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title: "Software Installation Guide: R & Positron"
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Follow these steps in order to install **R** (the programming language) and **Positron** (the interactive development environment).

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## 1. Install R

R must be installed before opening your development environment.

### macOS
1. Go to the [CRAN macOS download page](https://cran.r-project.org/bin/macosx/).
2. Download the installer matching your processor architecture:
   - **Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4):** `R-4.x.x-arm64.pkg`
   - **Intel Macs:** `R-4.x.x-x86_64.pkg`
3. Open the `.pkg` file and complete the standard installation wizard.

### Windows
1. Go to the [CRAN Windows download page](https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/).
2. Click **Download R for Windows**.
3. Run the `.exe` installer and accept default settings.
4. *(Recommended)* Install [Rtools](https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/Rtools/) to compile R packages from source when needed.

---

## 2. Install Positron

Positron is an extensible data science IDE developed by Posit.

1. Navigate to the [Positron GitHub Releases](https://github.com/posit-dev/positron/releases) or official Posit download page.
2. Download the installer for your operating system:
   - **macOS:** Download the `.dmg` and drag **Positron.app** into your `/Applications` folder.
   - **Windows:** Download the `.exe` setup file and run the installer.
   - **Linux:** Download the `.deb` or `.rpm` package matching your distribution.

---

## 3. Verify the Setup

1. Launch **Positron**.
2. Locate the **Interpreter / Console** pane or the runtime indicator in the top toolbar. It should display your active R interpreter (e.g., `R 4.x.x`).
3. In the R Console, test your installation:

```r
# Verify R version
version
```