RStudio is excited to announce that we released RStudio 1.4 today! The many features of RStudio 1.4 will already be familiar to regular readers of this blog. These include:

• A visual markdown editor that provides improved productivity for composing longer-form articles and analyses with R Markdown.
• New Python capabilities, including display of Python objects in the Environment pane, viewing of Python data frames, and tools for configuring Python versions and conda/virtual environments.
• The ability to add source columns to the IDE workspace for side-by-side text editing.
• A new command palette (accessible via Ctrl+Shift+P) that provides easy keyboard access to all RStudio commands, add-ins, and options.
• Support for rainbow parentheses in the source editor (enabled via Options -> Code -> Display).
• New citation support that allows you to include document citations from your document bibliography, personal or group libraries, and several other sources.
• Integration with a host of new RStudio Server Pro features including project sharing when using Launcher, Microsoft Visual Studio Code support (currently in beta), SAML authentication, and local launcher load-balancing.

You can read the complete set of new features and bug fixes in the RStudio 1.4 release notes.

RStudio 1.4 Delivers Essential Tooling for Serious Data Science

We’ve written before about how a world class IDE is a requirement for any team that wants to do serious data science. However, whenever a new release of an installed product comes out, it always raises the question, “What value will my team get from upgrading?” For data science teams committed to serious data science, we believe RStudio 1.4 is a must-have upgrade because it:

• Expands code credibility through transparency: Improved support for Python and what-you-see-is-what-you-mean R Markdown means that more data science content can share a common development workflow for all team members. This lowering of barriers between developers, leaders, and business people increases the credibility of the data science.
• Increases agility in the development process: Many of the new features in RStudio 1.4 are about speeding the development of code, regardless of the data scientist’s preferred language or development environment. When developers don’t have to switch environments to use a new tool or apply a new test, data science gets done faster.
• Enhances the reach and durability of the data science platform: Almost all of the new features noted above are available in both the open-source and professional versions of the RStudio platform. Data science leaders don’t have to worry about whether they can afford this upgrade; the new version of RStudio 1.4 is available to all users, including those who don’t pay us a penny.

We believe RStudio 1.4’s support for a single development environment that supports multiple language platforms will help address many data science challenges that teams will face in 2021. We expect that many organizations will find it to be the key to unlocking new value from their data science investments.

Where to Get RStudio 1.4

Open source and commercial versions of RStudio Desktop and RStudio Server Pro 1.4 are available for download today from the RStudio products page.

If you are just starting out with RStudio and want to learn more about the features available in the RStudio IDE, we invite you to browse the the most popular RStudio IDE features.

To receive email notifications for RStudio professional product releases, patches, security information, and general product support updates, subscribe to the Product Information list by visiting the RStudio subscription management portal.