> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.abi.am/abi-omicss-guide-2021/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.abi.am/abi-omicss-guide-2021/week-1/r-programming/getting-started.md).

# Getting Started

The content of this module is [from this Coursera course ](https://www.coursera.org/learn/r-programming/home/week/1)offered by Johns Hopkins University. 

## Enrolling in the Course

#### 1. Navigate to the course home page

#### 2. Click on the Enroll button

#### 3.  Choose the "Data Science: Foundations using R Specialization" option.

![](/files/Z7F8tCvckrrDSBkvz93y)

#### 4. Click "Next"

#### 5. If you plan to study R beyond the scope of this guide, then feel free to proceed with the free trial initialization process and enter your financial credentials. If not, choose the "Audit course" option.

![](/files/WYeXzJRPn1Nt4wsuaQkB)

## Install R and R Studio

Using the course resources, download and install R and R Studio on your machine. You can follow the below links for convenience.

For Mac users

* [Install R on a Mac](https://www.coursera.org/learn/r-programming/lecture/9Aepc/installing-r-on-a-mac)
* [Installing R Studio on Mac](https://www.coursera.org/learn/r-programming/lecture/qYDfT/installing-r-studio-mac)

For Windows users:

* [Installing R on Windows](https://www.coursera.org/learn/r-programming/lecture/3CIUX/installing-r-on-windows)
* [Installing R Studio on Windows](https://medium.com/@GalarnykMichael/install-r-and-rstudio-on-windows-5f503f708027)

## Set Up swirl

The swirl teaches you R programming and data science interactively, at your own pace, and right in the R console. We use swirl for practice problems.

To install it, follow the below steps.

#### 1. Open RStudio and type the following into the console.

```
> install.packages("swirl")
```

#### 2. This is the only step that you will repeat every time you want to run swirl. First, you will load the package using the `library()` function. Then you will call the function that starts swirl. Type the following, pressing Enter after each line:

```
> library("swirl")
> swirl()
```

You can read more about swirl [here](https://swirlstats.com/).

## Congratulations!

If you made it here, then congratulations! You have successfully completed this section. Move to the next portion of the guide with the arrow buttons below.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.abi.am/abi-omicss-guide-2021/week-1/r-programming/getting-started.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.