How-To: Rstudio: Create Conda Environment for Using Rstudio

Summary

Create conda environment for using Rstudio with R packages to ensure a robust set of base packages (like ggplot2 and dplyr) compiled specifically for your environment.

Body

Question

How do I create a virtual conda environment for using Rstudio?

Answer

Note: To open an Anaconda Prompt in Windows or the Terminal in MacOS, see "How-To: Using Anaconda - Launch a Virtual Conda Environment via Command Line Interface

1. From the command line (CLI) in the base environment, enter "conda create -n my_rstudio_env -c conda-forge r-base r-essentials" to create environment. This ensures a robust set of base packages compiled specifically for the environment.

Example environment: my_rstudio_env

command prompt window with "conda create -n my_rstudio_env -c conda-forge r-base r-essentials" as an example

A prompt to proceed will be displayed and require "y". A new environment is then created.

prompt to proceed

2. Enter "conda info --envs" to list conda environments. New example environment is listed.

Example environment: my_rstudio_env

Anaconda Prompt window with "conda info --envs" command and results.

Note: To activate a conda environment, see "How-To: Using Anaconda - Activate a Virtual Conda Environment via Command Line Interface"

Details

Article ID: 2437

Created

Tue 5/19/26 2:55 PM

Modified

Fri 5/29/26 11:25 AM