How to Use Pins for R Programming

Pins in R programming allow data to be saved and shared conveniently. Here is an overview that aids your project data tasks.

With R programming comes data, and while some tools like the Environment in RStudio can help identify the objects being used, analysts sometimes need a temporary storage space for associated projects and files. This is where pins are helpful as a temporary storage solution.

Pins, the function from the R package of the same name, is a convenient way to cache data objects for later usage or sharing across projects when working with teams. Pins are designed to host small datasets or reference tables that don’t quite merit being in a database, yet need to persist in a storage medium more expansive than a spreadsheet. Version 1.0 was introduced in 2021, with 1.1 published by Julia Silge in January 2023. The current version is 1.3.

If you already have a shared drive with your teammates, you may be wondering “What is different about the value pins can provide?”

The value lies in update management. Think of this question — — How can you keep a team easily up-to-speed on the need to replace the dataset with a new one? Moreover, how do you let everyone know about the new version to avoid confusion? Is the latest…