A Timeline History of R

A record of some more or less important events in the history of R.

An R banner.

This is a work in progress. The information is cobbled together from a range of sources. If you have pertinent items to add, please let me know via the comments.

-2026: - RStudio-2026.01.1 “Apple Blossom” (2026-02-19) - RStudio-2026.01.0 “Apple Blossom” (2026-01-06) - 2025: - R-4.5.2 “[Not] Part in a Rumble” (2025-10-31) - RStudio-2025.09.2 “Cucumberleaf Sunflower” (2025-10-30) - EARL (Brighton, UK) - RStudio-2025.09.1 “Cucumberleaf Sunflower” (2025-10-01) - posit::conf (Atlanta, GA, USA) - RStudio-2025.09.0 “Cucumberleaf Sunflower” (2025-09-12) - useR! (Durham, North Carolina, USA) - R-4.5.1 “Great Square Root” (2025-06-13) - RStudio-2025.05.1 “Mariposa Orchid” (2025-06-05) - RStudio-2025.05.0 “Mariposa Orchid” (2025-05-05) - R-4.5.0 “How About a Twenty-Six” (2025-04-11) - 2024: - RStudio-2024.12.1 “Kousa Dogwood” (2025-02-13) - RStudio-2024.12.0 “Kousa Dogwood” (2024-12-16) - RStudio-2024.09.1 “Cranberry Hibiscus” (2024-11-04) - R-4.4.2 “Pile of Leaves” (2024-10-31) - RStudio-2024.09.0 “Cranberry Hibiscus” (2024-09-23) - R-4.4.1 “Race for Your Life” (2024-06-14) - RStudio-2024.04.2 “Chocolate Cosmos” (2024-06-10) - RStudio-2024.04.1 “Chocolate Cosmos” (2024-05-13) - RStudio-2024.04.0 “Chocolate Cosmos” (2024-04-29) - R-4.4.0 “Puppy Cup” (2024-04-24) - useR! (Salzburg, Austria) - EARL (Brighton, UK) - posit::conf (Seattle, WA, USA) - R/Finance (Chicago, IL, USA) - New York R Conference (New York, NY, USA) - satRday (2024-04-27, London, UK) - R-4.3.3 “Angel Food Cake” (2024-02-29) - RStudio-2023.12.1 “Ocean Storm” (2024-01-29) - 2023: - RStudio-2023.12.0 “Ocean Storm” (2023-12-15) - R-4.3.2 “Eye Holes” (2023-10-31) - RStudio-2023.09.1 “Desert Sunflower” (2023-10-17) - RStudio-2023.09.0 “Desert Sunflower” (2023-09-25) - RStudio-2023.06.2 “Mountain Hydrangea” (2023-08-24) - RStudio-2023.06.1 “Mountain Hydrangea” (2023-07-07) - R-4.3.1 “Beagle Scouts” (2023-06-16) - RStudio-2023.06.0 “Mountain Hydrangea” (2023-06-08) - RStudio-2023.03.1 “Cherry Blossom” (2023-05-12) - R-4.3.0 “Already Tomorrow” (2023-04-21) - RStudio-2023.03.0 “Cherry Blossom” (2023-03-16) - R-4.2.3 “Shortstop Beagle” (2023-03-15) - satRday (2023-04-22, King’s College, London, UK) - R/Basel (2023-07-21, Basel, Switzerland) - posit::conf (Chicago, IL, USA) - R/Finance (Chicago, IL, USA) - 2022: - RStudio-2022.12.0 “Elsbeth Geranium” (2022-12-15) - R-4.2.2 “Innocent and Trusting” (2022-10-31) - RStudio-2022.07.2 “Spotted Wakerobin” (2022-09-21) - RStudio-2022.07.1 “Spotted Wakerobin” (2022-07-25) - RStudio-2022.07.0 “Spotted Wakerobin” (2022-07-07) - R-4.2.1 “Funny-Looking Kid” (2022-06-23) - RStudio-2022.02.3 “Prairie Trillium” (2022-06-02) - RStudio-2022.02.2 “Prairie Trillium” (2022-04-27) - RStudio-2021.09.3 “Ghost Orchid” (2022-04-20) - R-4.2.0 “Vigorous Calisthenics” (2022-04-22) - RStudio-2022.02.1 “Prairie Trillium” (2022-03-23) - R-4.1.3 “One Push-Up” (2022-03-10) - RStudio-2022.02.0 “Prairie Trillium” (2022-02-16) - RStudio-2021.09.2 “Ghost Orchid” (2022-01-04) - 2021: - The R Journal (13/2) - RStudio-2021.09.1 “Ghost Orchid” (2021-11-09) - R-4.1.2 “Bird Hippie” (2021-11-01) - RStudio-2021.09.0 “Ghost Orchid” (2021-09-27) - EARL (2021-09-10) - R-4.1.1 “Kick Things” (2021-08-10) - useR! (Zurich, Switzerland)

