Initial CRAN release. livelink packs R code into a shareable URL that runs in the browser, with no server and nothing to upload. Two destinations are supported: webR, a full R REPL, and Shinylive, which runs R and Python Shiny apps.
webr_repl_link(): create a shareable link for a single
R script.webr_repl_project(): create a link for a multi-file R
project.webr_repl_exercise(): create paired exercise and
solution links, for teaching.webr_repl_directory(): turn a directory into one link
per script, or into a single bundled link with
single_link = TRUE.shinylive_r_link() and
shinylive_py_link(): create a link for an R or Python Shiny
app.shinylive_project(): create a link for a multi-file
Shiny app.shinylive_directory(): create a link for every Shiny
app in a directory.decode_webr_link() and
decode_shinylive_link(): extract the embedded files to a
directory. They default to the session temporary directory, so a stray
call cannot litter your project.preview_webr_link() and
preview_shinylive_link(): inspect a link in memory without
writing anything, which is the safe way to open a link from someone
else.input across every link-creating function,
whatever form the code takes.panels, and Shinylive’s editor-or-app view with
mode.autorun runs the code the moment a link opens.set_webr_base_url(): point webR links at a custom or
self-hosted deployment.repl_urls() and
as.character() for the bare URL(s), and to
format() for its summary as a character vector.knit_print() renders a link object as a clickable link
when it is the value of a ‘knitr’ or ‘Quarto’ chunk.as.data.frame() turns a directory or a decoded batch
into a tidy data frame.use_livelink_engine(): registers a
livelink chunk engine for ‘knitr’ and ‘Quarto’, so a code
chunk in a document becomes a runnable link.
```{livelink}
#| autorun: true
# Load the data
data(mtcars)
plot(mtcars$mpg, mtcars$wt)
```Use this rather than expression input inside a knitted document.
‘knitr’ runs chunks through evaluate::evaluate(), which
discards source references, so comments inside a { }
expression are silently dropped when a document is rendered, and no
keep.source setting recovers them. The engine receives the
chunk’s verbatim source, so comments survive. Chunk options cover
autorun, panels, mode,
filename, link.text, link.only,
and engine.target ("webr",
"shinylive-r", or "shinylive-py").
use_livelink_hook(): a ‘knitr’ chunk hook, so an
ordinary r chunk can carry its own link. The chunk still
runs, its output and plots appear in the rendered page, and a link is
added underneath:
```{r}
#| livelink: true
#| autorun: true
data(mtcars)
plot(mtcars$mpg, mtcars$wt) # a comment that survives```
The engine (```{livelink}) replaces execution, so it
produces a link but no R output. The hook is what you want when the
reader should see the result and also be able to open it; the engine is
for code the session cannot or should not run, such as a Shiny app or
anything needing a package you have not installed.
Both are registered on load, and both receive the chunk’s verbatim source, so comments reach the link either way.
webr_repl_project(),
shinylive_project(), and shinylive_r_link()
accept a file’s contents as a braced expression, so a multi-file project
can be written as R rather than as strings full of escaped newlines:
webr_repl_project(list(
"main.R" = { source("utils.R"); summarise(mtcars) },
"utils.R" = { summarise <- function(d) summary(d) },
"README.md" = "# Analysis"
))The blocks are captured, never evaluated. They are source to ship,
not code to run, so an assignment inside one leaves nothing behind in
the session. Strings and expressions mix freely, which is what a project
holding both code and a README.md needs.
This only works when the list is written inside the call.
list() is an ordinary function, so assigning it to a
variable first evaluates its arguments and the block runs there and
then. livelink detects that case and errors, rather than encoding
whatever the block returned.