# QIIME 2 2018.11 release is now live!
**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879
**Category:** Announcements
**Tags:** release
**Created:** [November 9, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879 "2018-11-09T16:44:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@q2d2](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/q2d2)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879/1 "2018-11-09T16:44:21Z")
The QIIME 2 2018.11 release is now live! There are lots of exciting new changes packed into this release that are described below.
Our next planned QIIME 2 release is scheduled for late January 2019 (QIIME 2 2019.1), but please stay tuned. As well, we plan on transitioning to quarterly releases in 2019. Right now, those proposed releases look like:
- QIIME 2 2019.1
- QIIME 2 2019.4
- QIIME 2 2019.7
- QIIME 2 2019.10
Check out the [QIIME 2 2018.11 docs](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/) for details on installing the latest QIIME 2 release, as well as tutorials and other resources. Get in touch on the QIIME 2 forum 2 if you run into any issues!
Virtual machine builds will be available sometime next week.
Hereβs the highlights of the release:
- [QIIME 2 Framework](https://github.com/qiime2/qiime2)
- A [pre-print announcing :qiime2:](http://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.27295v1) has been published! If you use :qiime2: in your research, please cite this pre-print until a peer-reviewed article is accepted for publication (the provenance citation for the framework has been updated, so if you use this version of QIIME 2 you will automatically have the preprint citation embedded in provenance!). Stay tuned for more details! π₯³
- Artifacts now have checksums stored in the archive β this will help preserve data integrity of QIIME 2 artifacts from now 'til the end of days. π For example, here is what happens when someone tampers with a Visualization (in this example, `foo.qzv`):
- Type-mismatch errors have been improved by @ChrisKeefe:
- [QIIME 2 Library](https://library.qiime2.org)
- An [all new site](https://library.qiime2.org) for sharing and learning about QIIME 2 Plugins. We [have many exciting plans](https://library.qiime2.org/about/) for this site, so please stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the [announcement](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-library/6327) for more details.
- Several new plugins have been developed in the last few months. Rather than announce them here, we encourage you to check out the [Library](https://library.qiime2.org) to learn all about them!
- [q2cwl](https://github.com/qiime2/q2cwl)
- An all-new prototype interface for automatically generating CWL tools from QIIME 2 actions. This interface is not currently distributed as part of the "Core Distribution" for now, but please check out the [README](https://github.com/qiime2/q2cwl) for more info!
- [docs](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11)
- New [overview tutorial for advanced users](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/tutorials/qiime2-for-experienced-microbiome-researchers)! and the emoji-allergic. By @cduvallet and @Mehrbod_Estaki ! π π¦ π‘ π€§
- The [importing tutorial](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/tutorials/importing/) has been given a new lease on life! Thank you @cduvallet for reorganizing, improving, and updating this tutorial!
- More details on `first-differences` and `first-distances` have been added to the [q2-longitudinal tutorial](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/tutorials/longitudinal/).
- [dev-docs](https://dev.qiime2.org)
- Newly released developer documentation is available at [https://dev.qiime2.org](https://dev.qiime2.org). We still have a lot of work to do on API docs, but this is a good first step!
- [q2cli](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/interfaces/q2cli/)
- `qiime tools validate` can now validate QZV files! Hurrah! π
- [q2-feature-table](https://github.com/qiime2/q2-feature-table)
- @ChrisKeefe - Added sequence lengths and descriptive stats including a seven-number summary to `feature-table tabulate-seqs` π
- The latest version of `biom` is now used (2.1.7).
- @sdbrown added subsampling with replacement capability to `feature-table rarefy`. π₯³
- [q2-phylogeny](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/phylogeny/)
- [IQ-TREE](http://www.iqtree.org/) associated enhancements. By @SoilRotifer! πΊπ¦ :
- `--p-fast`: This resembles the fast search of [FastTree](http://www.microbesonline.org/fasttree/). Available only in `iqtree`.
- Added access to [single branch test](http://www.iqtree.org/doc/Command-Reference#single-branch-tests) methods: [SH-aLRT](https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syq010) via `--p-alrt`, [aBayes](https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syr041) via `--p-abayes`, and [local bootstrap test](https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02498640) via `--p-lbp`. These methods can be used as an alternative or in conjunction with bootstrapping approaches. Available in both `iqtree` and `iqtree-ulfrafast-bootstrap`, and all can be used simultaneously.
