R Observatory: Metrics for devtools version 2.5.2

Balamuta, James Joseph

doi:10.5281/zenodo.21843040

devtools

2.5.2Package record

Tools to Make Developing R Packages Easier

63packages dependsuggested by 508

3.6Mdownloads / year

41.4%test coverage

13/13flavors OK

Overview

About

Maintained by Jennifer BryanCRAN page ↗GitHub ↗Website ↗Issues ↗Declared funder: Posit Software, PBC

Collection of package development tools.

Changes in 2.5.2

install() uses a new feature of pak::local_install_deps() to consider the current .libPaths() when resolving dependencies, instead of consulting only .libPaths()[1]. This was an unintended behavioral change introduced in 2.5.0 (#2691).

From NEWS.md in the release

Install

R (CRAN)pak (dev)Ubuntu (r2u)Fedora (COPR)openSUSE (OBS)

install.packages("devtools", repos = "https://cloud.r-project.org/")

Installs the current CRAN release. Prebuilt binaries on Windows and macOS.

if (!requireNamespace("pak", quietly = TRUE))
  install.packages("pak", repos = "https://cloud.r-project.org/")
pak::pak("r-lib/devtools")

Development version from r-lib/devtools. Installs pak first if it is not already available.

Release

# enable cranapt (r2u) if it is not already set up, then install
grep -rqs r2u.stat.illinois.edu /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ \
  || curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eddelbuettel/r2u/master/inst/scripts/add_cranapt_noble.sh | sudo bash
sudo apt install -y r-cran-devtools

Fast Ubuntu binaries via r2u (no compilation). The cranapt setup runs once and is skipped when it is already enabled. We list this channel from recorded r2u download activity rather than from a live index of the repository, so treat it as last known rather than guaranteed.

bspm (used by r2u) also needs make: sudo apt install make

# enable the iucar/cran COPR if it is not already present, then install
ls /etc/yum.repos.d/*iucar*cran*.repo >/dev/null 2>&1 \
  || sudo dnf copr enable -y iucar/cran
sudo dnf install -y R-CRAN-devtools

RPMs from the iucar/cran COPR, rebuilt from CRAN.

For install.packages() integration in R, also: sudo dnf install R-CoprManager

# add the autoCRAN OBS repo (Tumbleweed) if it is missing, then install
zypper -q lr | grep -qi autoCRAN \
  || sudo zypper addrepo https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/languages:/R:/autoCRAN/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/devel:languages:R:autoCRAN.repo
sudo zypper install -y R-devtools

RPMs auto-built from CRAN on openSUSE OBS (Tumbleweed). We list this channel from recorded autoCRAN download activity rather than from a live index of the repository, so treat it as last known rather than guaranteed.

Health

CRAN checks

13OK

CRAN check page ↗

Slowest check: 4.2 min · r-oldrel-macos-x86_64

Status changes

OK13 OK2026-08-05
NOTE12 OK, 1 NOTE2026-08-01
OK13 OK2026-07-05
WARNING12 OK, 1 WARNING2026-07-04
OK13 OK2026-05-12

Show 2 earlier changesHide 2 earlier changes

ERROR12 OK, 1 ERROR2026-05-11
OK14 OK2026-03-10

Advisories

none known

How this is measured·How advisories are found

Documentation

In release 2.5.2

READMEYes · 914 wordsVignettesYes · 1 · staticNEWSYes · 100% structured · mentions 2.5.2Citation fileNoWebsiteYes · pkgdown

Help pages: 50 (27 internal)includes a package overview page
Examples that run: 0%10 never run
Exported functions with examples: 21%
Documented parameters: 90%
Return-value docs: 21%
Help pages citing references: 0%

Vignettes (1)

Depending on a development version HTML

How these are measured

Downloads

3.6M

CRAN downloads in the past year

Rank #186 · ~9.9K/day · ~302.6K/mo

Releases R versions

Daily download trend is not available in this view yet.

325K30 days

919.7K90 days

3.6M1 year

Compare downloads with other packages →

Also on142.4K r2u159 autocran225.4K conda_forge2.5K c2d4u

How downloads are counted

Repository

r-lib/devtools ↗Organization: r-lib

2,522Stars

762Forks

5Open issues

3Open PRs

39Releases

3,597Commits

176Commit identities

rpackage-creation

3,597 commits · Last activity 2026-09-30 · +0.2% stars, 30d · Default branch at 2.5.2.9000, ahead of CRAN 2.5.2 (checked 2026-10-11)

Responsiveness

How these are sampled

PRs merged (all time): 69%
Median days to close, 50 most recently updated closed issues: 130
Median days to close, 50 most recently updated closed PRs: 8

Stars over time

2025-10-13 · 2,4612026-10-09 · 2,522

How these are measured

PracticesBeta

16 development-tooling and community-health practices detected across 7 families in the upstream repository

Checks run against github.com/r-lib/devtools on 2026-10-11.

