How do I install redoc and check if I have the right dependencies?

Install via remotes::install_github('noamross/redoc'). You need Pandoc >= 2.1.2, which comes with RStudio 1.2 or higher. Check your Pandoc version with rmarkdown::pandoc_version() to ensure compatibility.

redoc vs officedown: which should I use for Word documents from R Markdown?

redoc is for reversible workflows where you need to de-render Word edits back to R Markdown, while officedown focuses on rich Word formatting. Choose redoc for collaborative round-trips and officedown for polished one-way output.

Is redoc stable enough for my academic paper submission?

No, redoc is in alpha stage and subject to breaking changes. The README warns it's not stable, so it's risky for critical documents like paper submissions where reliability is essential.

How does redoc preserve tracked changes when converting between formats?

redoc converts Critic Markup syntax in R Markdown to Word tracked changes during rendering, and converts Word tracked changes back to Critic Markup when de-rendering with dedoc(), maintaining edit history.

Can I use redoc with Google Docs or other word processors?

No, redoc only supports Microsoft Word documents. It relies on Word's tracked changes and internal storage, so it's incompatible with other processors like Google Docs or LibreOffice.

What are the main drawbacks of using redoc in a team setting?

The alpha instability means APIs can change, breaking workflows. Also, all team members must use Microsoft Word, and there's a dependency on specific software versions, which can hinder collaboration.

Open-Awesome

redoc

NOASSERTIONR

An R package for two-way R Markdown to Microsoft Word conversion, enabling reversible documents that retain edits and tracked changes.

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What is redoc?

redoc is an R package that enables a reversible, two-way workflow between R Markdown and Microsoft Word documents. It solves the problem of maintaining reproducibility in R Markdown while allowing collaborative editing in Word by generating Word documents that can be de-rendered back to R Markdown, retaining all edits and tracked changes.

Target Audience

R users, data scientists, and researchers who need to collaborate with non-technical stakeholders using Microsoft Word while maintaining reproducible R Markdown workflows.

Value Proposition

Developers choose redoc because it uniquely preserves edits and tracked changes when round-tripping between R Markdown and Word, unlike standard one-way conversion tools. It bridges the gap between reproducible research and real-world collaborative editing.

Overview

Reversible Reproducible Documents

Use Cases

Best For

Collaborative academic paper writing with R Markdown and Word
Maintaining reproducibility when stakeholders require Word edits
Converting Word documents with tracked changes back to R Markdown
Visualizing differences between original and edited R Markdown files
Integrating R Markdown workflows with RStudio for Word round-tripping
Preserving Critic Markup edits when generating Word documents

Not Ideal For

Production environments requiring stable, unchanging APIs for document generation.
Teams collaborating with stakeholders using word processors other than Microsoft Word (e.g., Google Docs, LibreOffice).
Projects that only need one-way conversion from R Markdown to Word without round-tripping edits.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Reversible Document Flow

Enables two-way conversion between R Markdown and Word, preserving all edits and tracked changes, as demonstrated by the dedoc() function that retrieves original .Rmd files.

Seamless Tracked Changes

Automatically converts Critic Markup to Word tracked changes and vice versa, supporting collaborative editing workflows without manual intervention.

RStudio Integration

Provides addins for rendering, updating, and de-rendering documents directly within RStudio, streamlining the workflow for developers.

Visual Diff Tools

Includes redoc_diff() function to visually compare changes between original and de-rendered R Markdown files, aiding in version control.

Cons

Alpha-Stage Instability

The project is explicitly labeled as alpha with core engine and API subject to change, making it unreliable for production use, as noted in the README.

Microsoft Word Dependency

Only supports Microsoft Word, requiring specific software and Pandoc versions (>=2.1.2), limiting cross-platform compatibility and flexibility.

Limited Formatting Control

Built on basic rmarkdown::word_document(), which may not support advanced Word styling compared to alternatives like officedown, as mentioned in the related work section.

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