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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Run Multiple R Versions Side-by-Side (and Switch Without Breaking Anything)</title>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="Description" content="Install and switch between multiple R versions on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Keep old projects working while using the latest R for new work.">
<meta name="Keywords" content="multiple R versions, R version manager, switch R versions, rig, installr, R side by side, R upgrade">
<meta name="Distribution" content="Global">
<meta name="Author" content="Selva Prabhakaran">
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<h1>Run Multiple R Versions Side-by-Side (and Switch Without Breaking Anything)</h1>
<p class="lead">You can install multiple R versions on the same computer and switch between them. This lets you use the latest R for new projects while keeping an older version for existing work that depends on it.</p>
<p>A new R version comes out every April. You want the new features, but updating might break packages your current project relies on. The solution: install both versions and switch as needed.</p>
<h2>Why You'd Need Multiple R Versions</h2>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("Common scenarios:\n\n")
cat("1. UPGRADE SAFETY\n")
cat(" New R version released, but your thesis depends on R 4.3\n")
cat(" → Keep 4.3 for the thesis, install 4.4 for new work\n\n")
cat("2. PACKAGE COMPATIBILITY\n")
cat(" A critical package hasn't been updated for the latest R\n")
cat(" → Run that package on the old R, everything else on new\n\n")
cat("3. REPRODUCIBILITY\n")
cat(" Reviewer asks you to verify results with the exact R version\n")
cat(" → Install that specific version and re-run\n\n")
cat("4. TEAM ALIGNMENT\n")
cat(" Your team uses R 4.3, you have R 4.4\n")
cat(" → Match their version to avoid 'works on my machine' bugs\n")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>How R Versions Coexist</h2>
<p>On all operating systems, each R version installs to its own directory. They don't overwrite each other:</p>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== Installation paths ===\n\n")
cat("Windows:\n")
cat(" C:/Program Files/R/R-4.3.3/\n")
cat(" C:/Program Files/R/R-4.4.2/\n\n")
cat("Mac:\n")
cat(" /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-arm64/\n")
cat(" /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.4-arm64/\n\n")
cat("Linux (Ubuntu, with rig):\n")
cat(" /opt/R/4.3.3/\n")
cat(" /opt/R/4.4.2/\n\n")
cat("Each version has its own:\n")
cat(" - R executable\n")
cat(" - Package library\n")
cat(" - Configuration files\n")</div>
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Method 1: rig — The Best Tool (All Platforms)</h2>
<p><strong>rig</strong> (R Installation Manager) is the modern way to manage R versions. It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux:</p>
<div class="sourceCode"><pre class="sourceCode"><code># Install rig (one-time setup)
# Windows (PowerShell as admin):
# winget install posit.rig
# Mac (Homebrew):
# brew tap r-lib/rig
# brew install --cask rig
# Ubuntu/Debian:
# curl -Ls https://github.com/r-lib/rig/releases/download/latest/rig-linux-latest.tar.gz |
# sudo tar xz -C /usr/local
# After installing rig:
rig list # Show installed R versions
rig add 4.3 # Install R 4.3.x
rig add 4.4 # Install R 4.4.x
rig default 4.4 # Set default version
rig resolve 4.3 # Find exact version number</code></pre></div>
<h4>Switching versions with rig</h4>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== rig commands ===\n\n")
cat("rig list\n")
cat(" Shows all installed R versions\n")
cat(" * marks the default\n\n")
cat("rig default 4.3\n")
cat(" Sets R 4.3 as the default for new terminals\n\n")
cat("rig rstudio 4.3\n")
cat(" Opens RStudio using R 4.3 (instead of default)\n")
cat(" This is the killer feature — project-specific R versions!\n\n")
cat("rig add release\n")
cat(" Installs the latest stable R release\n\n")
cat("rig add devel\n")
cat(" Installs the development version of R\n")</div>
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Method 2: Windows — Side-by-Side Installation</h2>
<p>On Windows, you can install multiple R versions without any special tools:</p>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== Windows: Manual side-by-side ===\n\n")
cat("Step 1: Install R 4.3.3\n")
cat(" Download from CRAN, install to default path\n")
cat(" → C:/Program Files/R/R-4.3.3/\n\n")
cat("Step 2: Install R 4.4.2\n")
cat(" Download from CRAN, install to default path\n")
cat(" → C:/Program Files/R/R-4.4.2/\n")
cat(" Both versions now exist in C:/Program Files/R/\n\n")
cat("Step 3: Switch in RStudio\n")
cat(" Tools → Global Options → General → R version → Change\n")
cat(" Select the version you want → Restart RStudio\n\n")
