Packages Pane

Install, update, and uninstall packages in your active R or Python session without leaving Positron. Browse installed packages and search package repositories.

The Packages pane provides an interface for managing the packages installed in your active R or Python session. You can browse installed packages, search package repositories, and install, update, or uninstall packages without leaving Positron.

Open the Packages pane

The Packages pane appears in the Primary Side Bar. If it is not already displayed, select the Packages icon in the Activity Bar, or run View: Packages from the Command Palette ().

Browse installed packages

The Packages pane lists packages installed in the active session’s library. Each entry shows the package name, version, and an indicator of whether the package is currently attached. There are also buttons to open the package’s documentation in the Help pane and, when the package has a documentation site, its website in your browser.

Use the filter input at the top of the pane to search by name. The filter menu also lets you limit the list to Outdated or Attached packages, and sort entries by name.

A package is “attached” when you have explicitly loaded it into the active session, with library() in R or import in Python. A package that is only present because another package pulled it in as a dependency is not attached.

Install a package

  1. Select Install Package in the Packages pane action bar, or run Packages: Install Package from the Command Palette.
  2. Enter a package name to search the configured repository.
  3. Select a package and version from the results to install it into the active session.

Update packages

Positron flags packages as outdated when a newer version is available in the configured repository. To update an outdated package, select it in the list, then select Update Package in the action bar. To update every outdated package at once, select Update All Packages in the action bar.

You can also run Packages: Update Package or Packages: Update All Packages from the Command Palette.

Uninstall a package

Select a package in the list, then select Uninstall Package in the action bar, or run Packages: Uninstall Package from the Command Palette.

After installing, updating, or uninstalling a package, Positron prompts you to restart the session so the changes take effect.

Commands

All Packages actions are available from the Command Palette (). Type Packages: to see the full list, including commands to install, update, uninstall, and refresh packages.

Settings

General

Missing packages

Python packages

  • python.packageManager.useRequirementsFile: Use the workspace root requirements.txt file (when present) as the source of truth for install and update operations from the Packages pane. When disabled, changes resolve against the currently installed packages instead.

R packages

  • packages.r.installer: Which installer to use for R packages (auto, pak, or base). Projects using renv always use renv.
  • packages.r.renvAutoSnapshot: When using renv, automatically run renv::snapshot() after installing, updating, or removing packages to keep renv.lock in sync.

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