The R language: Adding new “words”
Pedro José Aphalo · 2020
This chapter focuses on using existing packages and how they expand the functionality of R. It explains how to define new functions, operators and classes. The most elegant way of adding new features or capabilities to R is through packages. Packages can be shared as source or binary package files, sent for example through e-mail. However, for sharing packages widely, it is best to submit them to a repository. Packages can be of very different sizes and complexity. Packages use a relatively rigid structure of folders for storing the different types of files, including documentation compatible with R’s built-in help system. R packages can be installed either from sources, or from already built “binaries”. Installing from sources, depending on the package, may require additional software to be available. Under MS-Windows, the needed shell, commands and compilers are not available as part of the operating system.