If you work with data analysis, you’ve probably wondered at some point: “Which R version should I use?” This question becomes especially relevant when your organization is running an older R version, or when you encounter package compatibility issues. Today, we’ll explore R’s version support policies, release cycles, and practical guidance for choosing the right version for your environment.
1. What is R? A Powerful Tool for Statistical Computing and Data Analysis
R is a free and open-source programming language and software environment for statistical computing and graphics. Started in 1993 as a research project by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, it was released as open-source software under the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL-2) in 1995.
Key features of R include:
- Free to use: Completely free and open-source software
- Cross-platform: Supports Windows, MacOS, Linux, and other operating systems
- Rich package ecosystem: Over 22,390 packages available on CRAN as of June 2025
- Powerful statistical capabilities: Linear/nonlinear modeling, time-series analysis, clustering, and more
- Excellent visualization: High-quality statistical graphics generation
R’s core development is managed by the R Core Group, consisting of approximately 20 statisticians and computer scientists from around the world, with the R Foundation holding the copyright.
2. R’s License Policy – Free and Open Source
R is distributed as Free Software under the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPL-2). The GPL-2 license guarantees the following freedoms:
- Freedom to use: Freedom to run the program for any purpose
- Freedom to study: Freedom to study how the program works and modify it
- Freedom to redistribute: Freedom to redistribute copies
- Freedom to improve: Freedom to improve the program and release improvements
Thanks to this licensing policy, R can be used freely in academia, research institutes, and businesses, including for commercial purposes.
3. Understanding R’s Version Scheme – What x.y.z Means
R’s version numbering follows the Major.Minor.Patch format.
| Component | Meaning | Change Frequency | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major (x) | Significant changes | 7-10 years | 3.x → 4.x (2020) |
| Minor (y) | New features added | Annually (Spring) | 4.4 → 4.5 (April 2025) |
| Patch (z) | Bug fixes | As needed | 4.5.1 → 4.5.2 |
Major Version
The major version increases when there are very important changes to the language. Most recently, version 4.0.0 was released in 2020, and before that, version 3.0.0 was released in 2013.
Minor Version
The minor version increases when new features or enhancements are added to the language. For R, the minor version increases exactly once a year, in the spring.
Patch Version
Patch versions are released throughout the year to fix bugs. Typically, a final patch is released just before the next minor release, around late winter.
4. R’s Official Release Policy and Support Lifecycle
The overall release schedule is to have annual x.y.0 releases in Spring, with patch releases happening on an as-needed basis. It is intended to have a final patch release of the previous version shortly before the next x.y.0 release.
R Project Support Policy Characteristics
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official EOL Policy | None (open-source project nature) |
| Release Cycle | One minor version per year in spring |
| Patch Cycle | As needed (2-5 times per year) |
| Source Code Access | All versions permanently archived (CRAN Archive) |
| Binary Archives | 2 years after series ends |
As an open-source project, R does not have an explicitly stated End of Life (EOL) or End of Support (EOS) policy. This reflects the nature of open-source software, differing from commercial products.
CRAN Binary Package Archive Policy
According to CRAN policy, binary packages are archived for two years after the 3.x or 4.x series is closed.
| Item | Retention Period | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Source Packages | Permanent | Accessible via CRAN Archive |
| Binary Packages | 2 years after series ends | e.g., R 4.x binaries kept for 2 years after 4.x ends |
| Windows/Mac Installers | 2 years after series ends | Source compilation required afterward |
5. Complete R Version Release History
R 1.x Series (2000-2004)
The first official release of R, R version 1.0.0, was released on February 29, 2000, a leap day. The R 1.x series lasted approximately 4 years and established the foundation of the R project.
| Version | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 | February 29, 2000 | First official release |
| … | 2000-2004 | Multiple 1.x versions released |
Note: Detailed patch version records for the R 1.x series are historically limited.
