RStudio

RStudio does not support the Language Server Protocol, but you can still use Air as an external formatter.

Installation

Ensure you have at least RStudio version 2024.12.0, which you can download from here. Additionally, you’ll need to install the Air command line tool.

Next, you’ll need to tell RStudio to use Air as an external formatter:

  • Open Tools -> Global Options -> Code

  • Choose the Formatting tab at the top

  • Change the Code formatter: option to External

  • Change the Reformat command: to {path/to/air} format

    • Note that you set this to a partially complete command! RStudio will append the name of the file to this partial command, but you must specify format in addition to the path to Air for it to work.

    • The easiest way to figure out {path/to/air} for yourself is to run which air from a Terminal on Unix, and where air from the Command Prompt on Windows.

  • Apply the changes and exit the settings.

At this point, explicit calls to Reformat Selection and Reformat Document should use Air. If you’d also like RStudio to invoke Air on save, follow the instructions in Format on Save.

Setting Air as an external formatter with Tools -> Global Options -> Code -> Formatting

Features

Format on save

After you’ve set Air as an external formatter, you can either tell RStudio to format all documents on save, or set this on a per document basis.

To format all documents on save, open Tools -> Global Options -> Code -> Saving and check Reformat documents on save.

Setting RStudio to format all documents on save in Tools -> Global Options -> Code -> Saving

To format individual documents on save, open the file specific settings and check Reformat Document on Save.

Quarto

There is currently no way to use Air in RStudio with Quarto documents.