Binary R Packages for Linux: Past, Present and Future
This work solves the problem of efficient binary package distribution for R users on Linux, though it is incremental as it builds on existing package management systems.
The paper addresses the scalability problem of distributing binary R packages across the heterogeneous Linux ecosystem by reviewing past efforts and presenting the cran2copr project, which is an automated RPM-based system capable of building, maintaining, and distributing thousands of packages.
Pre-compiled binary packages provide a convenient way of efficiently distributing software that has been adopted by most Linux package management systems. However, the heterogeneity of the Linux ecosystem, combined with the growing number of R extensions available, poses a scalability problem. As a result, efforts to bring binary R packages to Linux have been scattered, and lack a proper mechanism to fully integrate them with R's package manager. This work reviews past and present of binary distribution for Linux, and presents a path forward by showcasing the `cran2copr' project, an RPM-based proof-of-concept implementation of an automated scalable binary distribution system with the capability of building, maintaining and distributing thousands of packages, while providing a portable and extensible bridge to the system package manager.