You’ve Been Waiting for Native Mobile Apps with R? The Wait Is Over.
If you’re unfamiliar, webR is a WebAssembly compilation of R. In simpler terms, it enables R to run within JavaScript environments. If you are familiar, you know it’s a bit more nuanced—but let’s keep it straightforward for now.
I’m convinced that webR will redefine how we create apps that harness the power of R. And today, we’re taking the next big step: native mobile apps.
Until now, serving mobile apps with R code has been mainly done through to {shiny}, particularly with {shinyMobile}. But these aren’t native mobile apps. They:
This is where webR comes in. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been developing a mobile app that runs R. Natively, with no R server required, and working on Android and iPhone.
Your guesses are stored locally in SQLite, and the app features a second tab displaying a chart that visualizes your performance.
Of course, the goal of this game is not to learn by heart all R functions. Its purpose is to showcase that it’s now possible to have a native-feeling mobile app with R inside. Responsive, user-friendly, and equipped with mobile features like vibrations and offline support. Yes, you can turn your plane mode on and still use the app fully.
