Using R/RStudio on the Cluster: Summary

Goal: Summarize the concepts covered across the workshop.


Summary

Looked at:

  • Where R (loaded from a module) installed packages with respect to the version of R.

  • Where an R environment built with Conda installs packages.

  • Inspecting the paths returned from .libPaths() to understand and modify where packages are installed.

  • Using R’s install.packages() command and that additional modules/libraries might need to be loaded into your environment for packages to successfully be installed.

  • Using Conda’s install to install packages.

    • Similarly, you might need to conda install additional libraries.

  • How R libraries can be shared across a user’s environments and potentially how updating a package version can impact these environments that share the library and packages.

  • How to create an R library that can be shared by users across a project.

  • How to use RStudio via OnDemand and an Interactive Desktop.

  • How to configure a session to use an R environment within a Conda environment.

  • How to take an existing R Conda Environment and update it to use as a kernel within Juypter via OnDemand.

  • The more complicated an environment, the more packages you’re trying to install, the more likely you’re of hitting dependency hell.

    • Consider having a number of smaller environments.

  • The notion of reproducibility of environments.

  • Some high-level aspects to consider when parallel programming within R on the cluster.


Use the following link to provide feedback on this training: https://forms.gle/da11o2nGjeZtE7DLA or use the QR code below. 

r_rstudio.png