A tidytable: 2 × 3
#> x y avg_z
#> <chr> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 a a 1.5
#> 2 b b 3
Both options are available for users, so you can use the syntax that you prefer.
tidytable
allows you to select/drop columns just like you would in the
tidyverse by utilizing the tidyselect
package in the background.
Normal selection can be mixed with all tidyselect
helpers:
everything()
, starts_with()
, ends_with()
, any_of()
, where()
,
etc.
df <- data.table(
a = 1:3,
b1 = 4:6,
b2 = 7:9,
c = c("a", "a", "b")
)
df %>%
select(a, starts_with("b"))
#> # A tidytable: 3 × 3
#> a b1 b2
#> <int> <int> <int>
#> 1 1 4 7
#> 2 2 5 8
#> 3 3 6 9
A full overview of selection options can be found here.
.by
tidyselect
helpers also work when using .by
:
df <- data.table(x = c("a", "a", "b"), y = c("a", "a", "b"), z = 1:3)
df %>%
summarize(avg_z = mean(z),
.by = where(is.character))
#> # A tidytable: 2 × 3
#> x y avg_z
#> <chr> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 a a 1.5
#> 2 b b 3
Tidy evaluation can be used to write custom functions with tidytable
functions. The embracing shortcut {{ }}
works, or you can use
enquo()
with !!
if you prefer:
df <- data.table(x = c(1, 1, 1), y = 4:6, z = c("a", "a", "b"))
add_one <- function(data, add_col) {
data %>%
mutate(new_col = {{ add_col }} + 1)
}
df %>%
add_one(x)
#> # A tidytable: 3 × 4
#> x y z new_col
#> <dbl> <int> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 1 4 a 2
#> 2 1 5 a 2
#> 3 1 6 b 2
The .data
and .env
pronouns also work within tidytable
functions:
var <- 10
df %>%
mutate(new_col = .data$x + .env$var)
#> # A tidytable: 3 × 4
#> x y z new_col
#> <dbl> <int> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 1 4 a 11
#> 2 1 5 a 11
#> 3 1 6 b 11
A full overview of tidy evaluation can be found here.
dt()
helperThe dt()
function makes regular data.table
syntax pipeable, so you
can easily mix tidytable
syntax with data.table
syntax:
df <- data.table(x = 1:3, y = 4:6, z = c("a", "a", "b"))
df %>%
dt(, .(x, y, z)) %>%
dt(x < 4 & y > 1) %>%
dt(order(x, y)) %>%
dt(, double_x := x * 2) %>%
dt(, .(avg_x = mean(x)), by = z)
#> # A tidytable: 2 × 2
#> z avg_x
#> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 a 1.5
#> 2 b 3
For those interested in performance, speed comparisons can be found here.
tidytable
is only possible because of the great contributions to R by
the data.table
and tidyverse
teams. data.table
is used as the main
data frame engine in the background, while tidyverse
packages like
rlang
, vctrs
, and tidyselect
are heavily relied upon to give users
an experience similar to dplyr
and tidyr
.