https://github.com/coatless-rpkg/shinyelectron
R package to setup a standalone shiny application built with electron
https://github.com/coatless-rpkg/shinyelectron
Last synced: 7 months ago
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R package to setup a standalone shiny application built with electron
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/coatless-rpkg/shinyelectron
- Owner: coatless-rpkg
- License: other
- Created: 2025-03-08T22:48:05.000Z (10 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-25T08:36:22.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-25T09:34:01.341Z (9 months ago)
- Language: R
- Homepage: http://r-pkg.thecoatlessprofessor.com/shinyelectron/
- Size: 12.7 KB
- Stars: 3
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.Rmd
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
---
output: github_document
---
```{r, include = FALSE}
knitr::opts_chunk$set(
collapse = TRUE,
comment = "#>",
fig.path = "man/figures/README-",
out.width = "100%"
)
```
> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> This package is currently in the prototype/experimental stage. It is not yet
> available on CRAN and may have bugs or limitations.
# shinyelectron
[](https://github.com/coatless-rpkg/shinyelectron/actions/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml)
## Export Shiny Applications as Desktop Applications using Electron
This R package allows you to convert Shiny web applications into standalone desktop applications for using Electron. This means your users can run your Shiny apps without having
R installed on their machines.
## Installation
You can install the development version of shinyelectron from [GitHub](https://github.com/) with:
``` r
# From CRAN (not available yet)
# install.packages("shinyelectron")
# From GitHub
# install.packages("remotes")
remotes::install_github("coatless-rpkg/shinyelectron")
```
## Prerequisites
> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> We are currently working on making the installation process as smooth as possible.
> Please bear with us as we work through identifying the necessary dependencies for each platform.
- R (>= 4.0.0)
- Node.js (>= 14.0.0)
- npm (>= 6.0.0)
For building platform-specific installers:
- Windows: Windows 11+ and Visual Studio Build Tools
- macOS: macOS 10.13+ and Xcode CLI
- Linux: Appropriate development tools for your distribution
## Usage
### Basic Usage
The `export()` function allows you to convert a Shiny application into a standalone
Electron application.
```r
library(shinyelectron)
# Export a Shiny application to an Electron application
shinyelectron::export(
appdir = "path/to/your/shinyapp",
destdir = "path/to/export/destination"
)
```
For example, to convert the "Hello World" Shiny app from the `{shiny}` package
into a standalone Electron app:
```r
# Copy "Hello World" from `{shiny}`
system.file("examples", "01_hello", package="shiny") |>
fs::dir_copy("myapp", overwrite = TRUE)
shinyelectron::export("myapp", "hello-world-app")
```
### Advanced Options
You can customize the export process using the following options:
```r
shinyelectron::export(
appdir = "path/to/your/shinyapp",
destdir = "path/to/export/destination",
app_name = "My Amazing App",
platform = c("win", "mac"), # Build for Windows and Mac only
include_r = TRUE, # Bundle minimal R environment
r_version = "4.4.3", # Bundle R 4.4.3
overwrite = TRUE, # Overwrite existing files in destdir
verbose = TRUE, # Display detailed progress information
open_after = TRUE # Open the generated project after export
)
```
## How It Works
1. The package creates an Electron application structure in the destination directory
2. It copies your Shiny application files into this structure
3. It configures the Electron app to start an R process and run your Shiny app
4. It optionally bundles a minimal R environment
5. It builds platform-specific installers using electron-builder
## Acknowledgements
This project builds upon several notable efforts to integrate R Shiny
applications with the Electron framework.
### Prior packaging attempts:
- [**electricShine**][electricShine]: A package that streamlines the creation of distributable Shiny Electron apps through its `electrify` function, which automates building and packaging processes for Windows.
- [**Photon**][photon]: An RStudio add-in that leverages Electron to build standalone Shiny apps for macOS and Windows by cloning an R specific [`electron-quick-start` repository][COVAIL-electron-quick-start] and including portable R versions.
- [**RInno**][rinno]: Creates standalone R applications with Electron on Windows.
- [**DesktopDeployR**][desktopdeployr]: An alternative framework for deploying self-contained
R-based applications that provides a portable R environment and private package
library.
### Talks, Tutorials, and Templates:
- **User! 2018 Talk**: A presentation by @ksasso at the 2018 UseR! conference that demonstrates how to convert Shiny apps into standalone desktop applications using Electron. [ksassouser2018talk]
- **Developer Tutorials**: Valuable step-by-step guides from contributors like @lawalter and @dirkschumacher that demonstrate practical integration techniques and solutions.[shiny-electron-walter-tutorial][shiny-electron-dirk-tutorial]
- **Zarathu Corporation Templates**: Specialized templates for [macOS ARM (M1/M2/..)][shiny-electron-zarathucorp-m1] and [Windows][shiny-electron-zarathucorp-windows] platforms that have significantly contributed to cross-platform deployment solutions
described in [R-Bloggers: Creating Standalone Apps from Shiny with Electron][shiny-electron-zarathucorp-rbloggers] post.
## License
MIT
## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
## References
- [`electricShine` (R Package)][electricShine]
- [`RInno` (R package)][rinno]
- [`Photon` (RStudio Addin)][photon]
- [`COVAIL` Electron Quick Start (GitHub)][COVAIL-electron-quick-start]
- [`DesktopDeployR` (GitHub)][desktopdeployr]
- [Electron ShinyApp Deployment UseR! 2018 (GitHub, @ksasso)][ksassoshinyappdev]
- [How to Make an R Shiny Electron App (GitHub, @lawalter)][shiny-electron-walter-tutorial]
- [R shiny and electron (GitHub, @dirkschumacher)][shiny-electron-dirk-tutorial]
- [Creating Standalone Apps from Shiny with Electron in macOS 2023 (GitHub, macOS ARM (M1/M2/...))][shiny-electron-zarathucorp-m1]
- [Creating Standalone Apps from Shiny with Electron in Windows 2023 (GitHub, @jhk0530)][shiny-electron-zarathucorp-windows]
- [Creating Standalone Apps from Shiny with Electron 2023 (R-bloggers, @jhk0530)][shiny-electron-zarathucorp-rbloggers]
- [Shiny meets Electron: Turn your Shiny app into a standalone desktop app in no time @ UseR! 2018][ksassouser2018talk] ([Presentation Source][ksassouser2018code])
- [Electron Documentation][electron-docs]
[electricShine]: https://chasemc.github.io/electricShine/
[electron-docs]: https://electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/application-distribution
[rinno]: https://github.com/ficonsulting/RInno
[desktopdeployr]: https://github.com/wleepang/DesktopDeployR
[ksassouser2018code]: https://github.com/ksasso/useR_electron_meet_shiny/
[ksassouser2018talk]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARrbbviGvjc
[ksassoshinyappdev]: https://github.com/ksasso/Electron_ShinyApp_Deployment
[photon]: https://github.com/COVAIL/photon
[COVAIL-electron-quick-start]: https://github.com/COVAIL/electron-quick-start
[shiny-electron-zarathucorp-m1]: https://github.com/zarathucorp/shiny-electron-template-m1
[shiny-electron-zarathucorp-windows]: https://github.com/zarathucorp/shiny-electron-template-windows
[shiny-electron-zarathucorp-rbloggers]: https://www.r-bloggers.com/2023/03/creating-standalone-apps-from-shiny-with-electron-2023-macos-m1/
[shiny-electron-walter-tutorial]: https://github.com/lawalter/r-shiny-electron-app
[shiny-electron-dirk-tutorial]: https://github.com/dirkschumacher/r-shiny-electron