Installing Quarto Live & WebAssembly Engines

Introduction

Interactive coding in R and Python is made possible with Quarto Live, which leverages WebAssembly-powered engines such as webR and Pyodide. In this guide, you’ll learn how to install Quarto Live and configure these engines to enable real-time, hands-on programming in your browser.

Interactive coding provides immediate feedback, dynamic visualizations, and an engaging learning experience—without the need for a server. Follow these steps to get started.

Step 1: Installing Quarto Live

Open your terminal within the Quarto project directory and run the following command:

quarto add r-wasm/quarto-live

This command installs the Quarto Live extension along with all required dependencies to support WebAssembly-based execution.

Step 2: Configuring Your Document

To use Quarto Live in your documents, update your Quarto document’s YAML front matter. For example:

---
format: live-html
engine: knitr
---

If you’re using the knitr engine for R, include the setup code snippet to load the WebAssembly engine:

---
format: live-html
engine: knitr
---

{{< include ./_extensions/r-wasm/live/_knitr.qmd >}}

Note

Including _knitr.qmd is not strictly required if you are using the jupyter rendering engine. It is a temporary requirement for the knitr engine and will be removed in a future release of quarto-live.

Step 3: Verifying Your Setup

Create a new interactive document with a simple code block to verify that your installation works correctly. For example, in an R code cell:

R Code Block

Python Code Block

Note

Running these code blocks should immediately display the output in your browser. If you see the expected results, your setup is complete!

Troubleshooting Tips

• Engine Loading Issues:
  Ensure your internet connection is stable, as the WebAssembly engines are downloaded at runtime.

• Command Errors:
  Verify that you’re running the installation command within the correct Quarto project directory.

• Configuration Problems:
  Double-check your YAML front matter for syntax errors or missing fields.

If you encounter further issues, consult the troubleshooting guide for additional support.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully installed Quarto Live and configured the WebAssembly engines for interactive R and Python programming. You’re now ready to explore interactive code blocks, dynamic visualizations, and engaging coding exercises.

Feel free to revisit this guide as needed, and continue exploring other topics in the Getting Started folder.

Further Reading

• Interactive Code Blocks Explained
  Learn how to create and run interactive code blocks using the webr and pyodide engines.
  Read more

• Loading and Using Packages
  Discover how to install and load additional R and Python packages, both at document startup and interactively.
  Read more

• Managing Execution Environments
  Understand how to share variables across code blocks or isolate interactive exercises by managing your execution environments.
  Read more

• Cell Options Reference
  For advanced configuration details, refer to the comprehensive guide on interactive cell options available in Quarto Live.
  Read more

• Troubleshooting Interactive Documents
  If you run into issues during installation or configuration, check out our troubleshooting guide for common problems and solutions.
  Read more

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