Install a package in R

But first, what’s a package and why do we need it?

• A package, in R is like a toolbox for working with R

• Packages provide tools such as functions which help you make use of all R can do

A function may

• calculate the sum of numbers
• make a plot with your data
• help you filter and sort your data
• make maps with your data
• and a lot more!

• Almost everything in R is done through functions
• Functions manipulate objects
• An object is anything that can be assigned to a variable name

An object may be:

• your Event Data which you bring into R and assign to the variable name event so you can reference it in your code
• your plot
• numbers, characters, and other types of data structures
• it may even be another function!

• R already has many inbuilt functions, so packages extend what you can do in R.