Install Positron Instructions
Positron is Posit’s data-science IDE. It has R and Python support built in, an intuitive layout (console, environment, plots, viewer), and works seamlessly with Quarto documents. Positron is the recommended IDE for this course.
Step 1: Install R
Positron uses R that’s installed on your machine, so install R first.
- Go to https://cran.rstudio.com/.
- At the top of the page, select the download for your operating system:
- macOS — click the latest
R-x.y.z.pkginstaller. Download and run it. - Windows — click base, then Download R for Windows. Download and run the installer.
- macOS — click the latest
Step 2: Install Positron
- Go to https://positron.posit.co/ and click the download for your operating system.
- Download and run the installer.
When you open Positron, it should detect your R installation automatically. If it doesn’t, open Preferences → search for “R” → set the interpreter path.
Step 3: Try it
- File → New File → R File. Type
plot(1:10)and press Cmd/Ctrl + Enter. A plot should appear in the Plots pane on the right. - File → New File → Quarto Document. Use the Render button (top toolbar) to produce an HTML file.
Notes
- Positron handles Quarto rendering without extra setup. You don’t need to install the Quarto CLI separately.
- If you encounter any issues, check that Positron detected your R installation correctly: Preferences → search for “R” → verify the interpreter path.