How to Make an R Shiny Electron App (2023, M1)

A setup guide by L. Abigail Walter
Instructions adapted from Travis Hinkelman
R Shiny Electron template created by Dirk Shumacher
Template & Instruction updated by Jinhwan Kim

For more info, see previous repository

Version Info

4.2.2
2022.12.0 Build 353
v18.12.0
v8.19.2
13.2.1(22D68)

Getting started

Environment

All of the following steps can be run exclusively in the RStudio Terminal (right to console).

Install R, Rstudio.
Install Node.js: Offical Page
Install Electron Forge using npm (npm is installed with Node.js)

In the Terminal, run sudo npm i -g @electron-forge/cli, (sudo requires password)

Check your versions of node and npm in Terminal with node -v, npm -v.
Fork this repository and clone it to your local PC

Project

Open an existing R project, create a new one, or initialize a project by cloning a git repo.

💡 I recommend open cloned .Rproj file

Make sure your directory is in R project folder (from 4.), so you're ready to turn into an app.

Run pwd on the command line to check what directory you are in. (This may .../Github/<PROJECT>)
If you're not in the right folder, change your directory using cd example/file/path with the example path replaced with the appropriate path to your project.

In your project directory, install Electron locally by running npx create-electron-app <APPNAME>.

💡 Your app cannot be titled "app".

In your <APPNAME> folder, delete folder src.
Move files (I typically use the R file pane gui) to your <APPNAME> folder, including:

get-r-mac.sh: for install local R into your project locally
add-cran-binary-pkgs.R: for install R packages into your project locally
start-shiny.R: let electron call your shiny app
Folder shiny from this templae, containing:
- shiny/app.R: THIS IS YOUR SHINY APP'S CODE
Folder src from this template, containing:
- src/failed.html
- src/helpers.js
- src/index.css
- src/index.js
- src/loading.css
- src/loading.html
- src/main.js: configure shiny electron app (like width, height)

Change your directory to your new app folder cd <APPNAME> (This may .../Github/<Project>/<APPNAME>)

R

Install R locally:
- First, check the version of R on your machine. In the R Console, run version.

💡 Your machine's installed R version and newly installed R version (in shiny electron project) MUST same

Once you save the file, run the shell script in the Rstudio terminal with sh ./get-r-mac.sh (for install R into your project locally)

If you don't have the automagic package installed, run install.packages("automagic") in the console.

Javascript

Add additional dependencies to package.json.

Replace the dependencies listed at the end of the script with the following. Take care not to paste over the final ending bracket } of the .json file.

  "repository": {
    "type": "git",
    "url": "<GITHUBURL>"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "axios": "0.27.2",
    "esm": "^3.2.25",
    "execa": "^5.1.1",
    "electron-squirrel-startup": "^1.0.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@babel/core": "^7.21.0",
    "@babel/plugin-transform-async-to-generator": "^7.20.7",
    "@babel/preset-env": "^7.20.2",
    "@babel/preset-react": "^7.18.6",
    "eslint": "^8.35.0",
    "eslint-config-airbnb": "^19.0.4",
    "eslint-plugin-import": "^2.27.5",
    "eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y": "^6.7.1",
    "eslint-plugin-react": "^7.32.2",
    "eslint-plugin-react-hooks": "^4.6.0",
    "fs-extra": "^11.1.0",
    "@electron-forge/cli": "^6.0.5",
    "@electron-forge/maker-deb": "^6.0.5",
    "@electron-forge/maker-rpm": "^6.0.5",
    "@electron-forge/maker-squirrel": "^6.0.5",
    "@electron-forge/maker-zip": "^6.0.5",
    "electron": "23.1.3"
  }

💡 I checked every dependencies manually and it's latest version based 2023.03 (except axios, axios version 1 doesn't work yet)

Shiny

Build app.R as your application's code from Example code.

Build Shiny Electron App

💡 You need to run this steps whenever you want to update Electron.

In the Rstudio terminal, run Rscript add-cran-binary-pkgs.R to get packages for R.

Note: Modules are updated frequently and as such are subject to changing version numbers. It is important to double-check that these dependencies are up-to-date by replacing their version numbers with any newer version numbers. You can accomplish this by manually searching the module names at https://www.npmjs.com/

💡 We are using "eslint-plugin-react-hooks": "^1.7.0" because using the latest v2.4.0 throws a warning.

💡 Didn't checked in 2023, but still ^1.7.0 works, so don't change it unless it requires.

Replace the "lint": "echo \"No linting configured\"" line in package.json with "lint": "eslint src --color"
Run npm install to add new dependencies you listed in package.json to the node_modules folder.
Test to see if your app works by running electron-forge start

💡 If application keep running (not start), Try restart R with CMD + Shift + 0 / Session -> Restart R in Rstudio. then retry 18.

If the app runs successfully, congratulations! Package and create the .exe on the command line with electron-forge make. Your app can be found in the /out folder.

Final. Unzip the result zip file and run <APPNAME>.app

Trouble shooting

Raise an issue, please.

c1au6i0 / shiny-electron-template-m1-2023