- <kbd class="bg-primary">RStudio-1.4.1717</kbd> "Juliet Rose" (2021-06-01)

- The R Journal ([13/1](https://journal.r-project.org/archive/2021-1/))

- <kbd>R-4.1.0</kbd> "Camp Pontanezen" (2021-05-18)

- <kbd>R-4.0.5</kbd> "Shake and Throw" (2021-03-31)

- <kbd class="bg-primary">RStudio-1.4.1106</kbd> "Tiger Daylily" (2021-02-22)

- <kbd>R-4.0.4</kbd> "Lost Library Book" (2021-02-15)
- [`rstudio::global`](https://www.rstudio.com/conference/) (2021-01-21)

- <kbd class="bg-primary">RStudio-1.4.1103</kbd> "Wax Begonia" (2021-01-20)

• 2020:

  • The R Journal (12/2)

  • R-4.0.3 “Bunny-Wunnies Freak Out” (2020-10-10)

  • RStudio-1.3.1093 “Apricot Nasturtium” (2020-09-18)

  • RStudio-1.3.1073 “Giant Goldenrod” (2020-08-11)

  • RStudio-1.3.1056 “Water Lily” (2020-07-15)

  • R-4.0.2 “Taking Off Again” (2020-06-22)

  • R-4.0.1 “See Things Now” (2020-06-06)

  • RStudio-1.3.959 “Middlemist Red” (2020-05-22)

  • R-4.0.0 “Arbor Day” (2020-04-24)

  • RStudio-1.2.5042 “Double Marigold” (2020-04-13)

  • R-3.6.3 “Holding the Windsock” (2020-02-29)

  • satRday (2020-03-07, Johannesburg, South Africa)

  • satRday (Neuchâtel, Switzerland)

  • satRday (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

  • satRday (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)

  • satRday (Auckland, New Zealand)

  • eRum (Milan, Italy)

  • New York R Conference (New York, NY, USA)

  • R/Finance (Chicago, IL, USA)

  • rstudio::conf (San Francisco, CA, USA)

  • Why R? (Warsaw, Poland)

  • useR! (St. Louis, MO, USA)

  • The R Journal (12/1)

• 2019:

  • R-3.6.2 “Dark and Stormy Night” (2019-12-12)

  • RStudio-1.2.5033 “Orange Blossom” (2019-12-17)

  • RStudio-1.2.5019 “Elderflower” (2019-11-01)

  • RStudio-1.2.5001 (2019-09-19)

  • R-3.6.1 “Action of the Toes” (2019-07-05)

  • R-3.6.0 “Planting of a Tree” (2019-04-26)

  • RStudio-1.2.1335 (2019-04-08)

  • R-3.5.3 “Great Truth” (2019-03-11)

  • useR! (Toulouse, France)

  • satRday (2019-11-16, Cardiff, UK)

  • satRday (2019-05-25, Kampala, Uganda)

  • satRday (2019-05-18, Gdansk, Poland)

  • satRday (2019-06-15, Berlin, Germany)

  • satRday (2019-04-27, Chicago)

  • satRday (2019-04-06, Johannesburg, South Africa)

  • satRday (2019-04-06, Los Angeles, USA)

  • satRday (2019-04-06, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)

  • satRday (2019-02-23, Paris, France)

  • Why R? (Warsaw, Poland)

  • rstudio::conf (Austin, TX, USA)

  • The R Journal (11/2)

  • The R Journal (11/1)

