JASP
JASP is a free and open-source statistical software package designed for performing both classical and Bayesian analyses through an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI).[1] Developed and maintained by researchers at the University of Amsterdam, it supports a wide range of common statistical procedures, including t-tests, ANOVAs, regression models, and factor analysis, while emphasizing ease of use for beginners and reproducibility through integrated reporting features.[2] Named after Bayesian statistician Sir Harold Jeffreys as "Jeffreys's Amazing Statistics Program," JASP wraps around the R programming language to provide point-and-click functionality without requiring coding knowledge.[3] The software's key innovation lies in its seamless integration of Bayesian methods alongside frequentist approaches, allowing users to compare results within the same interface and fostering a shift toward probabilistic inference in empirical research.[2] JASP is compatible with 64-bit operating systems across Windows, macOS (including Apple Silicon), and Linux, ensuring broad accessibility for academic, professional, and educational users.[4] Its modular design enables extensions via additional modules for specialized analyses, such as network analysis or equivalence testing, and it exports results in formats like HTML, PDF, and Word for easy sharing.[5] Since its initial release in 2015, JASP has gained popularity in fields like psychology, social sciences, and education due to its commitment to open science principles, including transparent defaults and the ability to share analysis files (.jasp) that replicate exact results across users.[2] Ongoing development focuses on enhancing Bayesian capabilities and user feedback integration, making it a robust alternative to proprietary software like SPSS while promoting accessible statistical education.[1]History and Development
Origins and Naming
JASP was initiated in 2013 at the University of Amsterdam's Department of Psychological Methods by Eric-Jan Wagenmakers, a professor specializing in Bayesian statistics, as part of his European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project titled "Bayes or Bust! Sensible Hypothesis Tests for Social Scientists," awarded in 2011 under the Seventh Framework Programme.[6] The project aimed to advance Bayesian inference in psychological and social sciences by developing accessible tools that integrate both Bayesian and frequentist statistical methods, addressing the limitations of proprietary software like SPSS in supporting reproducible and intuitive analysis. The grant, running from 2012 to 2017, funded the integration of the BayesFactor R package into the GUI. Development involved a collaborative team of methodologists, software engineers, and students, with the initial focus on creating an open-source platform that lowers barriers to Bayesian adoption through a graphical user interface similar to familiar commercial tools.[7] The software's name, JASP, is an acronym for "Jeffreys's Amazing Statistics Program," chosen in honor of Sir Harold Jeffreys (1891–1989), a pioneering British mathematician and statistician who advanced Bayesian probability theory, particularly through his influential 1939 book Theory of Probability.[3] This naming reflects JASP's foundational emphasis on Bayesian approaches, which Jeffreys championed as a coherent framework for scientific inference, contrasting with the frequentist dominance in traditional statistical software. The acronym was formalized upon the software's public introduction, underscoring the developers' intent to make advanced Bayesian tools as approachable and "amazing" as Jeffreys's contributions to the field.[3] Early development culminated in the release of version 0.7 in September 2015, marking JASP's debut as a free, cross-platform tool for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with core features for t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analyses. Supported by the University of Amsterdam and ongoing open-source contributions via GitHub, JASP evolved from this academic initiative into a widely adopted resource for teaching and research, reported as used by over 290 universities in 67 countries as of 2023.[8]Funding and Releases
JASP's development has been primarily funded through grants from academic institutions and research councils, with the University of Amsterdam serving as the central hub since its inception. The Psychological Methods Group at the University of Amsterdam provides ongoing institutional support, ensuring long-term stability for the core development team, which includes tenured academics and dedicated software developers.[9] This commitment is bolstered by multi-million euro grants that sustain a collaborative environment involving developers, researchers, and students.[9] Historically, JASP received significant funding from the European Research Council (ERC) via the Starting Grant "Bayes or Bust!" (grant agreement No. 283876) under the Seventh Framework Programme, which supported early advancements in Bayesian statistical methods.[10] Additional past support came from the University of Amsterdam's Department of Psychology and Psychological Methods Unit, as well as contributions from the Center for Open Science and the American Psychological Society (APS) Fund for Teaching and Public Understanding of Psychological Science.[11] Later funding included the ERC Advanced Grant UNIFY (No. 743086) under Horizon 2020. Collaborations with other institutions, including Utrecht University's Department of Methods and Statistics, the University of Leuven, and the University of Bern's Department of Psychology, have provided further resources for module development and testing.[11] In recent years, funding has expanded to include private foundations and community contributions. The Competens Foundation provided targeted financial support in 2024 to rehire key developer Don van den Bergh and advance specific projects, such as the survey data analysis module (targeted for completion by the end of 2024), a Stan module for Bayesian programming, and explorations into Bayesian quality control.[12] JASP also accepts donations from users and organizations to accelerate feature additions and internships for talented students, supplementing its open-source model.[13] JASP follows a regular release cycle, with updates typically issued several times a year to introduce new analyses, improve usability, and fix bugs. Development began in 2015, with the first public beta release (0.7.5.5) on March 17, 2016, focusing on basic Bayesian tests and descriptives.[14] Major versions have since built upon this foundation, emphasizing both frequentist and Bayesian expansions while maintaining cross-platform compatibility. The following table summarizes key major releases, highlighting pivotal features that enhanced JASP's analytical capabilities:| Version | Release Date | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 0.8.0.0 | October 14, 2016 | Introduced reliability analyses, classical exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal component analysis (PCA), summary statistics module, SPSS data import, and enhanced descriptives tables.[14] |
| 0.9.3.0 | June 20, 2018 | Added data filtering, JASP data library for example datasets, LaTeX table export, and non-parametric tests including Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis.[14] |
| 0.10.2.0 | June 11, 2019 | Overhauled interface for better navigation, added multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Bayesian A/B testing, and initial power analysis tools.[14] |
| 0.14.1.0 | December 17, 2020 | Incorporated publication bias adjustments in meta-analysis, the Learn Bayes educational module, PDF output export, and frequentist partial correlations.[15][14] |
| 0.17.2.0 | April 20, 2023 | Enhanced structural equation modeling (SEM) with Bayesian options, added classical correlation matrix analysis, and improved reproducibility features like syntax export.[14] |
| 0.19.0.0 | July 15, 2024 | Introduced raincloud plots for distribution visualization, Bayesian PROCESS analysis for mediation and moderation, data type validation checks, Italian language support, and advanced data editing tools.[14] |
| 0.95.0.0 | July 28, 2025 | Focused on process improvements, including parametric survival analysis, plot builder for custom visualizations, and integration of the ESCI (Exploratory Statistics with Confidence Intervals) module.[14] |
| 0.95.4.0 | October 15, 2025 | Added auto-save and recovery functionality, Windows sandboxing for security, and the full ESCI module for effect size estimation.[4] |