Top 6 reasons you need to be using RStudio

RStudio can be an incredible tool that can assist you in completing your tasks quicker and more efficiently. Technically speaking, RStudio is a cross-platform integrated development environment (IDE) that runs R. R statistical software. If you're not a programmer kind of person, this description might not be relevant to you, so maybe thinking that you shouldn't use it. In this blog, I'll attempt to convince you that even (or particularly) non-proficient users of R should use RStudio.Want to learn or need help with R studio? Then visit Rstudio tutor.

The following are the top six reasons to use RStudio.

Have you ever been upset by wondering where the hell the text file containing your R code went? Or do you find yourself wondering where the plot you KNOW should have appeared (it was hidden behind your web browser window? Because all of the essential windows are docked together in Rstudio, these kinds of issues are avoided. The source file containing your code is in the upper left corner of the image above....those commands appear when you run them in the R interpreter on the bottom left corner. In the bottom right, you'll find plots and help files. Your graphical workspace is displayed in the upper right corner. Everything is docked into a single program window.

the graphical work environment:

Sure, type ls() in the interpreter and you'll get [1] "df" as a result. But isn't it easier to view a complete list of things on my workspace in the Rstudio window's upper right panel? Now that I've learned a little bit about df, I can see a graphical representation of an object by simply clicking on its name....nice!

text editor with all the bells and whistles:

This features everything you'd expect from a text editor, such as syntax highlighting, bracket and parenthesis matching, regular expression find/replace, and so on. It makes a significant difference to know how to utilize a good text editor.

interface that is cross-platform

When switching from Windows to Mac or vice versa, cross-platform means fewer nitpicky details to memorize. All platforms are compatible with the software.

Filenames, function names, and argument tab completion:

Okay, this is going to blow your head. RStudio will try to autocomplete for you when you press the tab key. This can help you save a lot of time and avoid mistakes. For example, instead of typing "myFile123 FromThatDayICollectedAllThisData.txt," you may simply type "myFile123" plus the tab-key, and Rstudio will complete the filename for you (assuming that file is in your working directory).

knitr and Rmarkdown are seamlessly integrated.

This is the most revolutionary aspect of the Rstudio environment in my opinion. Rstudio (in conjunction with knitr) enables you to chronicle your work in real-time. It also allows you to save figures and output in a more efficient manner. You write code in a simple markdown format rather than a regular text file. Your R code is embedded within this markdown file, so it's mixed in with your comments on it. You may turn this markdown file into an html document with a single click that includes any output from your R code (text or figures) right with your normal content.