How to Set Up RStudio Server on CentOS 7
RStudio Server provides a browser-based interface for the RStudio environment, enabling developers to code using the R programming language directly through a web browser.
This guide walks you through the full process of installing RStudio Server on a CentOS 7 machine.
Requirements
- A CentOS 7 server with at least 1GB of RAM (2GB or more is recommended)
- An active user account with sudo privileges
Step 1: Perform System Updates
Start by logging in as a sudo-enabled user and executing the following commands:
sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum update
sudo shutdown -r now
Once the server restarts, log in again with the same sudo user credentials.
Step 2: Install the R Programming Language
Use the command below to install R:
sudo yum install R -y
Step 3: Download and Install RStudio Server
Execute the following commands to download and install the current stable version of RStudio Server (version 1.0.136 at the time of writing):
cd
wget https://download2.rstudio.org/rstudio-server-rhel-1.0.136-x86_64.rpm
sudo yum install –nogpgcheck rstudio-server-rhel-1.0.136-x86_64.rpm -y
Tip: To check for the latest version, visit the official RStudio Server download page.
After installation, verify the service status and enable it on system startup:
sudo systemctl status rstudio-server.service
sudo systemctl enable rstudio-server.service
Step 4: Enable Web Access to RStudio Server
To make RStudio Server accessible via the browser, adjust the firewall to allow traffic on the required port:
sudo firewall-cmd –permanent –zone=public –add-port=8787/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd –reload
Open your web browser and visit:
http://203.0.113.1:8787
Use the credentials of the sudo user to sign in. If all went well, you’ll land in the RStudio Server IDE interface ready to start programming in R.
Step 5 (Optional): Install Additional CRAN Packages
If you’d like to extend R’s functionality with additional packages from CRAN, follow these steps.
Install Development Tools
sudo yum groupinstall “Development Tools” -y
Launch the R Shell
sudo -i R
Install a CRAN Package
install.packages(‘txtplot’)
Exit the R Shell
q()
Conclusion
With these steps completed, your CentOS 7 server is now equipped with RStudio Server, giving you a powerful platform to write and test R code directly from your web browser. You can further enhance your environment by installing additional CRAN packages as needed. This setup is ideal for remote R development and data analysis workflows.
