--- title: Major update to VS Code R extension | daily.dev description: The VS Code R extension received a major update: it now uses a new jgd package instead of httpgd for plotting, the r.term.path setting has been renamed to... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Major update to VS Code R extension | daily.dev og:description: The VS Code R extension received a major update: it now uses a new jgd package instead of httpgd for plotting, the r.term.path setting has been renamed to... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/hkV9xpoAU.png og:image:alt: Major update to VS Code R extension og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Major update to VS Code R extension **[R-bloggers](https://daily.dev/sources/rbloggers)** · 3 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary The VS Code R extension received a major update: it now uses a new jgd package instead of httpgd for plotting, the r.term.path setting has been renamed to r.consolePath, and there's a new option to use afr as the R console instead of the base console or Radian. The author notes afr feels smoother and faster than radian, but has since switched their teaching recommendation to Positron, Posit's RStudio/VS Code-like IDE, which they find plays much more nicely with R out of the box and is catching up on AI coding tool support. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### What changed in the latest VS Code R extension update? The VS Code R extension now uses a new jgd package for plotting, replacing the previously used httpgd package. The r.term.path setting has been renamed to r.consolePath, which points VS Code to the R program. There is also now an option to install afr as an alternative console to the base console or Radian, and it reportedly feels smoother and faster than radian. _Developers wiring up R in VS Code can follow daily.dev for extension changes like this before they break a workflow._ ### Why would I use afr instead of radian as my R console in VS Code? Afr is a new console option introduced in the latest VS Code R extension update, offered as an alternative to the base R console or Radian. Early impressions suggest afr feels a bit smoother and faster than radian, though it's not yet clear whether it is definitively better overall. _Anyone comparing R console options in VS Code can track real-world impressions like this on daily.dev._ ### Is Positron a better alternative to VS Code for R development? Positron, Posit's VS Code-based IDE, works with R out of the box without the extra settings and extension installs that VS Code typically requires. After switching from RStudio to VS Code years ago, one R workshop instructor who spent significant workshop time just helping people connect VS Code to R now recommends Positron instead, citing that Posit has caught up on AI coding tool support. _Developers deciding between R IDEs can weigh experiences like this on daily.dev before committing to a setup._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [VS Code is no longer the default for me – here is the tool that finally broke the habit](https://daily.dev/posts/vs-code-is-no-longer-the-default-for-me-here-is-the-tool-that-finally-broke-the-habit-i0zxbligz) · XDA Developers · 1 upvotes · 0 comments - [The Ultimate .NET Workflow for Cursor, Antigravity, and AI-First Editors](https://daily.dev/posts/the-ultimate-net-workflow-for-cursor-antigravity-and-ai-first-editors-g6ngrxj38) · JetBrains .NET Blog · 18 upvotes · 3 comments - [Visual Studio Code 1.115](https://daily.dev/posts/visual-studio-code-1-115-hjypxok7f) · Visual Studio Code · 10 upvotes · 0 comments - [ReSharper for Visual Studio Code, Cursor, and Compatible Editors Is Out](https://daily.dev/posts/resharper-for-visual-studio-code-cursor-and-compatible-editors-is-out-gsx5laxlq) · JetBrains · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#r](https://daily.dev/tags/r), [#vscode](https://daily.dev/tags/vscode) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"Major update to VS Code R extension","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau"},"datePublished":"2026-10-02T14:36:52.477Z","dateModified":"2026-10-02T14:41:03.331Z","description":"The VS Code R extension received a major update: it now uses a new jgd package instead of httpgd for plotting, the r.term.path setting has been renamed to...","image":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--CxzD6vbw--/f_auto/v1722860399/public/Placeholder%2005","thumbnailUrl":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--CxzD6vbw--/f_auto/v1722860399/public/Placeholder%2005","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleSection":"R-bloggers","inLanguage":"en","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180}},"author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"R-bloggers","logo":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/t_logo,f_auto/v1/logos/98bcbbdf72774292a55ceda8f2277f1e","url":"https://daily.dev/sources/rbloggers"},"commentCount":0,"discussionUrl":"https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau","interactionStatistic":[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":0},{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"CommentAction"},"userInteractionCount":0}],"keywords":"r,vscode","timeRequired":"PT3M"} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://daily.dev"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"R-bloggers","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/rbloggers"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Major update to VS Code R extension"}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/major-update-to-vs-code-r-extension-hkv9xpoau#faq","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What changed in the latest VS Code R extension update?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The VS Code R extension now uses a new jgd package for plotting, replacing the previously used httpgd package. 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