[Bioc-devel] BiocInstaller: next generation

This all sounds pretty reasonable to me. The ability to choose the
version in install() is nice, especially if we can easily flip between
versions in different install locations. I presume that
version="release" will be the default?

As for the names - BiocManager seems the most sober of the lot. And
thematically appropriate - you might have an orchestra and conductor,
but you still need a manager to get everyone paid, fed and on the stage.

-Aaron

Martin Morgan wrote:

Developers --

A preliminary heads-up and request for comments.

Almost since project inception, we've used the commands

   source("https://bioconductor.org/biocLite.R")
   biocLite(pkgs)

to install packages. This poses security risks (e.g., typos in the
url) and deviates from standard R package installation procedures.


We'd like to move to a different system where a base package, call it
'BiocManager', is installed from CRAN and used to install Bioconductor
packages

   if (!"BiocManager" %in% rownames(installed.packages()))
       install.packages("BiocManager")
   BiocManager::install(pkgs)

This establishes a secure chain from user R session to Bioconductor
package installation. It is also more consistent with base R package
installation procedures.

BiocManager exposes four functions

   - install() or update packages

   - version() version of Bioconductor in use

   - valid() are all Bioconductor packages from the same Bioconductor
version?

   - repositories() url location for Bioconductor version-specific
repositories

install() behaves like biocLite(), using the most current version of
Bioconductor for the version of R in use. It stores this state using a
Bioconductor package 'BiocVersion', which is nothing more than a
sentinel for the version in use. One can also 'use devel' or a
particular version of Bioconductor (consistent with the version of R)
with

   BiocManager::install(version = "3.8")   # or the synonym "devel"


We intend to phase this in over several release cycles, and to
continue to support the traditional biocLite() route for versions
before BiocManager becomes available.

We also intend to change the overall versioning of 'Bioconductor'
itself, where releases are always even (3.8, 3.10, 3.12, ...) and
'devel' always odd.

Obviously this is a large change, eventually requiring updates to many
locations on our web site and individual vignettes.


Of course the key question is the name of the 'BiocManager' package.
It cannot easily be 'BiocInstaller', because of the differences in way
CRAN and Bioconductor version packages. Some possible names are
'
BiocInstall::install()
BiocPackages::install()
BiocManager
BiocMaestro


Your comments are welcome...

Martin


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