v1.4.0

File system

All usethis file system operations now use the fs package (#177). This should not change how usethis functions, but users may notice these features of fs-mediated paths:

• Paths are "tidy", meaning / is the path separator and there are never multiple or trailing /.
• Paths are UTF-8 encoded.
• A Windows user's home directory is interpreted as C:\Users\username (typical of Unix-oriented tools, like Git and ssh; also matches Python), as opposed to C:\Users\username\Documents (R's default on Windows). Read more in fs::path_expand().

Extending or wrapping usethis

These changes make it easier for others to extend usethis, i.e. to create workflow packages specific to their organization, or to use usethis in other packages.

• proj_path() is newly exported. Use it to build paths within the active project. Like proj_get() and proj_set(), it is not aimed at end users, but rather for use in extension packages. End users should use rprojroot or its simpler companion, here, to programmatically detect a project and
  build paths within it (#415, #425).

• edit_file(), write_over(), and write_union() are newly exported helpers. They are mostly for internal use, but can also be useful in packages that extend or customize usethis (#344, #366, #389).

• use_template() no longer errors when a user chooses not to overwrite an existing file and simply exits with confirmation that the file is unchanged (#348, #350, @boshek).

• getOption("usethis.quiet") is consulted when printing user-facing messages. Set this option to TRUE to suppress output, e.g., to use usethis functions quietly in another package. For example, use withr::local_options(list(usethis.quiet = TRUE)) in the calling function (#416, #424).

New functions

• proj_sitrep() reports current working directory, the active usethis project, and the active RStudio Project. Call this function if things seem weird and you're not sure what's wrong or how to fix it. Designed for interactive use and debugging, not for programmatic use (#426).

• use_tibble() does minimum setup necessary for a package that returns or exports a tibble. For example, this guarantees a tibble will print as a tibble (#324 @martinjhnhadley).

• use_logo() resizes and adds a logo to a package (#358, @jimhester).

• use_spell_check() adds a whitelist of words and a unit test to spell check package documentation during R CMD check (#285 @jeroen).

Other small changes and bug fixes

• usethis has a new logo! (#429)

• use_course() reports progress during download (#276, #380).

• use_git() only makes an initial commit of all files if user gives explicit consent (#378).

• create_from_github(): the repo argument is renamed to repo_spec, since it takes input of the form "OWNER/REPO" (#376).

• use_depsy_badge() is defunct. The Depsy project has officially concluded and is no longer being maintained (#354).

• use_github() fails earlier, with a more informative message, in the absence of a GitHub personal access token (PAT). Also looks for the PAT more proactively in the usual environment variables (i.e., GITHUB_PAT, GITHUB_TOKEN) (#320, #340, @cderv).

• The logic for setting DESCRIPTION fields in create_package() and use_description() got a Spring Cleaning. Fields directly specified by the user take precedence, then the named list in getOption("usethis.description") is consulted, and finally defaults built into usethis. use_description_defaults() is a new function that reveals fields found in options and built into usethis. Options specific to one DESCRIPTION field, e.g. devtools.desc.license, are no longer supported. Instead, use a single named list for all fields, preferably stored in an option named "usethis.description" (however,"devtools.desc" is still consulted for backwards compatibility). (#159, #233, #367)

Dependency changes

New Imports: fs, glue, utils

No longer in Imports: backports, httr, rematch2, rmarkdown (moved to Suggests), styler (moved to Suggests)