PacketLLM: Interactive OpenAI Chat within RStudio

PacketLLM integrates OpenAI’s powerful GPT-5 language models directly into your RStudio workflow via an interactive RStudio Gadget interface.

Stop switching between windows! Leverage state-of-the-art AI to streamline tasks such as: - Generating R code snippets - Explaining complex code or concepts - Debugging assistance - Summarizing documents - Analyzing text content from files - Brainstorming ideas

…all without leaving your familiar RStudio environment.

Key Features

Seamless RStudio Integration:
Runs as a responsive Shiny Gadget within RStudio’s Viewer pane (can be popped out into a separate window).

Interactive Chat:
Engage in natural language conversations with selected OpenAI models.

Multiple Conversations:
Manage several distinct chat sessions simultaneously using a familiar tabbed interface.

Contextual File Uploads:
Provide context to the LLM by uploading local files directly into a conversation.
Supported formats: - .R / .R scripts - .pdf documents - .docx Word documents

Per-Conversation Settings:
Tailor the AI’s behavior for each chat by adjusting: - The specific OpenAI model (e.g., gpt-5, gpt-5 mini, gpt-5 nano). - A custom system message to define the AI’s role or instructions.

Asynchronous Operations:
API calls are handled asynchronously, ensuring the R console remains responsive while waiting for the model’s reply.

Model Flexibility:
Easily switch between available OpenAI chat models before starting a new conversation.

Installation

You can install the development version of PacketLLM from GitHub with:

# install.packages("remotes")  # Uncomment if you don't have remotes installed
remotes::install_github("AntoniCzolgowski/PacketLLM")

Configuration: OpenAI API Key (Crucial!)

PacketLLM requires an OpenAI API key to communicate with the language models.

Obtain an API Key:
If you don’t have one, sign up and get an API key from OpenAI.

Set the Environment Variable:
The recommended and most secure way to provide the key is by setting the OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable. PacketLLM will automatically detect and use it.

Add the following line to your user-level or project-level .Renviron file:

OPENAI_API_KEY='your_secret_api_key_here'

Use usethis::edit_r_environ() to easily open your .Renviron file.

Important: After editing .Renviron, restart your R session for the changes to take effect. Never hardcode your API key directly into scripts or share it publicly.

Basic Usage

Once installed and configured with your API key, simply load the library and run the main function in your RStudio console:

library(PacketLLM)

# Launch the PacketLLM Chat Gadget
run_llm_chat_app()