ARM-rstudio-server

Build Install binaries for rstudio-server on an aarch64 Android device.

Tested Ubuntu installations

This script has been used to successfully build RStudio Server on the Poco F5 (aarch64) running Ubuntu jammy via chroot or proot using Moe-hacker/termux-container. If Termux doesn't work you can use termux/proot-distro. Chroot runs linux commands natively so it is faster than proot but it requires root. That is, if you have a rooted Android device, you should use chroot.

Setup Termux

Download termux from the F-Droid store open termux and run the following

termux-setup-storage
termux-wake-lock
pkg update && pkg upgrade # Answer y to update repos and packages
pkg install git

To avoid CPU going into sleep mode, making the installation and rstudio slow if the screen turns off, we used termux-wake-lock Alternatively, press the button AQCUIRE WAKELOCK from the notifications panel. You should also active wake lock before starting an RStudio session to avoid a lagging experience.

Install termux-container

For rooted devices

Make sure termux has root privileges before installing termux-container to avoid bugs Run su then exit root running exit

Install Moe-hacker/termux-container currently we have to use v8.0 of termux-container, use this code:

1. Install termux-container

git clone -b v8.0 https://github.com/Moe-hacker/termux-container
cd termux-container/package
chmod -R 755 DEBIAN
chmod 777 data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/container
dpkg -b . ~/termux-container.deb
apt update
apt install ~/termux-container.deb

2. Run container and install ubuntu by runing the new command, then set parameters for the container like the name (used to access it later). For type choose chroot(or proot if you do not have root), mount sdcard (to see your phone files), absolute path you can use /data/ubuntu (or /data/data/com.termux/files/home/ubuntu for non rooted users), for image path you can use /data/ubuntuim (or /data/data/com.termux/files/home/ubuntuim for non rooted users), for OS type ubuntu version jammy. The automatic option to download the rootfs (ubuntu image) is broken so manually enter the link to download the ubuntu image https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/lxc-images/images/ubuntu/jammy/arm64/default/20240323_08%3A12/rootfs.tar.xz or get latest release by going to https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/lxc-images/images/ubuntu/jammy/ and search for latest file rootfs.tar.xz
3. To start ubuntu run container and select run container.

Install termux/proot-distro

pkg install proot-distro
proot-distro install ubuntu
echo "proot-distro login ubuntu --isolated --bind /sdcard:/sdcard" >$PREFIX/bin/prubuntu
chmod +x $PREFIX/bin/prubuntu
prubuntu

Use "prubuntu" command to start ubuntu

Install R and RStudio binaries

In Ubuntu run the commands below

# Update and upgrade the system packages and install necessary packages
apt update && apt upgrade -y
apt install -y sudo curl wget gdebi-core r-base

# Fetch the latest RStudio Server download link from the webpage
DOWNLOAD_URL=$(curl -s https://dailies.rstudio.com/rstudio/chocolate-cosmos/server/jammy-arm64/ | grep -oP 'href="\K(https://s3.amazonaws.com/rstudio-ide-build/server/jammy/arm64/rstudio-server-[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+-daily-[0-9]+-arm64\.deb)' | head -1)

# Extract the version number from the URL for later installation
VERS=$(echo $DOWNLOAD_URL | grep -oP 'rstudio-server-\K[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+-daily-[0-9]+(?=-arm64\.deb)')

# Download the RStudio Server package
wget $DOWNLOAD_URL

# Install the downloaded package
sudo gdebi -n rstudio-server-${VERS}-arm64.deb

This script scrapes the latest build of rstudio server available. The VERS variable in the script can be updated to build different versions of the server. The latest version number can be found on download page, and clicking on the arm64 link in the RStudio Server Ubuntu 22 section.

Non-rooted devices fix

For non-rooted devices you have to login as the root user of the ubuntu environment. To do so run:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/rstudio/
sudo touch /etc/rstudio/rserver.conf
sudo echo "auth-minimum-user-id=0" > /etc/rstudio/rserver.conf
# Set password for root
sudo passwd root
# Access phone files from RStudio
ln -s /sdcard "${HOME}/sdcard"
sudo rstudio-server restart

Rooted devices login

For rooted devices you can login as root using the code above or create a new user and login with those credentials using the following code:

read -p "Add new user to login from RStudio? [yn]" answer
if [[ $answer = y ]] ; then
  read -p "Insert user name:" user
  sudo useradd -s /bin/bash -m -G sudo $user
  echo "$user  ALL=(ALL) ALL" | sudo tee -a /etc/sudoers > /dev/null
  echo Insert password for $user
  sudo passwd $user
  ## Fix internet access for new user created (issue seen in chrooted ubuntu - termux-container from Moe-hacker)
  inetGroupName=$(cat /etc/group | grep 3003 | cut -d: -f1)
  sudo usermod -a -G $inetGroupName $user
  # Access phone files from RStudio
  ln -s /sdcard /home/${user}/sdcard
fi

Launching RStudio Server

After the server has been built and installed, the easiest way to start the server from a crosh shell using the commands below

sudo rstudio-server start
ipv4=$(ip addr | grep 'state UP' -A2 | tail -n1 | awk '{print $2}' | cut -f1  -d'/')
echo Open internet browser and go to localhost:8787 or if you want to login from another device of the same network go to $ipv4:8787

Finally, from a new Chrome tab navigate to localhost:8787 (from your phone only) or from your.phone's.ip.address:8787 (example 192.168.1.2:8787) and log in with the users you set.

Stopping RStudio Server

just run:

sudo rstudio-server stop