Continuous integration (2)

GitHub ActionsR CMD check workflow

The R CMD check workflow runs on Linux, macOS and Windows, and on R-devel

Governance and community (3)

Code of conductContributing guideIssue templates

Docs source (3)

pkgdown

GitHub Pages site last deployed 2026-09-30 · The repository has a site deploy workflow

pkgdown site last built 2026-04-30

Coverage (1)

Coverage reporting (Codecov)

Show all practicesHide 3 practices

CRAN release process (2)

cran-comments.mdrevdep/

Lint, format, editor (4)

Lint workflowAirVS CodeRStudio project

Git structural (1)

.gitattributes

How this is detected·Detection ruleset v3 (2026-09-26)

AI coding toolsBeta

This repository shows signs of AI coding tools.

Claude Codefirst seen 2026-01-13
Seen in the repository: .claude, .claude/skills
Named in .Rbuildignore: .claude
Named in .gitignore: .claude
Posit Assistantfirst seen 2026-08-18
Seen in the repository: .posit/assistant

How this is detected·Detection ruleset v4 (updated 2026-09-27)

Dependencies

Declared dependencies

38 external dependencies (excludes base and recommended)

Installing devtools adds 94 packages (46 with compiled code, 57 MB of source tarballs). Heaviest: stringi 11 MB, bslib 5.6 MB, pak 3.8 MB.

Depends (2)

R >= 4.1usethis

LinkingTo (0)

none

Suggests (17)

BiocManager callr covr curl digest DT foghorn (>= 1.4.2)gh httr2 knitr lintr quarto remotes rmarkdown rstudioapi spelling xml2

Enhances (0)

none

Dependency license breakdown →

Reverse dependencies

63direct

11indirect

Depends 1 · Imports 62

Suggested by 508

Show the 48 most downloaded dependentsHide the 48 most downloaded dependents

Depends, Imports or LinkingTo, most downloaded first

and 15 more dependents and 508 packages that suggest it on CRAN ↗

How these are counted

Code & Tests

People & History

People (5)

Jennifer Bryan

Author, Maintainer since 2.4.3 (2021) · added in 2.4.3

Winston Chang

Author · added in 0.8

Jim Hester

Author · added in 1.13.5

Hadley Wickham

Author

Posit Software, PBC

Copyright holder, Funder · added in 2.4.6

Previously maintained by Jim Hester (1.13.5 to 2.4.2) and Hadley Wickham (0.1 to 1.13.4).

Listed in earlier versions (3)

Show 3 peopleHide 3 people

R Core team

no longer listed · 0.8 to 2.3.2

Hadley Wickham <hadley@rstudio.com> [aut, cre] Winston Chang [aut]

no longer listed · 1.6 to 1.6.1

RStudio

no longer listed · 1.7.0 to 2.4.5

Releases (63)

Pick two releases to compare their code metrics.

R
R 4.6.0 released · 2026-04-24
R
R 4.5.0 released · 2025-04-11
R
R 4.4.0 released · 2024-04-24
R
R 4.3.0 released · 2023-04-21
R
R 4.2.0 released · 2022-04-22
R
R 4.1.0 released · 2021-05-18
R
R 4.0.0 released · 2020-04-24
R
R 3.6.0 released · 2019-04-26
R
R 3.5.0 released · 2018-04-23
R
R 3.4.0 released · 2017-04-21
R
R 3.3.0 released · 2016-05-03
R
R 3.2.0 released · 2015-04-16
R
R 3.1.0 released · 2014-04-10
3.0.3Latest
record
2013-11-27 · current release · diff ↗
3.0.2
record
2013-07-03 · diff ↗ ·
removed 1 export
show_rd

added 4 exports
cran_env_vars, install_local, parse_deps, r_env_vars
3.0.1
record
2013-04-16 · diff ↗ ·
added 5 exports
compiler_flags, create_description, eval_clean, evalq_clean, has_tests