• 2018:
  • R-3.5.2 “Eggshell Igloo” (2018-12-20)
  • RStudio-1.1.463 (2018-10-18)
  • RStudio-1.1.456 (2018-07-19)
  • R-3.5.1 “Feather Spray” (2018-07-02)
  • RStudio-1.1.453 (2018-05-16)
  • R-3.5.0 “Joy in Playing” (2018-04-23)
  • RStudio-1.1.447 (2018-04-18)
  • R-3.4.4 “Someone to Lean On” (2018-03-15)
  • RStudio-1.1.442 (2018-03-12)
  • RStudio-1.1.423 (2018-02-07)
  • RStudio-1.1.419 (2018-01-24)
  • eRum (Budapest, Hungary)
  • useR! (Brisbane, Australia)
  • R/Finance (Chicago, IL, USA)
  • satRday (Cape Town, South Africa)
  • satRday (Cardiff, Wales)
  • satRday (Belgrade, Serbia)
  • rstudio::conf (San Diego, CA, USA)
  • The R Journal (10/2)
  • The R Journal (10/1)
• 2017:
  • R-3.4.3 “Kite-Eating Tree” (2017-11-30)
  • RStudio-1.1.383 (2017-10-09)
  • R-3.4.2 “Short Summer” (2017-09-28)
  • RStudio-1.0.153 (2017-07-20)
  • R-3.4.1 “Single Candle” (2017-06-30)
  • R-3.4.0 “You Stupid Darkness” (2017-04-21)
  • RStudio-1.0.143 (2017-04-19)
  • R-3.3.3 “Another Canoe” (2017-03-06)
  • useR! (Brussels, Belgium)
  • satRday (Cape Town, South Africa)
  • EARL (London; Boston, MA, USA; San Francisco, CA, USA)
  • R/Finance (Chicago, IL, USA)
  • rstudio::conf (Kissmmee, FL, USA)
  • The R Journal (9/2)
  • The R Journal (9/1)
• 2016:
  • R-3.3.2 “Sincere Pumpkin Patch” (2016-10-31)
  • RStudio-0.99.903 (2016-07-18)
  • R-3.3.1 “Bug in Your Hair” (2016-06-21)
  • RStudio-0.99.902 (2016-05-26)
  • R-3.3.0 “Supposedly Educational” (2016-05-03)
  • R-3.2.5 “Very, Very Secure Dishes” (2016-04-14)
  • R-3.2.4 “Very Secure Dishes” (2016-03-10)
  • RStudio-1.0.136 (2016-12-21)
  • RStudio-1.0.44 (2016-11-01)
  • useR! (Stanford, CA, USA)
  • satRday (Budapest, Hungary)
  • EARL (London; Boston, MA, USA)
  • R/Finance (Chicago, IL, USA)
  • The R Journal (8/2)
  • The R Journal (8/1)
  • A new logo for R
• 2015:

  • R Consortium founded

  • R-3.2.3 “Wooden Christmas-Tree” (2015-12-10)

  • R-3.2.2 “Fire Safety” (2015-08-14)

  • R-3.2.1 “World-Famous Astronaut” (2015-06-18)

  • RStudio-0.98.507 (2015-04-25)

  • R-3.2.0 “Full of Ingredients” (2015-04-16)

  • R-3.1.3 “Smooth Sidewalk” (2015-03-09)

  • RStudio-0.98.1103 (2015-03-06)

  • useR! (Aalborg, Denmark)

  • The R Journal (7/2)

  • The R Journal (7/1)

