How to Install R 4.4 on Linux Mint
For those using Linux Mint, getting the latest version of R can sometimes feel like a challenge, especially when dependencies aren’t fully met. R 4.4 comes with a host of updates and improvements, so upgrading to the latest version is definitely worth the effort. This guide will walk you through the steps required to install R 4.4 correctly on Linux Mint, addressing common issues along the way.
Step 1: Add the CRAN Repository
The first step in installing R 4.4 is to add the CRAN repository. CRAN (Comprehensive R Archive Network) is where R and many of its packages are maintained. Since Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, you will be using the Ubuntu repositories.
Open a terminal and run the following commands:
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install --no-install-recommends software-properties-common dirmngr
Next, you will need to add the public key for the CRAN repository:
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sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys '95C0FAF38DB3CCAD0C080A7BDC78B2DDEABC47B7'
Now, add the CRAN repository for Ubuntu Focal (20.04) which is compatible with Linux Mint 20.x or 21.x:
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sudo add-apt-repository 'deb <https://cloud.r-project.org/bin/linux/ubuntu> focal-cran40/'
Step 2: Update Your Package List
After adding the repository, you’ll need to update your package list to ensure your system is aware of the new software sources:
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sudo apt update
Step 3: Install R 4.4
Now, you can proceed to install R 4.4. The following command will install both the base R system and the development package, which is useful if you plan to compile R packages:
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sudo apt install r-base r-base-dev
Step 4: Resolving Common Issues
At this stage, you may encounter issues with unmet dependencies, such as missing libraries like libicu66 or libtiff5. These dependencies are often required by R but may not be available in the latest versions of Linux Mint.
Fixing Broken Packages
If you encounter an error about broken packages, you can attempt to resolve it by running:
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sudo apt --fix-broken install
This will try to automatically fix the issue by installing any missing dependencies.
Manually Installing Dependencies
If the automatic fix doesn’t work, you may need to install the required libraries manually. You can do this by adding an Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal) repository temporarily, as this version of Ubuntu contains the missing dependencies.
First, add the Ubuntu Focal repository:
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sudo add-apt-repository 'deb <http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu> focal main universe'
sudo apt update
Now, install the required libraries:
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sudo apt install libicu66 libtiff5
Step 5: Finish Installing R
Once the dependencies are resolved, you can retry the R installation:
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sudo apt install r-base
Step 6: Clean Up
After successfully installing R, it’s a good idea to remove the temporary Ubuntu Focal repository to avoid potential conflicts during future updates:
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sudo add-apt-repository --remove 'deb <http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu> focal main universe'
sudo apt update
Step 7: Verify the Installation
Finally, verify that R 4.4 has been installed by checking the version:
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R --version
This should display information about R 4.4 if the installation was successful.