Show 64 earlier eventsHide 64 earlier events

R
R 3.0.0 released · 2013-04-03
2.15.3
record
2013-02-08 · diff ↗ ·
added 1 export
with_envvar
2.15.2
record
2012-09-14 · diff ↗
2.15.1
record
2012-06-19 · diff ↗
R
R 2.15.0 released · 2012-03-30
2.14.2
record
2012-02-27 · diff ↗ ·
added 7 exports
check_cran, install_gitorious, install_url, install_version, missing_s3, source_gist, source_url
2.14.1
record
2011-12-07 · diff ↗
R
R 2.14.0 released · 2011-10-31
2.13.2
record
2011-07-23 · diff ↗
2.13.1
record
2011-06-29 · diff ↗ ·
removed 1 export
update_src

added 1 export
bash
2.5.2
record
2026-04-30 · diff ↗
2.5.1
record
2026-04-16 · diff ↗
2.5.0
record
2026-03-14 · diff ↗ ·
added 3 exports
check_doc_fields, check_mac_devel, is_loading
2.4.6
record
2025-10-03 · diff ↗
2.4.5
record
2022-10-11 · diff ↗
2.4.4
record
2022-07-20 · diff ↗
2.4.3
record
2021-11-30 · diff ↗ ·
removed 1 export
github_pat

added 1 export
check_mac_release
2.4.2
record
2021-06-07 · diff ↗
2.4.1
record
2021-05-05 · diff ↗
2.4.0
record
2021-04-07 · diff ↗ ·
removed 3 exports
check_failures, devtest, inst

added 2 exports
test_active_file, test_coverage_active_file
2.3.2
record
2020-09-18 · diff ↗
2.3.1
record
2020-07-21 · diff ↗ ·
removed 2 exports
dr_devtools, dr_github
2.3.0
record
2020-04-11 · diff ↗ ·
added 1 export
build_rmd
2.2.2
record
2020-02-17 · diff ↗
2.2.1
record
2019-09-24 · diff ↗
2.2.0
record
2019-09-07 · diff ↗ ·
added 2 exports
create, dev_sitrep
2.1.0
record
2019-07-06 · diff ↗ ·
removed 40 exports
build_win, check_cran, create, create_description, revdep_check, revdep_check_print_problems, revdep_check_reset, revdep_check_resume, revdep_check_save_summary, revdep_email, setup, system_check, system_output, use_appveyor, use_build_ignore, use_code_of_conduct, use_coverage, use_cran_badge, use_cran_comments, use_data, use_data_raw, use_dev_version, use_git, use_git_hook, use_github, use_github_links, use_gpl3_license, use_mit_license, use_news_md, use_package and 10 more
2.0.2
record
2019-04-08 · diff ↗ ·
added 1 export
find_rtools
2.0.1
record
2018-10-26 · diff ↗
2.0.0
record
2018-10-19 · diff ↗ ·
removed 35 exports
RCMD, add_path, build_github_devtools, clean_source, compile_dll, compiler_flags, dev_example, dev_help, dev_meta, eval_clean, evalq_clean, find_rtools, find_topic, get_path, imports_env, in_dir, load_code, load_data, load_dll, ns_env, on_path, package_deps, parse_ns_file, pkg_env, set_path, setup_rtools, with_collate, with_envvar, with_lib, with_libpaths and 5 more

added 14 exports
build_manual, build_readme, build_site, check_dep_version, check_rhub, check_win_devel, check_win_oldrelease, check_win_release, install_dev, install_gitlab, package_info, test_coverage, test_coverage_file, test_file
1.13.6
record
2018-06-27 · diff ↗
1.13.5
record
2018-02-18 · diff ↗
1.13.4
record
2017-11-09 · diff ↗
1.13.3
record
2017-08-02 · diff ↗
1.13.2
record
2017-06-02 · diff ↗
1.13.1
record
2017-05-13 · diff ↗
1.13.0
record
2017-05-08 · diff ↗ ·
added 1 export
use_gpl3_license
1.12.0
record
2016-12-05 · diff ↗ ·
added 4 exports
install_bioc, install_cran, install_dev_deps, use_dev_version
1.11.1
record
2016-04-21 · diff ↗ ·
added 1 export
system_output
1.11.0
record
2016-04-12 · diff ↗ ·
removed 6 exports
add_rstudio_project, add_test_infrastructure, add_travis, revdep_check_save_logs, revdep_check_summary, use_coveralls

