An R file is a script written in R, a programming language used for statistical analysis and graphing purposes. It contains code that can be executed within the R software environment. R files may include commands that create objects (functions, values, etc.) and produce visualizations of the computed data.

R file open in RStudio 1.2.5 You will most likely only encounter R scripts if you work in a field that focuses on statistical analysis and uses the R programming language to develop data analysis programs. The R and RStudio programs are typically used to open R files since they provide helpful IDE tools. You can also use a plain text editor to view the contents of an R script. This is especially helpful for users unsure of what the R file contains. If this pertains to you, open the file with Microsoft Notepad in Windows or Apple TextEdit in macOS to examine what is stored in the file. Both of these text editors come bundled with their respective operating systems.