R 2.x Series (2004-2013) – Complete
The R 2.x series lasted from 2004 to 2013, approximately 9 years, with a total of 44 versions released.
| Series | Version | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| R 2.0 | 2.0.0 | October 2004 | Major update |
| 2.0.1 | November 2004 | ||
| R 2.1 | 2.1.0 | April 2005 | |
| 2.1.1 | June 2005 | ||
| R 2.2 | 2.2.0 | October 2005 | |
| 2.2.1 | December 2005 | ||
| R 2.3 | 2.3.0 | April 2006 | |
| 2.3.1 | June 2006 | ||
| R 2.4 | 2.4.0 | October 2006 | |
| 2.4.1 | December 2006 | ||
| R 2.5 | 2.5.0 | April 2007 | |
| 2.5.1 | July 2007 | ||
| R 2.6 | 2.6.0 | October 2007 | |
| 2.6.1 | November 2007 | ||
| 2.6.2 | February 2008 | ||
| R 2.7 | 2.7.0 | April 2008 | |
| 2.7.1 | June 2008 | ||
| 2.7.2 | August 2008 | ||
| R 2.8 | 2.8.0 | October 2008 | |
| 2.8.1 | December 2008 | ||
| R 2.9 | 2.9.0 | April 2009 | |
| 2.9.1 | June 2009 | ||
| 2.9.2 | August 2009 | ||
| R 2.10 | 2.10.0 | October 2009 | |
| 2.10.1 | December 2009 | ||
| R 2.11 | 2.11.0 | April 2010 | |
| 2.11.1 | May 2010 | ||
| R 2.12 | 2.12.0 | October 2010 | |
| 2.12.1 | December 2010 | ||
| 2.12.2 | February 2011 | ||
| R 2.13 | 2.13.0 | April 2011 | |
| 2.13.1 | July 2011 | ||
| 2.13.2 | September 2011 | ||
| R 2.14 | 2.14.0 | November 2011 | Peanuts codenames begin |
| 2.14.1 | December 2011 | ||
| 2.14.2 | February 2012 | ||
| R 2.15 | 2.15.0 | March 2012 | |
| 2.15.1 | June 2012 | ||
| 2.15.2 | October 2012 | ||
| 2.15.3 | March 2013 | Last R 2.x release |
R 3.x Series (2013-2020) – Complete
The R 3.x series lasted from 2013 to 2020, approximately 7 years, with a total of 40 versions released.
| Series | Version | Release Date | Codename | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R 3.0 | 3.0.0 | April 2013 | Masked Marvel | Major update |
| 3.0.1 | May 2013 | Good Sport | ||
| 3.0.2 | September 2013 | Frisbee Sailing | ||
| 3.0.3 | March 2014 | Warm Puppy | Last R 3.0 | |
| R 3.1 | 3.1.0 | April 2014 | Spring Dance | |
| 3.1.1 | July 2014 | Sock it to Me | ||
| 3.1.2 | October 2014 | Pumpkin Helmet | ||
| 3.1.3 | March 2015 | Smooth Sidewalk | Last R 3.1 | |
| R 3.2 | 3.2.0 | April 2015 | Full of Ingredients | |
| 3.2.1 | June 2015 | World-Famous Astronaut | ||
| 3.2.2 | August 2015 | Fire Safety | ||
| 3.2.3 | December 2015 | Wooden Christmas-Tree | ||
| 3.2.4 | March 2016 | Very Secure Dishes | ||
| 3.2.5 | April 2016 | Very, Very Secure Dishes | Last R 3.2 | |
| R 3.3 | 3.3.0 | April 2016 | Supposedly Educational | |
| 3.3.1 | June 2016 | Bug in Your Hair | ||
| 3.3.2 | October 2016 | Sincere Pumpkin Patch | ||
| 3.3.3 | March 2017 | Another Canoe | Last R 3.3 | |
| R 3.4 | 3.4.0 | April 2017 | You Stupid Darkness | Major performance improvements |
| 3.4.1 | June 2017 | Single Candle | ||
| 3.4.2 | September 2017 | Short Summer | ||
| 3.4.3 | November 2017 | Kite-Eating Tree | ||
| 3.4.4 | March 2018 | Someone to Lean On | Last R 3.4 | |
| R 3.5 | 3.5.0 | April 2018 | Joy in Playing | |
| 3.5.1 | July 2018 | Feather Spray | ||
| 3.5.2 | December 2018 | Eggshell Igloos | ||
| 3.5.3 | March 2019 | Great Truth | Last R 3.5 | |
| R 3.6 | 3.6.0 | April 2019 | Planting of a Tree | |
| 3.6.1 | July 2019 | Action of the Toes | ||
| 3.6.2 | December 2019 | Dark and Stormy Night | ||
| 3.6.3 | February 2020 | Holding the Windsock | Last R 3.x release |
R 4.x Series (2020-Present) – Complete
The R 4.x series began in 2020 and continues to the present, with 22 versions released as of November 2025.
