v1.5.6

• faster prediction with single-level grouped random effects
• shape parameter of Matern covariance can be estimated (cov_function = ‘matern_estimate_shape’, ‘matern_ard_estimate_shape’)
• [R-package] make hyperparameter tuning functions more stable
• use median distance instead of mean distance to initialize range parameters of GPs
• change default initial values for range parameters of binary and categorical features for ARD covariance functions
• change response variable prediction for 't' likelihood to avoid crashes in parameter tuning: simply add the squared 'scale' parameter to the variances of the latent predictions
• make predictions with Vecchia approximations numerically more stable for non-Gaussian likelihoods