• 2014:
  • R-3.1.2 “Pumpkin Helmet” (2014-10-31)
  • R-3.1.1 “Sock it to Me” (2014-07-10)
  • R-3.1.0 “Spring Dance” (2014-04-10)
  • R-3.0.3 “Warm Puppy” (2014-03-06)
  • useR! (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
  • The R Journal (6/2)
  • The R Journal (6/1)
• 2013:
  • R-3.0.2 “Frisbee Sailing” (2013-09-25)
  • R-3.0.1 “Good Sport” (2013-05-16)
  • RStudio-0.97.551 (2013-05-11)
  • R-3.0.0 “Masked Marvel” (2013-04-03)
  • R-2.15.3 “Security Blanket” (2013-03-01)
  • useR! (Albacete, Spain)
  • The R Journal (5/2)
  • The R Journal (5/1)
• 2012:
  • R-2.15.2 “Trick or Treat” (2012-10-26)
  • RStudio-0.96.331 (2012-08-27)
  • R-2.15.1 “Roasted Marshmallows” (2012-06-22)
  • RStudio-0.95.265 (2012-04-05)
  • R-2.15.0 “Easter Beagle” (2012-03-30)
  • R-2.14.2 “Gift-Getting Season” (2012-02-29)
  • useR! (Nashville, TN, USA)
  • The R Journal (4/2)
  • The R Journal (4/1)
• 2011:
  • R-2.14.1 “December Snowflakes” (2011-12-22)
  • R-2.14.0 “Great Pumpkin” (2011-10-31)
  • RStudio-0.94.110 (2011-10-03)
  • R-2.13.2 (2011-09-30)
  • R-2.13.1 (2011-07-08)
  • R-2.13.0 (2011-04-13)
  • RStudio-0.93.73 (2011-04-11)
  • RStudio-0.92.23 (2011-02-28) - First release
  • R-2.12.2 (2011-02-25)
  • useR! (Coventry, UK)
  • The R Journal (3/2)
  • The R Journal (3/1)
• 2010:
  • R-2.12.1 (2010-12-16)
  • R-2.12.0 (2010-10-15)
  • R-2.11.1 (2010-05-31)
  • R-2.11.0 (2010-04-22)
  • useR! (Gaithersburg, MD, USA)
  • The R Journal (2/2)
  • The R Journal (2/1)
• 2009:x
  • R-2.10.1 (2009-12-14)
  • R-2.10.0 (2009-10-26)
  • R-2.9.2 (2009-08-24)
  • R-2.9.1 (2009-06-26)
  • R-2.9.0 (2009-04-17)
  • The R Journal established
  • useR! (Rennes, France)
  • The R Journal (1/2)
  • The R Journal (1/1)
• 2008:
  • R-2.8.1 (2008-12-22)
  • R-2.8.0 (2008-10-20)
  • R-2.7.2 (2008-08-25)
  • R-2.7.1 (2008-06-23)
  • R-2.7.0 (2008-04-22)
  • R-2.6.2 (2008-02-08)
  • useR! (Dortmund, Germany)
• 2007:
  • R-2.6.1 (2007-11-26)
  • R-2.6.0 (2007-10-03)
  • R-2.5.1 (2007-06-28)
  • R-2.5.0 (2007-04-24)
  • useR! (Ames, IA, USA)
• 2006:
  • R-2.4.1 (2006-12-18)
  • R-2.4.0 (2006-10-03)
  • R-2.3.1 (2006-06-01)
  • R-2.3.0 (2006-04-24)
  • useR! (Vienna, Austria)
• 2005:
  • R-2.2.1 (2005-12-20)
  • R-2.2.0 (2005-10-06)
  • R-2.1.1 (2005-06-20)
  • R-2.1.0 (2005-04-19)
• 2004:
  • R-2.0.1 (2004-11-15)
  • R-2.0.0 (2004-10-04)
  • useR! (Vienna, Austria)
• 2003:
  • R-1.9.1 (2004-06-21)
  • R-1.9.0 (2004-04-12)
  • R-1.8.1 (2003-11-21)
  • R-1.8.0 (2003-10-08)
  • R-1.7.1 (2003-06-16)
  • R-1.7.0 (2003-04-16)
  • R-1.6.2 (2003-01-10)
  • R Foundation founded
• 2002:
  • R-1.6.1 (2002-11-01)
  • R-1.6.0 (2002-10-01)
  • R-1.5.1 (2002-06-17)
  • R-1.5.0 (2002-04-29)
  • R-1.4.1 (2002-01-30)
• 2001:
  • R-1.4.0 (2001-12-19)
  • R-1.3.1 (2001-08-31)
  • R-1.3.0 (2001-06-22)
  • R-1.2.3 (2001-04-26)
  • R-1.2.2 (2001-02-26)
  • R-1.2.1 (2001-01-15)
• 2000:
  • R-1.2.0 (2000-12-15)
  • R-1.1.1 (2000-08-15)
  • R-1.1.0 (2000-06-15)
  • R-1.0.1 (2000-04-14)
  • R-1.0.0 (2000-02-29)
• 1999:
  • Functions for installing packages from CRAN
  • r-project.org domain created
  • 1997:
  • R core group formed
  • The birth of CRAN
  • R becomes part of the GNU Project
• 1996:
  • r-testers mailing list started
• 1995:
  • R released as Open-Source Software
• 1993:
  • Started as a research project (Auckland, New Zealand)
  • Initial work announced on the s-news mailing list

Sources

• Over 16 years of R Project history
• Conferences
• The R Project for Statistical Computing
• The R Journal
• R: Past and Future History
• R (programming language) on Wikipedia