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Delivering Shiny Apps
Once you've written your Shiny app, tested it locally, and gotten it working just right, chances are you're going to want to share your work with others.
You have several options:
Gist
One easy way is to put your code on gist.github.com, a code pasteboard service from GitHub. Both server.R and ui.R must be included in the same gist, and you must use their proper filenames. See https://gist.github.com/3239667 for an example.
Your recipient must have R and the Shiny package installed, and then running the app is as easy as entering the following command:
shiny::runGist('3239667')In place of '3239667' you will use your gist's ID; or, you can use the entire URL of the gist (e.g. 'https://gist.github.com/3239667').
Pros
- Source code is easily visible by recipient (if desired)
- Easy to run (for R users)
- Easy to post and update
Cons
- Code is published to a third-party server
Zip File
Another way is to simply zip up your project directory and send it to your recipient(s), where they can unzip the file and run it the same way you do (shiny::runApp).
Pros
- Share apps using e-mail, USB flash drive, or any other way you can transfer a file
Cons
- Updates to app must be sent manually
Package
If your Shiny app is useful to a broader audience, it might be worth the effort to turn it into an R package. Put your Shiny application directory under the package's inst directory, then create and export a function that contains something like this:
shiny::runApp(system.file('appdir', package='packagename'))where appdir is the name of your app's subdirectory in inst, and packagename is the name of your package.
Pros
- Publishable on CRAN
- Easy to run (for R users)
Cons
- More work to set up
- Source code is visible by recipient (if not desired)
Over the web (self hosted)
You can deploy Shiny applications over the web, so that users need only a web browser and your application's URL. You'll need a Linux server and our Shiny Server software.
Shiny Server is free and open source, though in the future we will offer a commercially licensed edition with additional features for larger organizations. If you'd like to be notified of future beta releases of Shiny Server, please register now.
Pros
- Easiest for your users—only a web browser is required
- Take advantage of centralized computing resources
Cons
- Requires server setup and maintenance of a Linux server
Over the web (RStudio hosted)
Want to deploy over the web but prefer not to run your own server? We're currently beta testing a subscription-based hosting service for Shiny. To apply for a free beta test account, register now.
Pros
- Easiest for your users—only a web browser is required
- No need to run your own server
Cons
- Code and data must be copied to our servers