- `--p-n-runs`: This allows multiple independent phylogenetic inferences to take place. The single best tree from these runs will be retained. Available in both `iqtree` and `iqtree-ulfrafast-bootstrap`.
- `--p-bnni`: This option reduces the risk of overestimating branch supports via ultrafast bootstrap due to severe model violations. Available only through `iqtree-ultrafast-bootstrap`.
- [q2-feature-classifier](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/feature-classifier/)
- `extract-reads`: Added `min_length` and `max_length` parameters to support filtering simulated amplicons based on size.
- `classify-consensus-vsearch` can now allow `maxaccepts=0` as a parameter setting; this will cause VSEARCH to accept all database hits for performing consensus taxonomy assignment.
- The `classify-consensus-vsearch` and `classify-consensus-blast` method and parameter descriptions have been updated to clarify how these operate, especially regarding the [misleading behavior of BLASTn](https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/bty833) max\_target\_seqs (maxaccepts).
- [q2-sample-classifier](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/sample-classifier/)
- `split-table`: fixed a [bug](https://github.com/qiime2/q2-sample-classifier/issues/134) to support unstratified feature table splitting.
- `metatable`: added a new method for converting a metadata file into a feature table, and optionally merging it with an existing feature table.
- `q2-sample-classifier` is now published! [read all about it](https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.00934). π°
- [q2-longitudinal](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/longitudinal/)
- `linear-mixed-effects` can now accept R-style formulae for specifying fixed effects/interactions. This action can still accept fixed effects as a comma-separated list for the formula-adverse.
- `pairwise-distances`: fixed a bug whereby metadata categories present in the `metric` sample metadata column but not represented by the samples in the distance matrix would be displayed as an empty column in the output boxplots.
- [q2-emperor](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/emperor/)
- Adds an option to ignore missing samples (`--p-ignore-missing-samples`) when samples are not included in the metadata file but are present in the coordinates file. Thanks to @mortonjt.
- Fixes a bug where the `Red-Yellow-Blue` colormap showed as a grayscale.
- Fixes a compatibility problem with newer versions of the Jupyter notebook environment.
- [q2-diversity](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/diversity/)
- `beta-phylogenetic-alt` has been removed and is superseded by `beta-phylogenetic`, which now uses striped UniFrac (this is a faster implementation of vanilla UniFrac). π
- Canberra-Adkins has joined the family of available beta diversity metrics. This is a normalized variant of the Canberra metric.
- [q2-fragment-insertion](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/fragment-insertion/)
- This plugin is now a part of the core :qiime2: distribution! π
- Check out [this tutorial](https://github.com/qiime2/q2-fragment-insertion/blob/master/README.md) for examples on how to use this plugin!
- [q2-gneiss](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/gneiss/)
- `ilr-phylogenetic` can once again accept `FeatureTable[Composition]` artifacts.
- [q2-types](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/types/)
- Manifest format validation has been updated and improved! π
- Validation now provides detailed error messages about what went wrong and why when QIIME 2 runs into problems importing.
- Whitespace is now stripped from fields, which has caused many problems in the past for users trying to get their data loaded up.
- This format now verifies that the files referenced _actually exist_ at the locations indicated in the manifest, _prior to importing_ --- reducing the number of painful import errors! π
- [q2-demux](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.11/plugins/available/demux/)
- `subsample-single` and `subsample-paired` methods have been added to this plugin (thanks @gregcaporaso!), which allow for subsampling `SampleData[SequencesWithQuality]` and `SampleData[PairedEndSequencesWithQuality]` into smaller datasets --- useful for preparing tutorial data, or for asking for help here on the Forum.
Happy QIIME-ing! π
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### Author:  [@thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/thermokarst)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879/2 "2018-11-09T16:45:26Z")
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### Author:  [@q2d2](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/q2d2)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879/3 "2018-11-09T16:52:30Z")
Just as a reminder, the virtual machines (Virtualbox, Docker, and AWS) are not available today, but we plan on releasing these some time next week. Please watch this thread for an update. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@Nicholas\_Bokulich](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/Nicholas_Bokulich)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879/4 "2018-11-12T14:00:18Z")
2 off-topic replies have been merged into an existing topic: [Running Qiime2 using Docker](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/running-qiime2-using-docker/6901/2)
Please keep replies on-topic in the future.
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### Author:  [@q2d2](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/q2d2)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/qiime-2-2018-11-release-is-now-live/6879/5 "2018-11-16T14:45:25Z")
Hey hey, good news --- VMs for QIIME 2 2018.11 are now available! πΎ π