Feature request: Add support for R-universe in environment.yaml similar to support for pip

[rgaiacs]

Checklist

• I added a descriptive title
• I searched open requests and couldn't find a duplicate

What is the idea?

R-universe is a CRAN compatible repository for R packages created in 2021 that graduated to a R Consortium top level project. R-universe has packages not published on CRAN or conda-forge that are valuable to R users.

Also, R-universe builds WASM binaries that can be valuable for projects like JupyterLite.

Why is this needed?

Like the native support for PyPI expand the Python user base, the native support for R-universe will expand the R user base and reduce the burden when using R packages that are not already packaged by conda-forge.

What should happen?

• Conda Enhancement Proposal create and submit
• Conda Enhancement Proposal accepted / approved
• Implementation by clients on their own discretion

Additional Context

From CEP 24 - Specification of environment.yml input files:

dependencies

[...]

This section can also contain "subsection" dictionaries [...]

Currently known subsections include pip [...]

Additional subsections are allowed. [...]

The feature request conda/conda#10708 was "automatically marked as stale".

[travishathaway]

Hi @rgaiacs,

Thanks for submitting this interesting feature request. I think the best thing to do for now would be to transfer this issue to the conda/ceps repository. As you alluded to in the, "What should happen?" section, we first need to agree on how this will be represented by either amending or creating a new CEP.

If that's okay with you, I can get this transferred over to that repository.

You might be interested in this draft CEP we're currently working on for better PyPI support via wheels:

• Add CEP for Repodata Wheel Support #145

Let us know if you have any questions.

[rgaiacs]

If that's okay with you, I can get this transferred over to conda/ceps.

That's OK with me. Thanks!

[rgaiacs]

we first need to agree on how this will be represented by either amending or creating a new CEP

A CEP draft was submitted as #149.