Statistical & Qualitative Data Analysis Software: About R and RStudio

What is R?

R is a free, open source statistical software and programming language used for statistical data analysis, based on the older S programming language.

Why use R?

• Free and open source.
• Available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux.
• Publication-quality graphs.
• Availability of advanced statistical methods and algorithms published as user-created packages.
• Packages for literate statistical programming: weaving written narrative, analysis code, and software output in one document.

What file types are typically associated with R?

• *.r - An R script.
• *.rds - A file containing a [single] R object. Can be created using saveRDS() and loaded using readRDS().
• *.rdata - A file containing one or more R objects or workspaces. Can be created using save() and loaded using load().
• *.rnw - An R Sweave file.
• *.rmd - An R Markdown file.
• *.qmd - A Quarto markdown file.

What is RStudio?

RStudio Desktop is a free, open source IDE (integrated development environment) for R (as well as other open-source programming languages used for data science, such as Python and Julia). It is created by Posit, PBC (formerly RStudio, Inc.).

RStudio does not replace R: You must install R before you can install or use RStudio. Instead, RStudio enhances the R programming experience with helpful features such as code completion, syntax highlighting, graph and table previews, and more. RStudio's interface is organized so that the user can clearly view graphs, data tables, R code, and output all at the same time.

Why use RStudio?

• Free and open source.
• Available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux.
• Tools and features to make writing R code easier.
• Expanding support for other open source data science programming languages, including Python and Julia, alongside R.
• Integration with other software tools used for data science, such as Git for version control and Quarto for document authoring.

What file types are typically associated with RStudio?

Because RStudio is an enhanced programming environment for R, most of the files you can open/view using R can also be opened using RStudio.

• *.r - An R script.
• *.rds - A file containing a [single] R object. Can be created using saveRDS() and loaded using readRDS().
• *.rdata - A file containing one or more R objects or workspaces. Can be created using save() and loaded using load().
• *.rnw - An R Sweave file.
• *.rmd - An R Markdown file.
• *.qmd - A Quarto markdown file. If editing using RStudio, can use its visual editor for a Microsoft-Word-like editing experience of *.qmd files.
• *.rproj - An RStudio project file. Among other benefits, RStudio projects allow you to launch RStudio with the working directory automatically set to a specific file path (source). When used in conjunction with good file management practices, projects can help improve the "sharability" and reusability of your R code. (For more information on how and why to use RStudio projects, check out chapter 6 of R for Data Science, 2nd edition [available freely online].)

Option 1: Install R/RStudio Locally

R and RStudio are free and open-source, and can be installed on any Windows, Mac, or Linux computer that you have appropriate permissions to install software. To install them, download the software from their respective websites. (If you wish to install RStudio, you must install R first.)

Option 2: Use RStudio in the cloud using Posit Cloud

Alternatively, Posit Cloud (formerly RStudio Cloud) is a cloud-based option for using R and RStudio via your browser. Individuals who want to use R and RStudio as an individual can register for a free Posit Cloud account to try the service. For teams, courses, or individuals who need more projects, compute time, or storage space, subscription plans are available from Posit.

Official Documentation

Recommended Tutorials

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