rig

Rig is an R installation manager that lets you install, configure, and switch between multiple R versions on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It provides quick links for running different R versions simultaneously and handles system requirements, package managers, and development tools automatically.

The tool simplifies managing multiple R installations by automatically setting up user package libraries, configuring CRAN mirrors and Posit Package Manager, and installing pak for efficient package management. On macOS it includes a menu bar app for switching versions and launching RStudio, on Windows it manages Rtools installations, and on Linux it supports binary packages across major distributions. It creates version-specific quick links (like R-4.1) that work alongside your default R installation.