cat("The installr package can automate upgrades:\n")
cat(" install.packages('installr')\n")
cat(" installr::updateR() # Downloads and installs latest R\n")</div>
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary webr-run-btn" onclick="runWebR(this)">▶ Run</button>
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Method 3: Mac — Framework Versions</h2>
<p>Mac's R installer places each version in a separate framework directory:</p>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== Mac: Side-by-side ===\n\n")
cat("Step 1: Download both .pkg installers from CRAN\n")
cat("Step 2: Install both — they go to separate directories\n\n")
cat("Step 3: Switch in RStudio\n")
cat(" RStudio → Preferences → General → R version → Change\n")
cat(" Select the version you want → Restart RStudio\n\n")
cat("Step 4: Switch on command line (optional)\n")
cat(" # Create a symbolic link to switch the default:\n")
cat(" sudo ln -sf /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-arm64 \\\n")
cat(" /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/Current\n\n")
cat("Recommended: Use rig instead — it handles all this automatically.\n")</div>
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Method 4: Linux — Multiple Installs with rig</h2>
<p>On Linux, managing multiple R versions without rig requires manual compilation. With rig, it's simple:</p>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== Linux: rig is essential ===\n\n")
cat("# Install multiple versions\n")
cat("sudo rig add 4.3\n")
cat("sudo rig add 4.4\n\n")
cat("# Each version gets its own directory:\n")
cat("# /opt/R/4.3.3/bin/R\n")
cat("# /opt/R/4.4.2/bin/R\n\n")
cat("# Switch default\n")
cat("sudo rig default 4.4\n\n")
cat("# Run a specific version directly\n")
cat("R-4.3 # Runs R 4.3\n")
cat("R-4.4 # Runs R 4.4\n")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary webr-run-btn" onclick="runWebR(this)">▶ Run</button>
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Managing Package Libraries</h2>
<p>Each R version has its own package library. When you switch versions, packages from one version aren't automatically available in the other:</p>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Check your current R version and library path
cat("R version:", R.version.string, "\n")
cat("Library path:", .libPaths(), "\n")
# See installed packages
pkgs <- installed.packages()
cat("Installed packages:", nrow(pkgs), "\n")
cat("First 10:", head(rownames(pkgs), 10), "\n")</div>
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h4>Reinstalling packages after upgrading</h4>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== Package migration strategies ===\n\n")
cat("Strategy 1: Reinstall everything (cleanest)\n")
cat(" # On the OLD version, save package list:\n")
cat(" old_pkgs <- installed.packages()[, 'Package']\n")
cat(" saveRDS(old_pkgs, 'my_packages.rds')\n\n")
cat(" # On the NEW version, reinstall:\n")
cat(" old_pkgs <- readRDS('my_packages.rds')\n")
cat(" install.packages(old_pkgs)\n\n")
cat("Strategy 2: Shared library (risky)\n")
cat(" # Point both versions to the same library\n")
cat(" # .libPaths('/path/to/shared/library')\n")
cat(" # Warning: can cause compatibility issues\n\n")
cat("Strategy 3: renv per project (recommended)\n")
cat(" # Each project has its own package library\n")
cat(" # renv::init() in each project\n")
cat(" # Completely isolated — version switches are safe\n")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary webr-run-btn" onclick="runWebR(this)">▶ Run</button>
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h4>renv: The Best Solution for Projects</h4>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== renv: Project-level package management ===\n\n")
cat("# Initialize renv in a project:\n")
cat("# renv::init()\n\n")
cat("# renv creates a project-local library:\n")
cat("# project/renv/library/R-4.3/...\n\n")
cat("# Snapshot your packages:\n")
cat("# renv::snapshot() → saves to renv.lock\n\n")
cat("# Restore on another machine (or after R upgrade):\n")
cat("# renv::restore() → installs exact package versions from renv.lock\n\n")
cat("Benefits:\n")
cat(" - Each project is isolated\n")
cat(" - Switching R versions doesn't affect projects\n")
cat(" - renv.lock is a reproducible recipe\n")
cat(" - Collaborators get the exact same packages\n")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary webr-run-btn" onclick="runWebR(this)">▶ Run</button>
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Checking Your R Version</h2>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Multiple ways to check which R you're running
cat("R.version.string:", R.version.string, "\n")
cat("R.version$major:", R.version$major, "\n")
cat("R.version$minor:", R.version$minor, "\n")
# Check if a minimum version is met
required <- "4.1.0"
current <- paste(R.version$major, R.version$minor, sep = ".")
