Speaker
Description
R has long been recognized for its statistical computing power, and Shiny has revolutionized how R users build interactive applications. However, deploying Shiny apps as standalone desktop software remains cumbersome - requiring a browser, a running R session, and often a server infrastructure. What if R could power true native desktop applications?
This talk introduces an architecture for building cross-platform desktop applications with R at their core. By combining Tauri - a lightweight Rust-based desktop framework - with a JSON RPC protocol over standard I/O, we can embed R as a computational engine inside native desktop apps, complete with modern UI, file system integration, and offline
capability.
Drawing on practical experience, I will present the key design patterns that make this approach viable: a long-running R server process communicating via structured messages, bundled R runtimes for zero-dependency distribution, and reproducible environments through renv. I will discuss the challenges encountered - process lifecycle management across operating systems, data serialization between R and frontend frameworks, and packaging a full R distribution for end users - and the solutions that emerged.
Looking forward, I will outline a vision for a general-purpose R package that abstracts these patterns into a developer-friendly API, enabling any R programmer to build and distribute desktop applications as easily as they build Shiny apps today. The goal: desktop::run() instead of shiny::runApp().
This talk is for R developers who have hit the limitations of browser-based apps and want to explore what native desktop development with R could look like.
If you used AI tools or services to support the preparation of this submission, please state the name and reason for using each of them.
No AI tools/services were used.
| Keywords: Please list up to 5 keywords to help us find the right session for your contribution. | desktop applications, Tauri, Shiny alternative, R packaging, cross-platform |
|---|---|
| Virtual Option | This submission is for onsite presentation primarily, but I would also like it to be considered for pre-recorded virtual presentation if I don't get an onsite slot |
| Video Recording | Video sharing is fine |
| The author(s) agree(s) to take responsibility and be accountable for the contents of the submission and is/are authorized to present it. | Confirm |