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Getting Started#

This chapter introduces you to the workflow for installing Posit Connect, managing the server, and performing some initial configuration. We built this checklist to guide you through that process.

Off-Host Execution (Public Beta)

If you are looking for instructions on how to get started with the off-host execution feature for executing content on Kubernetes with containers, please see our official documentation.

  1. Install Posit Connect
  2. Configure Server.Address *
  3. Configure Authentication *
  4. Restart Posit Connect
  5. Sign into Posit Connect
  6. Configure email sending *
  7. Install R (optional)
  8. Install Python (optional)
  9. Install Quarto (optional)
  10. Install TensorFlow Dependencies (optional)

Additionally, if you want to integrate Posit Package Manager or Posit Cloud, then please refer to:

*Items marked with an * are installed and initially configured using the Posit Connect Setup Tool.

Installation#

There are three ways to install Posit Connect:

Setup Assistant Installation#

The Posit Connect Setup Tool is the best way to install and get started with Posit Connect. The Setup Tool provides a user-friendly UI to install, initially configure, test, and deploy Connect to your environment. The Setup Tool uses a script that works across all supported Linux distributions, validates the cryptographic signature of the downloaded package, and includes support for offline use.

The Setup Tool installs Posit Connect and helps you set up basic configuration options, including:

  • Licensing
  • Authentication
  • Environments: R and Python Installations
  • Recommended System Packages
  • Email: SMTP
  • Databases: SQLite or PostgreSQL
  • Version Control
  • Posit Package Manager
  • Posit Cloud

Supported Features

The full list of supported features that can be configured using the Setup Tool is provided here.

Installation procedures#

To install Posit Connect, follow the Install Posit Connect installation procedures.

Initial Configuration#

Once Posit Connect is installed, there are several configuration options that are available. This section provides an example of how you would manually edit the Posit Connect configuration file to configure the public URL of your server.

Setup Tool - Post Installation procedures#

Following the initial configuration of Posit Connect using the Setup Tool, we recommend completing several integration steps and verification tasks.

Editing the Configuration File#

RStudio is now Posit

Our professional products have been renamed to Posit Connect, Posit Workbench, and Posit Package Manager. Some references to RStudio and rstudio-connect will remain as we transition through the rebrand.

Posit Connect is controlled primarily by the /etc/rstudio-connect/rstudio-connect.gcfg configuration file.

Edit this file to make server-wide configuration changes to the system. Learn about its file format and available options in the Configuration Appendix.

Although the Setup Tool configures the Server.Address property during the installation, we are going to manually configure the Server.Address server property in the following section to provide an example of how to edit the Posit Connect configuration file.

Server Address#

The Server.Address property is the public URL used to access the server. This setting lets email include links pointing back to your server.

Note

Whenever Posit Connect is deployed behind a proxy, you must configure Server.Address with the proxied location and not the local hostname of the Connect server.

Server.Address must contain hostname and port when your installation uses a non-standard port. You do not need to include port for an https:// URL on the standard HTTPS port 443 or an http:// URL on the standard HTTP port 80.

Here is a sample configuration with Server.Address:

; /etc/rstudio-connect/rstudio-connect.gcfg
[Server]
Address = https://posit-connect.company.com/

Here is a sample configuration with Posit Connect using a non-standard port:

; /etc/rstudio-connect/rstudio-connect.gcfg
[Server]
Address = http://posit-connect.company.com:3939/

This example has Posit Connect available underneath a specific URL path. You may have this situation when Connect is accessed through a proxy:

; /etc/rstudio-connect/rstudio-connect.gcfg
[Server]
SenderEmail = posit-connect@company.com
Address = https://proxy.company.com/connect/

Important

Please use a publicly available URL (like the one you set in Server.Address) when connecting rsconnect or the RStudio IDE to your Posit Connect server. If a non-public address (e.g., localhost) is used for publishing content, rsconnect will not be able to automatically open the published content in the user's browser.

Restart Posit Connect after altering the rstudio-connect.gcfg configuration file:

Terminal

sudo systemctl restart rstudio-connect

Info

Your platform may use alternate commands to restart Posit Connect. Please see the Stopping and Starting section for instructions specific to your operating system version.

Sign In!#

Use a web browser to visit the Posit Connect dashboard. This has a default location of http://your-connect-server:3939/. Click the Sign In link. If you are using an external authentication provider, specify your login credentials. If you are using password authentication, follow the Create a new account link and configure your account.

Info

The first account will be marked as an Posit Connect administrator.

Email Sending#

The email features in Posit Connect are disabled unless email sending is properly configured. In this state notifications that would be sent via email will only be visible in the logs. Also, the built-in authentication will not be able to rely on emails for account confirmation or password reset. These operations will instead require an administrator to act as an intermediary.

For additional information about the available email sending methods and configurations, please review the documentation for the following:

The Server.Address property must be configured for email sending.

After adjusting your email configuration, you must restart Posit Connect (see Stopping and Starting) and then send yourself a test message.

Sign into the Posit Connect dashboard as an administrator and visit the Admin>Mail Settings page. Use the Send Test Email button to send yourself a message. Once that message arrives, you know that Posit Connect is ready to send email.

Need Help?#

Posit provides professional support pursuant to our Support Agreement.

Please see our Support documentation for information such as opening an support ticket.

Copyright © Posit Software, PBC. All Rights Reserved