Integrating RStudio Connect with Python#

These instructions describe how to install and integrate Python with RStudio Connect.

Once you configure Python with RStudio Connect, users can publish the following content:

Jupyter Notebooks
Flask applications
FastAPI applications
Plotly Dash applications
Streamlit applications
Bokeh applications
Mixed R and Python content using the reticulate package

Step 1. Install Python#

Note

The minimum Python version supported by RStudio Connect is now 3.5. Configuration files that include Python 2, or Python 3 versions prior to 3.5, will cause an error during Connect startup.

Install Python on the RStudio Connect server following the documented steps to Install Python.

Info

Our recommended installation instructions for Python allow you to make multiple versions of Python available and avoid replacing existing versions of Python when updating system packages.

Step 2. Install requirements for Python APIs and interactive applications#

Python APIs and interactive applications require the libev development package to be installed:
RHEL/CentOSUbuntuSUSE
$ sudo yum install libev-devel
$ sudo apt install libev-dev
$ sudo zypper install libev-devel

Info

Additional RPM repositories may be required to install libev-devel on CentOS 6. Please note that RStudio no longer supports CentOS 6.

Step 3. Configure Python in RStudio Connect#

Enable Python in RStudio Connect by adding a [Python] section to the RStudio Connect configuration file. This section should contain an Executable option that refers to the location of the Python executable.

For example, if you installed Python 3.7.7 on the RStudio Connect server, then your configuration file would appear as:
File: /etc/rstudio-connect/rstudio-connect.gcfg
```
[Python]
Enabled = true
Executable = /opt/python/3.7.7/bin/python
```

(Optional) Install additional versions of Python#

To make additional versions of Python available alongside existing versions, repeat the above steps to install a different version of Python to other locations.
Then, add a new line to the RStudio Connect configuration file with the Executable option for each additional version of Python that you installed.

For example, if you installed Python 3.6.5, 3.8.9 and 3.7.7 on the RStudio Connect server, then your configuration file would appear as:
File: /etc/rstudio-connect/rstudio-connect.gcfg
```
[Python]
Enabled = true
Executable = /opt/python/3.8.9/bin/python
Executable = /opt/python/3.6.5/bin/python
Executable = /opt/python/3.7.7/bin/python
```

Additional Information#

For more information on best practices for end users when working with Python and RStudio Connect, refer to the support article on Best Practices for using Python with RStudio Connect.