{
  "name": "devtools functions and the package that does the work",
  "description": "Compiled from the devtools package website and the R Packages book: for each main devtools function, the task it performs, the package it hands the work to under the conscious-uncoupling split, and its workflow stage.",
  "page": "https://casrai.org/guides/devtools-r",
  "publisher": "CASRAI",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "dateModified": "2026-11-14T16:43:50Z",
  "temporalCoverage": null,
  "spatialCoverage": null,
  "columns": [
    {
      "name": "devtools function",
      "unit": "",
      "description": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "Task",
      "unit": "",
      "description": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "Package that does the work",
      "unit": "",
      "description": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "Workflow stage",
      "unit": "",
      "description": ""
    }
  ],
  "rows": [
    {
      "devtools function": "load_all()",
      "Task": "Load edited package code without a full install",
      "Package that does the work": "pkgload",
      "Workflow stage": "Load and document"
    },
    {
      "devtools function": "document()",
      "Task": "Update help files, collation and NAMESPACE from roxygen comments",
      "Package that does the work": "roxygen2",
      "Workflow stage": "Load and document"
    },
    {
      "devtools function": "test()",
      "Task": "Run the package's tests",
      "Package that does the work": "testthat",
      "Workflow stage": "Test"
    },
    {
      "devtools function": "check()",
      "Task": "Document, build and check the package locally (R CMD check)",
      "Package that does the work": "rcmdcheck",
      "Workflow stage": "Check and release"
    },
    {
      "devtools function": "build()",
      "Task": "Build a package file",
      "Package that does the work": "pkgbuild",
      "Workflow stage": "Build and install"
    },
    {
      "devtools function": "install_github() and other install_* functions (deprecated)",
      "Task": "Install a package from a remote source",
      "Package that does the work": "pak (recommended replacement)",
      "Workflow stage": "Build and install"
    },
    {
      "devtools function": "use_package(), use_git(), use_testthat()",
      "Task": "Set up dependencies, version control and tests",
      "Package that does the work": "usethis",
      "Workflow stage": "Project setup"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "devtools package website",
      "url": "https://devtools.r-lib.org/",
      "accessed": "2026-11-14"
    },
    {
      "title": "R Packages: The whole game",
      "url": "https://r-pkgs.org/whole-game.html",
      "accessed": "2026-11-14"
    }
  ]
}