Getting set up

Please ensure that you have the latest versions of R and RStudio installed prior to the first session. Currently, that’s R-4.3.1 and RStudio-2023.06.2.

We also strongly recommend you install the development tools to avoid potential issues installing packages.

Installing R

Download the pre-compiled binary for your OS from https://cloud.r-project.org/ and install. More specifically:

For Windows

Click “Download R for Windows”, then “base”, then “Download R-4.3.1 for Windows”. This will download an .exe file; once downloaded, open to start the installation.

For Mac

Click “Download R for macOS”, then “R-4.3.1-arm64.pkg” (the first option) to download the installer for Macs with Apple Silicon chips or “R-4.3.1-x86_64.pkg” (the second option) to download the installer for Macs with Intel chips. Run the installer to complete installation.

For Linux

Click “Download R for Linux”. Instructions on installing are given for Debian, Fedora, Redhat, Suse and Ubuntu distributions. Where there is a choice, install both r-base and r-base-dev.

Installing R Studio Desktop (Open Source Edition)

Downloads are available from https://posit.co/download/rstudio-desktop/#download

Download the relevant installer either under the “Install RStudio” header or, scrolling down the page, from the ‘All installers and Tarballs’ section. Run the installer to complete installation.

For Windows with no admin rights

Download the .zip source archive under “Zip/Tarballs”. Extract the files to a folder where you have write access, e.g. C:\Users\username\RStudio. In this folder, open the bin directory and find the RStudio program: it is named rstudio.exe, but the file extension will typically be hidden, so look for rstudio. Right-click this executable to create a desktop shortcut. Double-click the executable or use the shortcut to open.

For all other operating systems

Download the relevant installer for your OS listed under “Installers for Supported Platforms”. Run the installer to complete installation.

Development Tools

Some additional tools may be required to compile R packages from source.

For Windows with no admin rights

Download the latest (recommended) Rtools installer, Rtools.exe, from https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/Rtools/. Run the installer keeping the default settings.

For Windows with admin rights

Download the latest Rtools installer, Rtools.exe, from https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/Rtools/. Run the installer making the following selections: keep the default settings for the installation location and components to install; check the box to add rtools to the system PATH.

For Mac

Install XCode. Either:

  1. Download and install XCode from the Mac AppStore: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xcode/id497799835?mt=12
  2. Within XCode go to Preferences : Downloads and install the Command Line Tools

Or for a smaller download size:

  1. Register as an Apple Developer (free) here: https://developer.apple.com/programs/register/
  2. Download the Command Line Tools for XCode appropriate for the version of OS X you are running from here: https://developer.apple.com/downloads/

For Linux

If you installed r-base-dev, when installing R, you should have all you need to build packages from source. Otherwise return to the instructions for installing R for your distribution and follow the instructions there to install the additional tools.