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Comparison of open-source software for producing directed acyclic graphs.

ABSTRACT: Many software packages have been developed to assist researchers in drawing directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), each with unique functionality and usability. We examine five of the most common software to generate DAGs: TikZ, DAGitty, ggdag, dagR, and igraph. For each package, we provide a general description of its background, analysis and visualization capabilities, and user-friendliness. Additionally in order to compare packages, we produce two DAGs in each software, the first featuring a simple confounding structure, while the second includes a more complex structure with three confounders and a mediator. We provide recommendations for when to use each software depending on the user's needs.

SUBMITTER: Pitts AJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10869111 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparison of open-source software for producing directed acyclic graphs.

Pitts Amy J AJ Fowler Charlotte R CR

Journal of causal inference 20240110 1

Many software packages have been developed to assist researchers in drawing directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), each with unique functionality and usability. We examine five of the most common software to generate DAGs: Ti<i>k</i>Z, DAGitty, ggdag, dagR, and igraph. For each package, we provide a general description of its background, analysis and visualization capabilities, and user-friendliness. Additionally in order to compare packages, we produce two DAGs in each software, the first featuring a ...[more]

PMID: 38361970

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