RStudio won't connect to R after some Debian trixie upgrading (maybe electron/firewall?)

I had a flawlessly working R/RStudio setup. Since some 'normal' packages upgrading (Debian Testing 'trixie'), RStudio stopped connecting to R and the error message indicates a problem with electron. However, I am out of my depth here and searching online for this problem yielded so many different contexts that I am lost. I feel it is only some config issues under the hood: maybe electron, maybe firewall (although I have not fiddled with anything firewall - not consciously at least). So, thank you for any useful hints!

Screenshot 1 shows:

  • Versions of Debian, R and RStudio
  • Check that R is a standard install and is working
  • Output when rstudio is invoked from bash, inclulding with trace-warnings

Screenshot 2 would show the "Cannot Connect to R" error message and tips window of RStudio, but as a new user, I could not upload it. In any case, I tried the tips mentioned there.

When RStudio fails to connect to R after a Debian Trixie upgrade, it's often due to changes in system components, like the Electron framework used by RStudio, or firewall/security settings. Here’s how to troubleshoot:

Check R Installation

  • Ensure that R is still properly installed and accessible. Run R in the terminal to confirm that it starts without issues.
  • If R isn’t recognized, try reinstalling it:

sudo apt install r-base

Reinstall RStudio
Sometimes after system upgrades, files can be corrupted or dependencies may need to be updated. Reinstalling RStudio may fix the connection issue.

bash
sudo apt remove rstudio
sudo apt install rstudio

Electron/GUI Issues

RStudio uses **Electron** for its interface, and changes in Electron or window management in Debian might cause connectivity issues. If this is the problem, consider downgrading RStudio to a previous stable version

sudo apt-get install --reinstall rstudio=1.4.xxxx

4. Firewall or Security Configuration:

Sometimes, firewall settings block RStudio’s connection to R. Disable the firewall temporarily to check if it is the issue:

bash

sudo ufw disable

If this works, re-enable the firewall and adjust settings to allow RStudio:

sudo ufw allow rstudio


Electron/Package Compatibility

Electron upgrades in Debian Trixie may cause compatibility issues. Try launching RStudio with the `--no-sandbox` option to see if it helps bypass security restrictions.