Small Shiny Apps Platform

Welcome! This is a collection of small, easy-to-use apps for lab and data work. You can run any app by itself, or use the main launcher to pick from a menu.

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🚀 Quick Start

1. Open RStudio.
2. Open the file app_launcher.R.
3. Click the Run App button at the top of RStudio.
4. In the app window, choose a tool from the dropdown menu.
5. Use the app! If you get stuck, see the FAQ below or contact support.

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❓ What Can I Do With This?

• Quickly make plots or randomize samples for lab work
• Use simple tools for common data tasks
• No coding needed—just click and go!

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⚡ FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: I see an error or the app won’t start! A: Close RStudio and try again. If it still doesn’t work, contact support (see below).

Q: Can I use two apps together or share data between them? A: No, each app is separate for safety. If you need this, contact support.

Q: I want a new tool or feature! A: Great! Email your idea to support.

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🆘 Who to Contact for Help

If you have any questions, problems, or want a new feature, please contact:

Sumedh Sankhe
Email: sumedh.sankhe@gmail.com

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📚 Glossary

• App: A small tool you can run from the menu.
• Launcher: The main menu that lets you pick which app to use.
• Module: (For developers) A technical term for each app/tool.
• RStudio: The program you use to run these apps.

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For Developers & Advanced Users

Folder Structure & Module Organization

Small-Shiny-Apps-Platform/
├── app_launcher.R           # Main launcher for Small Shiny Apps Platform
├── modules_list.json        # Registry of available modules
├── R/                      # All modules live here, each in its own folder
│   ├── Module_Template/    # Template for new modules
│   │   └── app.R
│   └── New_Module/         # (Example) Your new module folder
│       └── app.R
├── renv/                   # Project-local R package library
├── README.md
└── ...

How to Add a New Module

1. Copy R/Module_Template to R/Your_New_Module.
2. Rename the UI/server functions in app.R to match your module.
3. Add any data or helper scripts inside your module folder.
4. Register your module in modules_list.json (see below).

Best Practices: - Keep each module self-contained for easy reuse and maintenance. - Use the {box} package for explicit imports (see below). - Document your module at the top of its app.R file.

Caution: Data File Size Limits

Do NOT include large data files or any files totaling more than 50MB in this repository.

• Large files can cause problems with version control, sharing, and deployment.
• If your app requires large data, use a small sample or synthetic dataset for development, and document how to obtain or link to the real data externally.
• Use processed and sanitized data stored as .rds or .rda files

Using the {box} Package in Modules

All modules in this repository should use the {box} package for explicit, modular imports instead of library() or :: calls. This ensures that dependencies are clear, only the needed functions are imported, and there is no global namespace pollution.

Note: The shiny package is provided in the global scope by the launcher platform, so you do not strictly need to import shiny with box::use in your module. However, using box::use for shiny is recommended for explicitness and consistency, especially if you want to test your module standalone or reuse it elsewhere.

How to use {box} in your module:

1. At the top of your app.R (or module file), import only the functions you need from each package:

box::use(
  shiny[fluidPage, NS, textInput, textOutput, renderText, ...],
  bslib[layout_column_wrap, card, card_title, card_body],
  markdown[markdownToHTML]
)

2. When calling imported functions inside your module, use them directly (e.g., fluidPage(...)), except inside a function body (like server) where you must use the namespace (e.g., shiny$renderText(...)).

• This is required because of how {box} handles scoping.

3. Do not use library() or :: in your module code.
4. See R/Module_Template/app.R for a complete example.

Best practices: - Only import the functions you actually use. - Use the shiny$ prefix for Shiny functions inside server functions. - Keep all imports at the top of your file for clarity.

For more details, see the box documentation.

Editing the Module List

• Open modules_list.json in any text editor.

• Each module entry should look like:

  {
    "id": "your_module_id",
    "label": "Your Module Name",
    "source": "R/Your_Module_Folder/app.R",
    "ui": "your_module_ui",
    "server": "your_module_server"
  }

• The id must be unique and match the folder/function naming.

Requirements

• R (>= 4.0)
• R packages: shiny, jsonlite, (and any packages required by your modules)
• Use renv to manage dependencies: renv::restore()
• For using any additional packages that are required use the renv::install("packageName", lock = TRUE)