Offline Installation of R on RedHat

Introduction

As a data scientist or analyst working with R, having the latest version of the software installed on your machine is crucial. However, in some cases, you may not have access to an internet connection, making it difficult to download and install R using traditional methods. In this article, we will explore alternative approaches for offline installation of R on RedHat.

Background

RedHat provides the EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux) repository, which includes various packages not available in the main RedHat repository. This can be a useful resource for installing software like R that has dependencies not included in the main repository. However, even with the EPEL repository, downloading and installing individual dependencies one by one can be a tedious process.

Manual Download and Installation of Dependencies

When using the EPEL repository to install R, you typically need to download and install individual dependencies manually. This involves:

1. Downloading the required packages from the EPEL repository
2. Transferring the downloaded packages to your RedHat server
3. Installing each package individually

This process can be time-consuming, especially if you need to install multiple packages. Moreover, it requires manual effort and can lead to errors if not done correctly.

Alternative Approach: Compiling R from Source

A more efficient approach is to compile R from source. This method allows you to specify all the required libraries and dependencies before starting the build process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Download the R source code from the official R website.

2. Extract the downloaded archive to a suitable location on your RedHat server.

3. Configure the build environment by running ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/r. This command specifies the installation directory (--prefix) and enables the build process.

   • The --prefix option tells configure where to install R, which is useful for avoiding conflicts with existing installations.
   • By default, configure uses a specific set of libraries and dependencies. If you need additional packages, you can specify them using the -l option (e.g., ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/r -libltdl -llibgc).

4. Compile R by running make. This command builds the entire R distribution.

5. Install R by running make install. This command installs R in the specified location and sets up the necessary environment variables.

Additional Steps: Updating Libraries and Dependencies

After compiling and installing R, you may need to update libraries and dependencies to ensure they are compatible with your system. Here’s how:

1. Check for available packages using rpm --list. This command lists all installed RPMs on your RedHat server.

2. Install required packages using yum or dnf, depending on the package manager used on your RedHat server.

   • Use yum install <package> for older RedHat versions (pre-RedHat Enterprise Linux 8).
   • Use dnf install <package> for newer RedHat versions (RedHat Enterprise Linux 8 and later).

3. Verify package installations using rpm --query or dnf list installed. This command checks if the required packages are installed on your system.

Conclusion

Offline installation of R on RedHat can be achieved by compiling the software from source. By specifying all necessary libraries and dependencies during the build process, you can avoid manual download and installation of individual dependencies. Additionally, updating libraries and dependencies ensures compatibility with your system.

While this approach may require more effort upfront, it offers a cleaner and more efficient way to install R on RedHat without an internet connection.

Last modified on 2024-01-15