cat("\nCurrent version:", current, "\n")
cat("Required:", required, "\n")
cat("Meets requirement:", compareVersion(current, required) >= 0, "\n")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary webr-run-btn" onclick="runWebR(this)">▶ Run</button>
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Useful for scripts that need a specific version
check_r_version <- function(min_version = "4.1.0") {
current <- paste(R.version$major, R.version$minor, sep = ".")
if (compareVersion(current, min_version) < 0) {
stop(paste("This script requires R >=", min_version,
"but you have R", current))
}
cat("R version check passed:", current, ">=", min_version, "\n")
}
check_r_version("4.0.0")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>When to Upgrade R</h2>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r">cat("=== R release cycle ===\n\n")
cat("Major releases (4.x.0): Every April\n")
cat(" - May contain breaking changes\n")
cat(" - Packages may need updates\n")
cat(" - Wait 2-4 weeks for package ecosystem to catch up\n\n")
cat("Patch releases (4.x.y): Throughout the year\n")
cat(" - Bug fixes only\n")
cat(" - Safe to update immediately\n")
cat(" - Packages remain compatible\n\n")
cat("Recommendation:\n")
cat(" 1. Update patch releases immediately\n")
cat(" 2. Wait 2-4 weeks after major releases\n")
cat(" 3. Keep the old version until your key packages work on the new one\n")
cat(" 4. Use renv for projects that must be reproducible\n")</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-primary webr-run-btn" onclick="runWebR(this)">▶ Run</button>
<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Practice Exercises</h2>
<h4>Exercise 1: Version Check Script</h4>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Exercise: Write a function that:
# 1. Prints the current R version
# 2. Checks if the native pipe |> is available (requires R >= 4.1)
# 3. Checks if the lambda syntax \(x) is available (requires R >= 4.1)
# 4. Reports which features are available
# Write your code below:
</div>
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<details>
<summary>Click to reveal solution</summary>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Solution
check_features <- function() {
ver <- paste(R.version$major, R.version$minor, sep = ".")
cat("R version:", ver, "\n\n")
# Native pipe |> (R 4.1+)
has_pipe <- compareVersion(ver, "4.1.0") >= 0
cat("Native pipe |>:", if (has_pipe) "Available" else "Not available", "\n")
# Lambda \(x) syntax (R 4.1+)
has_lambda <- compareVersion(ver, "4.1.0") >= 0
cat("Lambda \\(x):", if (has_lambda) "Available" else "Not available", "\n")
# Underscore placeholder _ (R 4.2+)
has_placeholder <- compareVersion(ver, "4.2.0") >= 0
cat("Pipe placeholder _:", if (has_placeholder) "Available" else "Not available", "\n")
# Raw string literals r"(...)" (R 4.0+)
has_raw_string <- compareVersion(ver, "4.0.0") >= 0
cat("Raw strings r\"(...)\":", if (has_raw_string) "Available" else "Not available", "\n")
}
check_features()</div>
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<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>Explanation:</strong> <code>compareVersion()</code> compares version strings correctly (it knows "4.10" > "4.9"). Each R feature was introduced in a specific version — this function checks which ones are available in your current installation.</p>
</details>
<h4>Exercise 2: Package Inventory</h4>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Exercise: Write a script that creates a "package backup" — a data frame
