Direct comparison
Quarto vs R Markdown: Differences, When to Switch
Quarto vs R Markdown side by side: language support, YAML and chunk syntax changes, output formats, deprecation status and when to switch or stay.
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How do Quarto, R Markdown compare side by side?
The table below compares Quarto, R Markdown across 12 procurement-relevant dimensions, from language dependence through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Quarto | R Markdown |
|---|---|---|
| Language dependence | Multi-language and multi-engine (Knitr, Jupyter, Observable); no dependency or requirement for R | Fundamentally tied to R, although the R Markdown site notes that multiple languages including R, Python and SQL can be used |
| How R code runs | Uses Knitr to execute R code, as R Markdown does | Uses Knitr |
| Chunk options | Written as #| comment lines at the top of the chunk; first-line options such as {r, echo = FALSE} still work but are not recommended | Written in the chunk header, for example {r, echo = FALSE} |
| YAML output setting | format: key replaces output:; option names use hyphens (number-sections) | output: key; option names use underscores (number_sections) |
| Format names | html, pdf, docx | html_document, pdf_document, word_document |
| Output formats | HTML, PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument, ePub; Revealjs, PowerPoint and Beamer presentations; Markdown flavours such as GFM and CommonMark; project types include websites, books, dashboards and manuscripts | Dozens of static and dynamic formats, including HTML, PDF, MS Word, Beamer, HTML5 slides, Tufte handouts, books, dashboards, Shiny apps, scientific articles and websites |
| R expressions in YAML | Neither !expr nor !r is supported in Quarto YAML (!expr works inside Knitr cells; !r fails validation) | Not addressed on the R Markdown site |
| Extensions | Extensions use Lua, not R | Not addressed on the R Markdown site |
| Status and support | Some new features may only exist in Quarto | Quarto FAQ: "R Markdown is not going away!" with no plans for deprecation |
| Moving an existing document | Most R Markdown documents and Jupyter notebooks render unmodified with Quarto; Jupyter .ipynb files are not executed by quarto render by default | Existing .Rmd files need no change to keep working |
| Choose it when | You want a non-R engine (Jupyter or Observable), need a Quarto-only feature | You have working .Rmd documents and no need for a Quarto-only feature: the Quarto FAQ says switching is not imperative |
| Source | Quarto FAQ for R Markdown users, Quarto R computations page and Quarto output formats page (quarto.org), and the R Markdown site (rmarkdown.rstudio.com), all read 2026-10-29 | Quarto FAQ for R Markdown users, Quarto R computations page and Quarto output formats page (quarto.org), and the R Markdown site (rmarkdown.rstudio.com), all read 2026-10-29 |
Common questions
Common questions about Quarto vs R Markdown
Is R Markdown being replaced by Quarto?
+
No. The Quarto FAQ states that R Markdown is not going away and that there are no plans for deprecation. It also says switching is not imperative, though some new features may only exist in Quarto.
Can Quarto render my existing .Rmd files?
+
Usually. The Quarto FAQ says most R Markdown documents and Jupyter notebooks can be rendered unmodified with Quarto. Syntax that differs includes the output: key (format: in Quarto), underscores in option names (hyphens in Quarto), and R-style chunk options (#| comments in Quarto).
Does Quarto require R?
+
No. Quarto has no dependency or requirement for R and supports the Knitr, Jupyter and Observable engines. R Markdown is fundamentally tied to R.
Do Quarto and R Markdown execute R code the same way?
+
Yes. Like R Markdown, Quarto uses Knitr to execute R code.
Going deeper
