David Keyes

David Keyes

@dgkeyes.com

I teach people to use R @rfortherestofus.com

1.2K followers1K following209 posts

I just did a livestream focused on writing good prompts. I was planning to give Claude generic prompts like, “Make a bar chart on this data.” I hoped it would, by default, write some base R code, and then I could give specific instructions such as, “Use the tidyverse,” to have it write ggplot code.

But my experience was the total opposite. It used ggplot by default. This made me wonder if the models are now so good that you need to focus less on writing good prompts (and yes, I do think that using ggplot for plotting is better than using base R). What do you all think? #rstats

If you have sensitive data, how (if at all) do you use AI? Just chat with LLMs on the web (so they don't have access to your data)? Anonymize your data before using it with Claude Code (or similar)? Not use AI at all? #rstats

Most AI tools skip past messy data to get to the answer. Posit's new agent actually stops and asks the hard questions first. A different way to think about what coding assistants should do. It's the focus of our newest episode: https://rfortherestofus.com/2026/06/podcast-episode-30 #rstats

I'm starting a new email, every other Thursday called Field Notes on AI. I'll share my thoughts on using LLMs for data work. First issue goes out tomorrow. Sign up → rfor.us/email

Another thing I'm wondering: if you add skills from an external repo, do you typically add all of the skills in the repo or just choose individual skills?

David Keyes@dgkeyes.com

For those of you adding agent skills to work with #rstats code, how do you actually add skills? Using npx skills add? Some other way?

Tomorrow I’m announcing the biggest change to R for the Rest of Us since 2019. But keeping things as they are doesn't serve me, and it doesn't serve the people I built this for.

I released a course on AI + R last year. I had to take it done a few weeks later as it was already obsolete. That failure is the reason I'm changing everything about R for the Rest of Us.

For those of you adding agent skills to work with #rstats code, how do you actually add skills? Using npx skills add? Some other way?

Asked my list earlier this year why course sales are dropping. Two answers, over and over: budget cuts and AI. I can't do much about the first. But I’m working on the second. More soon!

Posted this on LinkedIn a bit ago, but forgot to post here (I'm bad at social media): Not to be too cryptic, but I'm planning the largest shift for R for the Rest of Us since I launched it in 2019 and it's both exciting and scary in equal measure.

How are you using AI in your #rstats workflow? Do you use AI directly in your code editor or on the web? If you use AI in your editor, what tools are you using (Claude Code, Positron Assistant, Posit Assistant, etc)?

David Keyes reposted

We rebuilt our core R courses—now using Positron. More modern workflows. Built-in AI. Better debugging. 🎉 To celebrate the launch: Get 50% off paid courses through April 30. See updated courses: buff.ly/rdULEs7 #DataScience #RStats #Positron

David Keyes reposted

6 years of R for the Rest of Us! 🎂 2025 highlights: ✅ Spun off consulting into Clarity Data Studio ✅ 10 cohorts of R in 3 Months (400+ people!) ✅ $3,000+ donated to social & environmental causes Full year in review 👇 buff.ly/zDySVOU

rfortherestofus.com2025 Year in ReviewR for the Rest of Us reflected on a successful 2025, highlighting team contributions, charity through sales, changes in courses, diverse training and more.

With our R in 3 Months program, we give out multiple scholarships. However, some recipients barely participate at all. This is frustrating because we pass over other recipients who likely would participate further. Any ideas for how we can ensure that scholarship recipients actively participate?

At 10:00am Pacific time, @joseph-barbier.bsky.social and I are doing a livestream answering your questions about making reports using Typst and Quarto. Join us and ask questions! Or, if you can't make it, ask your questions below! #rstats

youtube.comMaking high-quality PDFs with Quarto and Typst (Livestream)We recently published a massive blog post all about making custom PDF templates using Quarto and Typst. If you’re interested in creating beautiful, professio...
rfortherestofus.comHow to Make High-Quality PDFs with Quarto and TypstLearn to create high-quality PDFs using Quarto and Typst with this in-depth tutorial, including custom templates, branding, and advanced techniques.
David Keyes@dgkeyes.com

I'm writing a blog post on making high-quality reports with Quarto and Typst like the ones we recently made for the Johns Hopkins University International Vaccine Access Center. Anything in particular you want to know about how we make reports like these? #rstats

I'm writing a blog post on making high-quality reports with Quarto and Typst like the ones we recently made for the Johns Hopkins University International Vaccine Access Center. Anything in particular you want to know about how we make reports like these? #rstats

Are you attending posit::conf this week in Atlanta! 👋 If you spot me, come say hi. I’ve got R for the Rest of Us and Clarity Data Studio swag to share. #rstats

I gave the keynote at Cascadia R Conf 2025: “25 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do with R.” R isn’t just for stats — it’s great for visualization, mapping, automation, and more. Watch the talk + get all the resources here: buff.ly/6svaIME Hope you learn something new! #rstats

rfortherestofus.comTwenty-Five Things You Didn't Know You Could Do with RExplore 25 novel ways to utilize R, including pulling data from various sources, data visualization, mapping, using Quarto for reporting, automating tasks,.

David Keyes reposted

Think R is just for data analysis? Think again. David Keyes’ keynote, 25 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do with R, from #CascadiaRConf2025 blasts that myth wide open. Want creativity, practicality, and real-world R hacks? This is your ticket. Watch it now: youtu.be/wrPrIRcOVr0 #rstats #datasci

youtu.beKeynote - David Keyes - 25 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do with R #CascadiaRConf2025YouTube video by Cascadia R Conf

Running a business, you get some weird marketing pitches. Today's might be the weirdest: putting R for the Rest of Us on the side of a Nascar race race. I appreciate the sentiment, but not sure it's the best way for me to reach customers!

🎉 Big news! After 5+ years of consulting work under the R for the Rest of Us name, I'm launching Clarity Data Studio. The name confusion was real – people thought we only did courses, not knowing about our consulting work building reports, websites, and more.