| Series | Version | Release Date | Codename | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R 4.0 | 4.0.0 | April 2020 | Arbor Day | stringsAsFactors default to FALSE |
| 4.0.1 | June 2020 | See Things Now | ||
| 4.0.2 | June 2020 | Taking Off Again | ||
| 4.0.3 | October 2020 | Bunny-Wunnies Freak Out | ||
| 4.0.4 | February 2021 | Lost Library Book | ||
| 4.0.5 | March 2021 | Shake and Throw | Last R 4.0 | |
| R 4.1 | 4.1.0 | May 2021 | Camp Pontanezen | Native pipe |> introduced |
| 4.1.1 | August 2021 | Kick Things | ||
| 4.1.2 | November 2021 | Bird Hippie | ||
| 4.1.3 | March 2022 | One Push-Up | Last R 4.1 | |
| R 4.2 | 4.2.0 | April 2022 | Vigorous Calisthenics | Pipe _ placeholder, 32-bit support ended |
| 4.2.1 | June 2022 | Funny-Looking Kid | ||
| 4.2.2 | October 2022 | Innocent and Trusting | ||
| 4.2.3 | March 2023 | Shortstop Beagle | Last R 4.2 | |
| R 4.3 | 4.3.0 | April 2023 | Already Tomorrow | |
| 4.3.1 | June 2023 | Beagle Scouts | ||
| 4.3.2 | October 2023 | Eye Hooks | ||
| 4.3.3 | February 2024 | Angel Food Cake | Last R 4.3 | |
| R 4.4 | 4.4.0 | April 2024 | Puppy Cup | Experimental Windows on ARM support |
| 4.4.1 | June 2024 | Race for Your Life | ||
| 4.4.2 | November 2024 | Pile of Leaves | ||
| 4.4.3 | February 2025 | Trophy Case | Last R 4.4 | |
| R 4.5 | 4.5.0 | April 2025 | (Undisclosed) | penguins dataset added |
| 4.5.1 | June 2025 | Great Square Root | ||
| 4.5.2 | October 2025 | [Not] Part in a Rumble | Current latest release |
Platform Support Changes
| R Version | Platform Changes |
|---|---|
| R 4.2.0+ | 32-bit Windows support ended |
| R 4.4.0+ | Experimental Windows on ARM (aarch64) support began |
| R 4.5.0+ | Rtools45 (GCC 14-based) required |
6. Package Ecosystem Version Support Policies
While the R project itself has no official EOL policy, major package maintainers operate their own version support policies.
Tidyverse Package Support Policy
The general policy for tidyverse is to support the current version, the devel version, and the previous four versions of R.
Tidyverse Support Status as of November 2025:
| Support Level | R Version | Description | Support Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devel | R 4.6.0 | Next release development version | 🟢 Testing |
| Current | R 4.5.x | Latest stable version | 🟢 Full support |
| Supported | R 4.4.x | 1 year old version | 🟢 Full support |
| Supported | R 4.3.x | 2 years old version | 🟢 Full support |
| Supported | R 4.2.x | 3 years old version | 🟢 Full support |
| Supported | R 4.1.x | 4 years old version | 🟢 Full support |
| Unsupported | R 4.0.x and below | 5+ years old | ⚠️ Official support ended |
Easystats Package Support Policy
Easystats is supported (meaning each package is thoroughly tested) on the current R version, the future one (R-devel), and the previous five versions.
