Py-Tetrad and RPy-Tetrad: A New Python Interface with R Support for Tetrad Causal Search
This work provides a practical solution for researchers in causal inference who need to use Tetrad from Python or R, but it is incremental as it focuses on interface development rather than new algorithms.
The authors tackled the problem of accessing the Java-based Tetrad causal modeling library from Python and R, which had inadequate existing methods, by developing new interfaces using JPype and Reticulate, resulting in straightforward and intuitive access with provided tools and examples.
We give novel Python and R interfaces for the (Java) Tetrad project for causal modeling, search, and estimation. The Tetrad project is a mainstay in the literature, having been under consistent development for over 30 years. Some of its algorithms are now classics, like PC and FCI; others are recent developments. It is increasingly the case, however, that researchers need to access the underlying Java code from Python or R. Existing methods for doing this are inadequate. We provide new, up-to-date methods using the JPype Python-Java interface and the Reticulate Python-R interface, directly solving these issues. With the addition of some simple tools and the provision of working examples for both Python and R, using JPype and Reticulate to interface Python and R with Tetrad is straightforward and intuitive.