R Weekly Highlights

Celebrate reaching the remarkable milestone of 200 episodes with a lighthearted April Fool's joke! Discover how large language models revolutionize text processing for research, particularly summarizing climate reports. Dive into the latest enhancements in ggplot2 that elevate data visualizations with stunning gradients. Explore Rixpress, a groundbreaking package merging the best of R and Nix for reproducible analysis. Lastly, get insights into developing interactive dashboards for economic data analysis using Observable JavaScript.

Explore the exciting world of multilingual data science and the integration of R and Python for seamless collaboration. Discover how the Elmer package revolutionizes data extraction from PDFs, making life easier for researchers. Dive into innovative projects like a Shiny app that revitalizes John Snow's cholera map, merging history with data analysis. Plus, learn about maximizing machine learning insights through localized tools and the new 'tabby' extension that organizes content like never before!

Giving your package documentation site a little personality and much more with {pkgdown} customization, plus a novel new package to bring the power of LaTeX to all of your plots!Episode LinksThis week's curator: Batool Almarzouq - @batoolmm.bsky.social (Bluesky) & @batool664 (X/Twitter)Customize your expedition: Create a unique documentation for your R PackageLaTeX Typesetting in R: The 'xdvir' PackageEntire issue available at rweekly.org/2025-W11Supplement Resources{xdvir} package vignette https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/xdvir/vignettes/xdvir-intro.htmltinytex- A lightweight, cross-platform, portable, and easy-to-maintain LaTeX distribution based on TeX Live https://yihui.org/tinytex/Adding arm64 to r2u https://dirk.eddelbuettel.com/blog/2025/03/04#046_arm64_comes_to_r2uWebsite for tidyplots use cases https://tidyplots.org/use-cases/Supporting the showUse the contact page at https://serve.podhome.fm/custompage/r-weekly-highlights/contact to send us your feedbackR-Weekly Highlights on the Podcastindex.org - You can send a boost into the show directly in the Podcast Index. First, top-up with Alby, and then head over to the R-Weekly Highlights podcast entry on the index.A new way to think about value: https://value4value.infoGet in touch with us on social mediaEric Nantz: @rpodcast@podcastindex.social (Mastodon), @rpodcast.bsky.social (BlueSky) and @theRcast (X/Twitter)Mike Thomas: @mike_thomas@fosstodon.org (Mastodon), @mike-thomas.bsky.social (BlueSky), and @mike_ketchbrook (X/Twitter) Music credits powered by OCRemixA View from the Top (of Shinra HQ) - Final Fantasy VII Remake - TheManPF, Andre Beller, jnWake, Kev Ragone, Michelle Dreyband, newmajoe, Ronin Op F - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04777

A major milestone for leveraging LLMs in R just landed with the new ellmer package, along with a terrific showcase of retrieval-augmented generation combining ellmer and DuckDB. Plus an inspiring roundup of the recent Closeread contest winners.Episode LinksThis week's curator: Sam Parmar - @parmsam@fosstodon.org (Mastodon) & @parmsam_ (X/Twitter)Announcing ellmer: A package for interacting with Large Language Models in RRapid RAG Prototyping: Building a Retrieval Augmented Generation Prototype with ellmer and DuckDBWinners of the Closeread Prize – Data-Driven Scrollytelling with QuartoEntire issue available at rweekly.org/2025-W10Supplement ResourcesCoder Radio episode 608 - R with Eric Nantz https://coder.show/608nhyris - The minimal framework for transform R shiny application into standaloneSupporting the showUse the contact page at https://serve.podhome.fm/custompage/r-weekly-highlights/contact to send us your feedbackR-Weekly Highlights on the Podcastindex.org - You can send a boost into the show directly in the Podcast Index. First, top-up with Alby, and then head over to the R-Weekly Highlights podcast entry on the index.A new way to think about value: https://value4value.infoGet in touch with us on social mediaEric Nantz: @rpodcast@podcastindex.social (Mastodon), @rpodcast.bsky.social (BlueSky) and @theRcast (X/Twitter)Mike Thomas: @mike_thomas@fosstodon.org (Mastodon), @mike-thomas.bsky.social (BlueSky), and @mike_ketchbrook (X/Twitter) Music credits powered by OCRemixWatermelon Flava - Breath of Fire III - Joshua Morse, posu yan - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01411Stomp the Summer Sky - Secret of Mana - Ziwtra - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00859

Our candid takes on the state of CRAN's role in light of recent package archival events, how creative use of LLMs could greatly streamline your next literature review, and a few great illustrations of lazy being a good thing in your R session.Episode LinksThis week's curator: Eric Nantz - @rpodcast@podcastindex.social (Mastodon) & @rpodcast.bsky.social (BlueSky) & @theRcast (X/Twitter)Is CRAN Holding R Back?How to use large language models to assist in systematic literature reviewsLazy introduction to laziness in REntire issue available at rweekly.org/2025-W08Supplement ResourcesA guide to contributing to open-source Python packages https://arilamstein.com/blog/2025/01/02/a-guide-to-contributing-to-open-source-python-packages/Continue https://www.continue.dev/Supporting the showUse the contact page at https://serve.podhome.fm/custompage/r-weekly-highlights/contact to send us your feedbackR-Weekly Highlights on the Podcastindex.org - You can send a boost into the show directly in the Podcast Index. First, top-up with Alby, and then head over to the R-Weekly Highlights podcast entry on the index.A new way to think about value: https://value4value.infoGet in touch with us on social mediaEric Nantz: @rpodcast@podcastindex.social (Mastodon), @rpodcast.bsky.social (BlueSky) and @theRcast (X/Twitter)Mike Thomas: @mike_thomas@fosstodon.org (Mastodon), @mike-thomas.bsky.social (BlueSky), and @mike_ketchbrook (X/Twitter) Music credits powered by OCRemixGurgling Desert Pond - Final Fantasy Random Encounter - blackguitar - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02555Hotel Rhumba - Earthbound - The Pancake Chef - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00526

