Prophet is an open-source software library developed by Facebook that helps in time series forecasting. It is built on top of Stan, a probabilistic programming language used for Bayesian inference. Prophet provides a simple and intuitive interface for creating accurate time series forecasts, even for those without a strong background in statistics or time series analysis.
Key Highlights
- Prophet is capable of handling missing values and outliers in the data.
- It allows users to incorporate external factors such as holidays and events that may impact the time series.
- Prophet also provides uncertainty intervals for the forecasts, giving users an idea of the range of possible outcomes.
References
Applying Prophet to Business
Prophet can be used to forecast various business metrics such as sales, website traffic, and customer demand. By analyzing historical data, Prophet can create accurate forecasts that help businesses make informed decisions. For example, a retail business can use Prophet to predict future sales and adjust inventory levels accordingly. Similarly, a hotel can use Prophet to forecast occupancy rates and adjust pricing accordingly. The ability to incorporate external factors such as holidays and events can help businesses better understand and prepare for fluctuations in demand. Overall, Prophet is a powerful tool that can help businesses make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the competition.