renv

This guide covers managing R package dependencies in your project, similar to Python’s pip + venv.

Currently:

• Use R studio or ipynb (easier)

Key Concepts

What is renv?

renv is R’s equivalent to Python’s venv + requirements.txt. It’s the recommended way to ensure consistent package versions across your project and team.

Feature	Python	R
Environment isolation	venv	renv/ folder
Dependency lock file	requirements.txt	renv.lock
Auto-activation	Manual (source venv/bin/activate)	Automatic (.Rprofile)
Freeze/snapshot	pip freeze	renv::snapshot()
Restore	pip install -r requirements.txt	renv::restore()
Share with team	Commit requirements.txt	Commit renv.lock

Key advantage: renv.lock includes all transitive dependencies (packages your packages depend on) with exact versions. When you run renv::restore(), everyone gets the exact same package versions, eliminating “works on my machine” issues.

Why Not Just Use .Rproj?

The .Rproj file only stores project settings (workspace behavior, encoding, tabs). It does not manage package dependencies. You need renv for that.

Getting Started on Windows CMD

Step 1: First-Time Setup - Install renv

If you don’t have renv installed yet:

R

Then in the R console:

install.packages("renv")
renv::init()
renv::snapshot()
q()

Step 2: What Gets Created

Running renv::init() creates:

• .Rprofile — Activates renv automatically when you open the project
• renv.lock — Locks all package versions
• renv/ — Folder storing your project’s packages

Step 3: Regular Workflow

Install new packages:

install.packages("your_package")
library(your_package)

Update the lock file (after installing packages):

renv::snapshot()

When running scripts, packages load automatically:

Rscript your_script.R

Restore packages (on new machine or after cloning):

renv::restore()

Using Rscript Directly

If you prefer not to open an R console, use Rscript:

Rscript -e "install.packages('renv')"
Rscript -e "renv::init()"
Rscript -e "renv::snapshot()"

Git Workflow

1. Commit renv.lock to version control
2. Never commit the renv/ folder (add to .gitignore if needed)
3. When teammates pull: They run renv::restore() to get the same packages

Running Rscript in VS Code

VS Code will respect your renv setup automatically:

• When you run Rscript your_script.R from the terminal, it loads packages from renv.lock
• The .Rprofile activates renv for your project
• No special environment variables needed