Getting started with shinylaunchR

shinylaunchR is a cross-platform desktop launchpad for R/Shiny apps. It shows a grid of app tiles; clicking one opens that app in its own native window while R runs headless in the background. shinylaunchR is not an R package — it is an Electron application that manages R as a subprocess.

Install

Download the installer for your platform from the Releases page and run it. The app ships unsigned by default, so your OS may show a warning on first launch — see the Why the security warning? note below.

The three app families

Each section ends in its own + tile that opens the Add dialog pre-set to that family.

Packages — a Shiny app shipped as an R package (CRAN or a GitHub package repo). You provide the source, the package name, and the launcher function (e.g. mp_run_app), which is called as pkg::fun(). Tiles use the package's real hex logo when it has one, otherwise a colored hex.
Shiny apps — non-package Shiny files: an uploaded .zip, a local folder, a zip URL, a gist, or a GitHub source repo (app.R, or ui.R + server.R). Files are staged into a private directory and run with shiny::runApp().
Hosted URLs — a Shiny app already running somewhere (shinyapps.io, Connect, …). Paste the https:// address; nothing is installed.

Add and launch an app

Click + Add app (or the + tile in a section).
Pick a source and fill in the required fields for that family.
For packages and Shiny-file apps, shinylaunchR installs dependencies into its private managed library and shows live progress in the log console.
When the tile turns green, click it to launch. The app opens in a dedicated window with its own taskbar entry; R runs headless behind it.
Close the window to stop that app's R process.

Only add Shiny-file and hosted-URL apps you trust — their R code runs, or their remote page loads, when launched.

R runtime

shinylaunchR detects R on your system or downloads a managed copy from CRAN onto your machine. Use R Runtime in the menu to check status, (re-)bootstrap a managed R, point at an existing installation, or open the library folder.

Why the security warning?

Releases ship unsigned by default, so Windows SmartScreen or macOS Gatekeeper may warn on first launch. This is expected for unsigned open-source software; you can review the source on GitHub and click past the prompt. No telemetry is collected and all data stays local.