For busy-busy users
If you’re in a hurry just install these 3 things and you shall be fine.
Installing R
Before you install R on your computer, the first thing to do is to check whether R is already installed (for example by an other user). In case it is already on your computer, you can check the latest version of R at CRAN (Comprehensive R Network) and compare it to those of already installed on your computer. New releases of R are made very regularly (approximately once a month), as R is actively being improved all the time. It is worthwhile installing new versions of R regularly, to make sure that you have a recent version of R (to ensure compatibility with all the latest versions of the R packages that you have downloaded).
These instructions will focus on installing R on a Windows PC. However if you’re a Mac or Linux user and need help, just let me know.
Installing R on Windows
To install R on your Windows computer go to CRAN again and keep clicking. If you need further help, follow these steps:
- Click on “Download R 3.2.2 for Windows”.
- You may be asked if you want to save or run a file called something like “R-3.2.2-win.exe”.
- Choose “Save” and save the file on the Desktop. Then double-click on the icon for the file to run it.
- You will be asked what language to install it in - choose English.
- The R Setup Wizard will appear in a window. Click “Next” at the bottom of the R Setup wizard window.
- The next page says “Information” at the top. Click “Next” again.
- The next page says “Select Destination Location” at the top. By default, it will suggest to install R in “C:\Program Files” on your computer.
- Click “Next” at the bottom of the R Setup wizard window.
- The next page says “Select components” at the top. Click “Next” again.
- The next page says “Startup options” at the top. Click “Next” again.
- The next page says “Select start menu folder” at the top. Click “Next” again.
- The next page says “Select additional tasks” at the top. Click “Next” again.
- R should now be installed. This will take about a minute. When R has finished, you will see “Completing the R for Windows Setup Wizard” appear. Click “Finish”.
- Check if there is an “R” icon on the desktop of the computer that you are using. If so, double-click on the “R” icon to start R.
- If you cannot find an “R” icon, click on the “Start” button at the bottom left of your computer screen, and then choose “All programs”, and start R by selecting “R” from the menu of programs. The R console should pop up.
- You can close the program, you won’t really use it.
Installing RStudio (GUI) on Windows
RStudio is easy to use, it has a decent help page, it has very good support, and it incorporates R in a practical way. Of course, you’re free to work with any other GUI you like.
Installing RStudio is easy. Just follow these steps:
- Go to RStudio Download.
- Click the Download RStudio Desktop button.
- Select the installation file for your system.
- Run the installation file.
RStudio will be installed on your system. It normally detects your latest installed R version automatically. If you didn’t do anything funky, you should be able to use R from within RStudio without extra configuration.
If you need more help then this on installing R and RStudio, you can check out this video.
Get a text editor software too
A good text editor software can make you’re life a lot easier when you’ve got a bunch of code to deal with. If you don’t have a favorite yet, I would suggest you to go with Atom. But there are other good ones out there, like: SublimeText.
Some useful inks
- R-bloggers: Why Use R?
- CRAN
- Revolution Analytics
- R Cookbook
- R on Stackoverflow
- Code School
- Data Camp
- Quantide
- An Introduction to Statistical Learning with Applications in R
- The R Book, 2nd Edition