| Support Level | R Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thoroughly Tested | R 4.5.x ~ R 4.0.x | Official easystats support |
| Limited | R 3.6.x | May work but not tested |
7. Practical R Version Recommendations by Environment
Recommended Versions as of November 2025
| Environment | Recommended Version | Reason | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production | R 4.4.3 | Most stable, fully validated | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Development/Research | R 4.5.2 | Latest features, future-proof | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Conservative Operations | R 4.3.3 | Long-term validated | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Legacy Minimum | R 4.1.3 | Tidyverse support threshold | ⭐⭐ |
Version Usage Scenarios
| R Version Range | Recommended Scenario | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| R 4.5.x | Latest features needed, development | Additional validation recommended for production |
| R 4.4.x | Production operations | Current optimal choice |
| R 4.3.x | Conservative operations | Stable but limited new features |
| R 4.2.x | Legacy maintenance | Usable through 2026 |
| R 4.1.x | Minimum recommended | Package compatibility issues starting |
| R 4.0.x and below | Not recommended | Package support ending |
Version Risk Assessment
| R Version Range | Status | Risk Level | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| R 4.5.x | Latest | 🟢 Low | Recommended for development |
| R 4.4.x | Stable | 🟢 Low | Recommended for production |
| R 4.3.x ~ 4.2.x | Safe | 🟡 Medium | Usable through 2026 |
| R 4.1.x | Caution | 🟠 High | Upgrade plan needed |
| R 4.0.x | Risk | 🔴 Very High | Immediate upgrade recommended |
| R 3.6.x and below | Very Risky | ⛔ Critical | Urgent upgrade required |
Issues with Legacy Versions
Using older R versions causes the following problems:
| Issue Type | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Package Compatibility | Cannot install latest packages | High |
| Security Vulnerabilities | Discovered security issues unpatched | Very High |
| Performance Degradation | Lower performance vs. latest versions | Medium |
| Technical Debt | Increasing upgrade costs | High |
| Community Support | Difficulty resolving problems | Medium |
8. Practical R Version Management Guide
Version Check Methods
# Method 1: Full version information
R.version
# Method 2: Version string only
R.version.string
# Method 3: Version in one line
getRversion()
Minor Version Update Considerations
When updating minor versions (e.g., from 4.4.x to 4.5.x), you need to reinstall all R packages.
| Update Type | Package Reinstall | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Patch Version | Not required | 4.5.1 → 4.5.2 |
| Minor Version | Required | 4.4.3 → 4.5.0 |
| Major Version | Required | 3.6.3 → 4.0.0 |
Enterprise Annual Update Strategy
| Period | Task | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Apr-May) | Monitor new version releases | Dev Team | x.y.0 release |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | Test environment validation | QA Team | Major package compatibility testing |
| Fall (Sep-Nov) | Stability assessment | Dev Team | Monitor patch version trends |
| Winter (Feb-Mar) | Production deployment | Ops Team | Deploy final patch version |
Installing Older Package Versions
# Using remotes package
install.packages("remotes")
remotes::install_version("ggplot2", version = "3.3.0")
# Direct installation from CRAN archive
packageurl <- "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/ggplot2/ggplot2_3.3.0.tar.gz"
install.packages(packageurl, repos=NULL, type="source")
9. R Performance Improvement History
Benchmark results from running the same code (Collatz sequence problem) across different R versions:
| R Version | Release Year | Execution Time | Improvement (vs 1.0.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 | 2000 | 17+ minutes | Baseline (1x) |
| 1.4.1 | 2002 | 4.5 minutes | ~4x faster |
| 2.0.0 | 2004 | 2.8 minutes (168s) | ~6x faster |
| 3.1.0 | 2014 | 145 seconds | ~7x faster |
| 3.4.0 | 2017 | Under 30 seconds | 34x+ faster |
This demonstrates that using the latest R version brings not just new features but substantial performance improvements.
10. Summary: R Version Management Essentials
Current Version Status (November 2025)
| Category | Version | Release Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latest Release | R 4.5.2 | October 31, 2025 | Current |
| Production Recommended | R 4.4.3 | February 28, 2025 | Most stable |
| Minimum Recommended | R 4.1.3 | March 10, 2022 | Tidyverse support threshold |
Key Checklist
| Item | Details | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ Release Cycle | Annual spring minor version, patches as needed | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ✅ EOL Policy | No official policy (open-source) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ✅ Binary Archives | 2 years after series ends | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ✅ Tidyverse Support | Current + devel + previous 4 versions | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ✅ Production Version | R 4.4.3 recommended (Nov 2025) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| ✅ Regular Updates | Essential for performance, security, compatibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
While R has no official EOL policy, this doesn’t mean you should continue using older versions indefinitely. Regular version updates are essential for package compatibility, security, and performance. For production environments, using the final patch version of each minor series is the most stable strategy.
References:
- R Project Official Website
- R Developer Page
- CRAN Previous Releases
- Tidyverse R Version Support Policy
- R Versions GitHub Repository