added 7 exports
check_built, revdep_check_print_problems, revdep_check_reset, revdep_check_resume, revdep_email, spell_check, use_readme_md
1.10.0
record
2016-01-23 · diff ↗ ·
removed 2 exports
check_doc, with_env

added 5 exports
check_man, package_file, setup_rtools, use_mit_license, use_news_md
1.9.1
record
2015-09-11 · diff ↗ ·
removed 2 exports
cran_env_vars, install_gitorious

added 6 exports
check_failures, uninstall, use_coverage, use_github_links, uses_testthat, with_makevars
1.8.0
record
2015-05-09 · diff ↗ ·
added 13 exports
RCMD, dev_package_deps, dr_devtools, dr_github, package_deps, system_check, update_packages, use_code_of_conduct, use_coveralls, use_cran_badge, use_git, use_github, use_test
1.7.0
record
2015-01-17 · diff ↗ ·
added 11 exports
lint, release_checks, revdep_check_save_logs, revdep_check_save_summary, revdep_check_summary, setup, use_appveyor, use_cran_comments, use_git_hook, use_readme_rmd, use_revdep
1.6.1
record
2014-10-07 · diff ↗
1.6
record
2014-09-23 · diff ↗ ·
removed 6 exports
?, add_build_ignore, as.envlist, help, parenvs, system.file

added 16 exports
find_topic, github_pull, github_release, install_svn, session_info, submit_cran, use_build_ignore, use_data, use_data_raw, use_package, use_package_doc, use_rcpp, use_rstudio, use_testthat, use_travis, use_vignette
1.5
record
2014-04-07 · diff ↗ ·
added 8 exports
?, add_build_ignore, add_rstudio_project, add_test_infrastructure, add_travis, github_pat, help, system.file
1.4.1
record
2013-11-27 · diff ↗
1.4
record
2013-11-20 · diff ↗ ·
added 2 exports
build_github_devtools, install_deps
1.3
record
2013-07-04 · diff ↗
1.2
record
2013-04-17 · diff ↗
1.1
record
2013-02-09 · diff ↗
1.0
record
2013-01-22 · diff ↗ ·
added 3 exports
find_rtools, install_git, with_lib
0.8
record
2012-09-14 · diff ↗ ·
removed 2 exports
load_c, load_deps

added 19 exports
as.envlist, clean_dll, clean_vignettes, compile_dll, create, dev_example, dev_help, dev_meta, dev_packages, devtest, imports_env, inst, load_dll, loaded_packages, ns_env, parenvs, parse_ns_file, pkg_env, unload
0.7.1
record
2012-07-02 · diff ↗
0.7
record
2012-06-19 · diff ↗ ·
added 17 exports
add_path, get_path, in_dir, install_bitbucket, on_path, revdep, revdep_check, revdep_maintainers, set_path, with_collate, with_debug, with_env, with_libpaths, with_locale, with_options, with_par, with_path
0.6
record
2012-02-28 · diff ↗
0.5.1
record
2011-12-07 · diff ↗
0.5
record
2011-12-04 · diff ↗ ·
added 2 exports
clean_source, show_rd
0.4
record
2011-07-23 · diff ↗ ·
added 4 exports
build_win, build, check_doc, wd
0.3
record
2011-06-30 · diff ↗
0.2
record
2011-06-29 · diff ↗
0.1
record
2011-06-22
R
R 2.13.0 released · 2011-04-13

Package metadata

First published: 2011-06-22
Total releases: 63 / 15 yrs
License: MIT + file LICENSE OSI · relicensed from GPL (>= 2) in 2.4.0
Minimum R: ≥ 4.1
Download size: 403 KB

Appears in task views

Package Development and Maintenance

Cite

Cite this package

Run in R for the authors' preferred citation:

citation("devtools")

Format

Bryan, J., Posit Software, PBC, Chang, W., Hester, J., & Wickham, H. (2026). devtools: Tools to Make Developing R Packages Easier (Version 2.5.2) [Computer software]. https://doi.org/10.32614/CRAN.package.devtools

This package has no citation file, so citation() returns this entry built from DESCRIPTION.

Cite the R Observatory

For a number measured here: a download total, a coverage figure, an archival date.

Format

APA

Balamuta, J. J. (2026). R Observatory: Metrics for devtools version 2.5.2 [Data set]. HJJB, LLC. Data release v2026-10-17. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21843040

From data release v2026-10-17, which the citation names so these numbers can be found later. More on citing and the projects behind them.

Report a problem with this page →