# listing all installed packages with their versions and source (CRAN/other).
# This is what you'd save before upgrading R.
# Write your code below:
</div>
<div class="webr-buttons">
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<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default webr-reset-btn" onclick="resetWebR(this)">↺ Reset</button>
</div>
<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<details>
<summary>Click to reveal solution</summary>
<div class="webr-container">
<div class="webr-code-block">
<div class="webr-editor" data-language="r"># Solution
pkg_info <- installed.packages()
backup <- data.frame(
package = pkg_info[, "Package"],
version = pkg_info[, "Version"],
priority = pkg_info[, "Priority"],
stringsAsFactors = FALSE
)
# Separate base/recommended from user-installed
backup$type <- ifelse(
is.na(backup$priority), "user-installed",
backup$priority
)
cat("Package inventory:\n")
cat(" Base packages:", sum(backup$type == "base"), "\n")
cat(" Recommended:", sum(backup$type == "recommended"), "\n")
cat(" User-installed:", sum(backup$type == "user-installed"), "\n")
cat(" Total:", nrow(backup), "\n\n")
# Show user-installed packages (these need reinstalling after upgrade)
user_pkgs <- backup[backup$type == "user-installed", ]
cat("User-installed packages (first 15):\n")
print(head(user_pkgs[, c("package", "version")], 15))
# To save: saveRDS(user_pkgs$package, "my_packages.rds")</div>
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<pre class="webr-output"></pre>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>Explanation:</strong> <code>installed.packages()</code> returns a matrix with all package metadata. Base and recommended packages come with R — you only need to reinstall "user-installed" ones after upgrading. Saving this list before upgrading lets you restore your setup quickly.</p>
</details>
<h2>Summary</h2>
<table class="table table-striped">
<thead>
<tr><th>Method</th><th>Platform</th><th>Best for</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td><strong>rig</strong></td><td>All</td><td>Modern, recommended approach</td></tr>
<tr><td>Manual side-by-side</td><td>Windows</td><td>Simple, no extra tools</td></tr>
<tr><td>RStudio version selector</td><td>All</td><td>Quick switching without terminal</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>renv</strong></td><td>All</td><td>Project-level package isolation</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>The recommended workflow:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Install <strong>rig</strong> for managing R versions</li>
<li>Use <strong>renv</strong> for project-level package isolation</li>
<li>Keep one version behind for critical projects</li>
<li>Wait 2-4 weeks after major releases before upgrading</li>
</ol>
<h2>FAQ</h2>
<h4>Do I need to reinstall all packages when I upgrade R?</h4>
<p>For <strong>minor</strong> upgrades (4.3.2 → 4.3.3): no, packages are compatible. For <strong>major</strong> upgrades (4.3 → 4.4): usually yes, especially packages that contain compiled C/C++ code. The safest approach is to save your package list, upgrade, and reinstall.</p>
<h4>Can RStudio use different R versions for different projects?</h4>
<p>Not natively per-project, but with <strong>rig</strong> you can run <code>rig rstudio 4.3</code> to open RStudio with a specific R version. Or use RStudio's global setting: <strong>Tools → Global Options → General → R version</strong>.</p>
<h4>What's the difference between rig and renv?</h4>
<p><strong>rig</strong> manages R versions (the engine). <strong>renv</strong> manages packages (the libraries). They work together: rig switches R versions, renv ensures each project has the right packages for its R version.</p>
<h4>Will my old scripts break on a new R version?</h4>
<p>Usually no. R is very backwards-compatible. The most common breaking changes involve: (1) <code>stringsAsFactors</code> defaulting to FALSE in R 4.0, (2) new pipe <code>|></code> syntax in R 4.1, (3) changes in default random number generation. Check the R NEWS file for specific version changes.</p>
<h4>How do I check which R version a project was built with?</h4>
<p>If the project uses renv, check <code>renv.lock</code> — it records the R version. Otherwise, look for <code>sessionInfo()</code> output in reports or README files.</p>
<h2>What's Next?</h2>
<p>Version management is part of the broader reproducibility toolkit:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Positron vs RStudio</strong> — the new IDE alternative</li>
<li><strong>R Project Structure</strong> — organize your R projects properly</li>
<li><strong>renv and Reproducibility</strong> — lock down package versions for reproducible research</li>
</ol>
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