Binary R Packages for Linux: Past, Present and Future

TL;DR

This paper reviews the history and current state of binary R packages on Linux, proposing a scalable, automated system to improve distribution and integration with package managers.

Contribution

It introduces the `cran2copr' project, a scalable RPM-based system for automated building, maintaining, and distributing binary R packages on Linux.

Findings

Demonstrates a scalable approach to binary R package distribution

Provides a portable bridge to system package managers

Showcases successful implementation of the `cran2copr' system

Abstract

Pre-compiled binary packages provide a convenient way of efficiently distributing software that has been adopted by most Linux package management systems. However, the heterogeneity of the Linux ecosystem, combined with the growing number of R extensions available, poses a scalability problem. As a result, efforts to bring binary R packages to Linux have been scattered, and lack a proper mechanism to fully integrate them with R's package manager. This work reviews past and present of binary distribution for Linux, and presents a path forward by showcasing the `cran2copr' project, an RPM-based proof-of-concept implementation of an automated scalable binary distribution system with the capability of building, maintaining and distributing thousands of packages, while providing a portable and extensible bridge to the system package manager.