Downloading R and RStudio

Congratulations! You’ve decided to improve your life by using R for your statistics, and that’s great! The first thing you should do is download R, though. If you already have both the R programming language and the RStudio IDE, then you can skip this section. Otherwise, follow the steps below to get R and RStudio.


R

The following link houses the R programming language: https://cran.cnr.berkeley.edu/

  • Click the link and the following page should appear:


  • Click the download link for whichever operating system you are using.


For Windows OS

The following page should appear:

  • Click either base or install for the first time at the top. They both lead to the same spot


The following page will appear:

  • Click Download R 3.6.1 for Windows at the top of the screen. An installation file should be downloaded. Run the executable. The same executable is used for both 32 and 64 bit operating systems.


For the most part, all of the default options in the installer will be what you want, but we will go through it.

The first screen that should pop up when running the installer will look like:

  • Click Next, anything with a Preamble isn’t worth reading.

Next:

  • This page will ask where you want to install R. You can just click Next as the default location should be fine. Change the install location if you want or need to.

Next:

  • You should either know or figure out if your operating system is 32 or 64 bit. In the drop down, you can select either 32 or 64 bit, then click Next

Next:

  • You can leave it on “No (accept defaults)” and be fine. Click Next

Next:

  • You can leave this as it is as well. You do not need any icons for R since you will hopefully never open the actual R program.

For Mac OS

The following page should appear:

  • If you are running the El Capitan OS or higher, click the link for R-3.6.0.pkg. If not, read through the Latest Release notes on this page, and find the .pkg file that corresponds to the OS version you are running. Click Open on the popup. All following instructions will be done with the El Capitan installer.


Introduction Window

The following installation window will appear:

  • Click Continue


Read Me Window

  • On the following screen, click Continue again. This page is only letting you know the components of the installation, the OS Requirements (which you should have taken care of when selecting the installer), and that if R is already installed, it will be updated to version 3.6.0 (or whichever one you are installing).


License Window

  • Again, click Continue, this page is only telling you the license you are using to download and use R with. A popup will appear telling you that to continue installing, you have to agree to the license agreement. Like any sane and responsible person, just click Agree. No one has time to read these.


Destination Select

The following window will appear:

  • You may choose whether to install for all users or onto a specific disk. It is easist to install for all users. It is up to your discretion, though. The amount of space used may differ from what is shown in the picture.

  • Click Continue


Installation Type

  • Click Install to perform a standard installation. Again, this is easiest. You may change the install location if you would like, otherwise it will be installed to /Applications/R


Summary

  • A screen telling you if the installation was successful should appear after a bit. If it was successful, click Close. A popup asking if you would like to keep the .pkg file or move it to the trash will appear. You can keep it if you want as a memento from when you started using R, but you can trash it otherwise. You have now installed R. If you would like, you can open it through the /Applications directory. But you should use RStudio instead because the base R interface is ugly.



RStudio

This link will lead you to the RStudio IDE software: https://www.rstudio.com/

The following page will open:


  • You can either click the Download RStudio button in the top-right of the screen or click the Download button at the bottom of the screen (outlined in red here). This will take you to the following page:

Click the download link under Free for specifically RStudio Desktop (outlined in red). YOU DO NOT WANT RSTUDIO SERVER.

This will take you down below on the same page. Look the for following dialogue box:

  • Click the installer for whichever OS you are using.

Windows

For Windows, click through Next and Install without a care in the world. The defaults are all fine. You can find RStudio in your Start menu, or you can search for it using WindowsKey+Q.

Mac

Open the .dmg file. A window will open wanting you to drag the RStudio file into your /Applications folder. Do so. After the file is copied over, you can open RStudio!