Discover tips for mastering monochrome visualizations and explore unique features of Scotland's census data processing. Learn about the transformative impact of a new mobile app that integrates R into various industries and education. Dive into essential strategies for cleaning messy data, including practical tools like Vroom and data.table. Finally, gain insights on managing the lifecycle of R packages and the importance of community collaboration in the R ecosystem.

Context is king in a trifecta of R packages harnessing LLMs to be your virtual assistant in package development and data science, plus the world (of data) is at your fingertips for data exploration and sharing your insights using the innovative closeread Quarto extension.Episode LinksThis week's curator: Jonathan Kitt - @jonathankitt.bsky.social (Bluesky)Three experiments in LLM code assist with RStudio and PositronGapminder: how has the world changed?Downloading datasets from Our World in Data in REntire issue available at rweekly.org/2025-W06Supplement ResourcesFrom hours to minutes: accelerating your tidymodels code https://youtu.be/pTMiDHFIiPQ?si=4qZC3_NLUVhD5hAaEffecient Machine Learning with R https://emlwr.org/Closeread: Bringing scrollytelling to Quarto https://youtu.be/KqLxy66B3lQ?si=w7DIB4QhYk2u6cLGCloseread Posit contest submissions https://forum.posit.co/tag/closeread-prize-2024Extract Information From Images and PDFs With R & LLMs  https://3mw.albert-rapp.de/p/extract-information-from-images-and-pdfs-with-r-llmsusgs geological survey mapping water https://waterdata.usgs.gov/blog/acs-maps/Supporting the showUse the contact page at https://serve.podhome.fm/custompage/r-weekly-highlights/contact to send us your feedbackR-Weekly Highlights on the Podcastindex.org - You can send a boost into the show directly in the Podcast Index. First, top-up with Alby, and then head over to the R-Weekly Highlights podcast entry on the index.A new way to think about value: https://value4value.infoGet in touch with us on social mediaEric Nantz: @rpodcast@podcastindex.social (Mastodon), @rpodcast.bsky.social (BlueSky) and @theRcast (X/Twitter)Mike Thomas: @mike_thomas@fosstodon.org (Mastodon), @mike-thomas.bsky.social (BlueSky), and @mike_ketchbrook (X/Twitter) Music credits powered by OCRemixCosta del Sol DANCE - Final Fantasy VII - posu yan - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00095Aerobotics - Mega Man 8 - Just Coffee - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03323

Ready to bring your next presentation slides to the world of Quarto? Our first highlight has a batch of power tips you can use for your next slide deck. Plus terrific insights from first-time contributors to open-source software.Episode LinksThis week's curator: Jon Calder - @jonmcalder@fosstodon.org (Mastodon) & @jonmcalder (X/Twitter)Seven tips for creating Quarto revealjs presentationsFrom Novice to Contributor: Making and Supporting First-Time Contributions to FOSSEntire issue available at rweekly.org/2025-W05Supplement ResourcesEmil Hvitfeldt's blog https://emilhvitfeldt.comGitHub Desktop https://github.com/apps/desktopGitKraken https://www.gitkraken.com/lazygit https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazygitCoworking mini-hackathons https://ropensci.org/blog/2025/01/24/coworking-hackathons/ ShinyConf 2025 https://www.shinyconf.comPosit::Conf 2025 https://posit.co/conference/Supporting the showUse the contact page at https://serve.podhome.fm/custompage/r-weekly-highlights/contact to send us your feedbackR-Weekly Highlights on the Podcastindex.org - You can send a boost into the show directly in the Podcast Index. First, top-up with Alby, and then head over to the R-Weekly Highlights podcast entry on the index.A new way to think about value: https://value4value.infoGet in touch with us on social mediaEric Nantz: @rpodcast@podcastindex.social (Mastodon), @rpodcast.bsky.social (BlueSky) and @theRcast (X/Twitter)Mike Thomas: @mike_thomas@fosstodon.org (Mastodon), @mike-thomas.bsky.social (BlueSky), and @mike_ketchbrook (X/Twitter) Music powered by OCRemixThe Narshemellow - Final Fantasy VI Balance & Ruin - XPRTNovice - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03141

This week dives into flowchart creation in R, perfect for clinical trials, showcasing its user-friendly design. Discover advanced flowcharting tools like MermaidJS that enhance professional communication. Learn about the complexities of R package development with C integration amid evolving standards. Explore groundbreaking techniques for visualizing brain MRI data, critical for understanding Alzheimer's. Finally, celebrate community innovations from the Posit team and engage with ongoing projects in the dynamic R landscape.

The podcast kicks off with a celebration of the new year and the community's role in its success. AI models like Claude and Llama are compared for analyzing and summarizing content from Bluesky, showcasing the complexity of language models. Microsoft and OpenAI's tools for web content extraction are demonstrated using cycling data. There's a focus on accessibility in data visualization with R, including techniques for effective color usage. New R tools, like the Rix package, are introduced to enhance programming and analytical capabilities.