# 01. Getting started

#### Colin Fay

#### 2026-07-07

## Installing {golem}

You can install the stable version of `{golem}` from CRAN:

    install.packages("golem")

The development version of `{golem}` can be installed from GitHub using the `{remotes}` package:

    remotes::install_github("Thinkr-open/golem")

## Getting started

Note before using `{golem}`:

- A `{golem}` app is contained inside a package, so knowing how to build a package is highly recommended. On the plus side, everything you know about package development can be reused in `{golem}`.

- A `{golem}` app works better if you are working with `shiny modules`, so knowing how modules work is recommended, but not mandatory.

In the rest of the Vignettes, we’ll assume you’re working in RStudio.

### Create a package

Once the package is installed, you can got to File > New Project… in RStudio, and choose “Package for Shiny App Using golem” input:

If you want to do it directly via the command line, use:

    golem::create_golem(path = "path/to/package")

This command allows you to create “illegally-named” package (for example, `1234`) by passing the `check_name` argument to `FALSE`. Note that this is not recommended and should only be done if you know what you are doing.

Once you’ve got that, a new RStudio project will be launched. Here is the structure of this project:

    #> ├── DESCRIPTION
    #> ├── NAMESPACE
    #> ├── R
    #> │   ├── app_config.R
    #> │   ├── app_server.R
    #> │   ├── app_ui.R
    #> │   └── run_app.R
    #> ├── dev
    #> │   ├── 01_start.R
    #> │   ├── 02_dev.R
    #> │   ├── 03_deploy.R
    #> │   └── run_dev.R
    #> ├── inst
    #> │   ├── app
    #> │   │   └── www
    #> │   │       └── favicon.ico
    #> │   └── golem-config.yml
    #> └── man
    #>     └── run_app.Rd

If you’re already familiar with R packages, most of these files will seem very familiar to you. That’s because a `{golem}` app IS a package.

- `DESCRIPTION` & `NAMESPACE`: Package meta-data.

- `R/app_config.R`: Used to read inside `{golem}` config file located at `inst/golem-config.yml`.

- `R/app_server.R`, `R/app_ui.R`: Top level UI and server elements.

- `R/run_app.R`: a function to configure and launch the application.

- `dev/`: Scripts that will be used along the process of developing your app. You don’t need to fill all the script before starting: use them as a notebook for keeping track of what you’re doing all along the project life.

- `inst/app/www`: Where you will add external dependencies in `www` (images, css, etc), notably added with the `golem` functions used to create external resources.

- `man`: Package documentation, to be generated by R & `{roxygen2}`.

## `dev/01_start.R`

Once you’ve created your project, the first file that opens is `dev/01_start.R`. This file contains a series of commands that you’ll have to run once, at the beginning of the project.

Note that you don’t have to fill everything, even though it’s strongly recommended.

### Fill the DESCRIPTION

First, fill the `DESCRIPTION` by adding information about the package that will contain your app. The first function, `fill_desc()`, can be used to fill your `DESCRIPTION` file:

    golem::fill_desc(
      pkg_name = "shinyexample", # The name of the golem package containing the app (typically lowercase, no underscore or periods)
      pkg_title = "PKG_TITLE", # What the Package Does (One Line, Title Case, No Period)
      pkg_description = "PKG_DESC.", # What the package does (one paragraph).
      authors = person(
        given = "AUTHOR_FIRST", # Your First Name
        family = "AUTHOR_LAST", # Your Last Name
        email = "AUTHOR@MAIL.COM", # Your email
        role = c("aut", "cre"), # Your role (here author/creator)
        set_options = TRUE # Set the global golem options
      ),
      repo_url = NULL, # The URL of the GitHub repo (optional),
      pkg_version = "0.0.0.9000" # The version of the package containing the app
    )

About the DESCRIPTION file.

Additionally, `fill_desc()` sets a series of recommended global options in `golem-config.yml` that will be reused inside `{golem}`.

### Set common Files

If you want to use the MIT license, README, code of conduct, lifecycle badge, a news file, etc.

    ## See ?usethis for more information
    usethis::use_mit_license("Golem User") # You can set another license here
    usethis::use_readme_rmd(open = FALSE)
    usethis::use_code_of_conduct()
    usethis::use_lifecycle_badge("Experimental")
    usethis::use_news_md(open = FALSE)

See `{usethis}` for more info about these functions.

### Init Tests

Create a template for tests:

    golem::use_recommended_tests()

About tests in a package.

### Add various tools

- If you want to change the default favicon:

      # Remove current favicon
      golem::remove_favicon()
      # Add a new one
      golem::use_favicon(path = "path/to/favicon")

  Note that you can add an URL, and the favicon will be downloaded to the `inst/app/www` folder.

> Note: If you are deploying your app with ShinyProxy, your favicon should have the `.png` extension, otherwise it is not going to work.

- Utils: these two functions add two files with additional helper functions for your `{golem}` project. They can be used along the process of building your app:

      golem::use_utils_ui(with_test = TRUE)
      golem::use_utils_server(with_test = TRUE)

  For a detailed description of the generated functions see the respective files `R/golem_utils_server.R` and `R/golem_utils_ui.R` for which also default tests are added in `tests/testthat` (to suppress this set `with_test = FALSE` in the above calls).

## Try the app

To launch the app run:

    golem::run_dev()

You’re now set! You’ve successfully initiated the project and can go to `dev/02_dev.R`:

    rstudioapi::navigateToFile("dev/02_dev.R")