Part 7 · How do you learn R from zero?
Module 13 · How do you install R and RStudio?
Two free programs, fifteen minutes
- Install R and RStudio with confidence.
- Tell the difference between the two and why you need both.
- Open the console and know where to type.
R is the calculator that runs CNA. RStudio is the comfortable room you run it in. You install both once, they cost nothing, and nobody will quiz you on how they work under the hood.
Install R, the engine
Go to the official R project download page, cran.r-project.org, and download the version for your operating system. Run the installer and accept the defaults, which are sensible.
Install RStudio, the workspace
Then get RStudio Desktop from posit.co. It's the friendly window where you'll type everything. Install R first, because RStudio goes looking for it and gets sad if it isn't there.
Open RStudio
The big panel on the left is the Console. That's where you type commands and press Enter. That's it. You're ready.
R is the car engine. RStudio is the dashboard, the steering wheel, and the comfy seat. You could drive with just an engine bolted to a metal frame, but nobody actually wants to. Install both.
Before moving on, get set up.
- Did R install before RStudio? Does RStudio find it?
- Can you find the console panel where commands go?