devindocker

The goal of {devindocker}, as “Development In Docker”, is to help launch your R project inside a Docker container with Rstudio server.

  • You can develop with the same architecture as your clients
  • You can test your project / package on a specific architecture
  • You can combine this with {renv} to keep packages versions installed inside your directory (and thus available next time you start the container)
  • All changes in settings of your Rstudio Server will be kept for next start (last project opened, editor theme, …)

Installation

You can install the development version from GitHub with:

# install.packages("remotes")
remotes::install_github("ThinkR-open/devindocker")
# Or with vignettes included
remotes::install_github("ThinkR-open/devindocker", build_vignettes = TRUE)

Usage

Let us create a random directory with a file inside.

# Temporary project
tempdir <- tempdir()
path <- file.path(tempdir, "myproject")
dir.create(path)
# Add a file inside
cat("# my R file", file = file.path(path, "my-file.R"))

Work in a Docker environment

Launch a Docker container with your directory inside. This should be a container with Rstudio server inside.
Note that you start outside your project, which means you will have to start a new RStudio project if this is your way of working.
Note that packages you install will not be kept after you stop the container, but RStudio preferences will.

library(devindocker)
# Which path to your working directory / project
path <- file.path(tempdir, "myproject")

# Which container (with Rstudio inside) ? ----
# https://hub.docker.com/r/rocker/verse
container <- "rocker/geospatial:4.0.1"

# Which port ? ----
# _Useful if multiple Rstudio Server to launch
port <- 8788

# Start Docker project ----
launch_proj_docker(
  path = path,
  container = container,
  port = port)

When you’re done, do not forget to stop properly the Rstudio Server: Click on Top right button to quit or q() in the console.

Then, end the container.

# Stop Docker properly
stop_proj_docker(path = path)

Use {renv} inside Docker and keep installation of packages

Note that you need to launch your project with {devindocker} from outside this project. Never ever open it again locally (outside a Docker container) if you want to avoid problems with bad and not compatible local {renv} setup. It is recommended to create a project dedicated to launch {devindocker} projects.

Launch a Docker container with your directory inside. This should be a container with RStudio Server inside.
Note that you start outside your project, which means you will have to start a new RStudio project if this is your way of working.
Note that packages you install will be kept after you stop the container, as well as RStudio preferences.

Follow instructions in the "renv_instructions.Rmd" file that is created inside your project.

# Which path to your working directory / project
path <- file.path(tempdir, "myproject")

# Which container (with Rstudio inside) ? ----
# https://hub.docker.com/r/rocker/verse
container <- "rocker/geospatial:4.0.1"

# Which port ? ----
# _Useful if multiple Rstudio Server to launch
port <- 8788

# My renv cache directory on my local computer
# Used as persistent drive for all you Docker container with {devindocker}
renv_cache <- "~/renv_cache"

# Start Docker project ----
devindocker::launch_proj_docker(
  path = path,
  container = container,
  port = port,
  renv_cache = renv_cache,
  renv_inst = TRUE, # Add an Rmd with instructions inside your project
  update_docker = TRUE
)

When you’re done, do not forget to stop properly the Rstudio Server: Click on Top right button to quit or q() in the console.

Then, end the container.

# Stop Docker properly
stop_proj_docker(path = path)

Connect a container to a Docker network

You can connect your container to a Docker network using parameter network_name.
See vignette for an example wih mysql here.

Install Docker on your OS

Here is the list of resources written by Docker to install Docker on your computer depending on your OS:

Code of Conduct

Please note that the devindocker project is released with a Contributor Code of Conduct. By contributing to this project, you agree to abide by its terms.