Run RStudio server as non-root

[fuzzyruzzy]

Since the new Electron rendering gives graphics glitches on my system, I'm trying RStudio server.

I installed rstudio-server-bin from AUR, and start the server with rstudio-server start.

It calls polkit to seemingly get root access.

In fact when I try rstudio-server status, it gives the following error:

[ABRIDGED] [118397]: WARNING Server user ' root' does not exist, running as root instead (not recommended); LOGGED FROM: virtual rstudio::core::ProgramStatus rstudio::server::Options::read(int, char* const*, std::ostream&) src/cpp/server/ServerOptions.cpp:282

How can I run the server as a regular user?

[technocrat]

Just a thought before I turn in. Create an rstudio user, su and start & ?

[jonathan]

RStudio Server is designed for multiple users -- it needs root access so it can process each users' login and load their data.

However with a little coaxing you can get it to run in single user mode. Here are the instructions from the admin guide -- though the guide is for Workbench, they'll work with the open source version too:

https://docs.posit.co/ide/server-pro/access_and_security/server_permissions.html#running-without-permissions

[fuzzyruzzy]

I think it already created a rstudio user for me, but it still shows this error in the logs of the service.

[fuzzyruzzy]

Thanks, but that doesn't work.

It doesn't start the server anymore.

Here are the logs:

× rstudio-server.service - RStudio Server daemon
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/rstudio-server.service; disabled; preset: disabled)
    Drop-In: /etc/systemd/system/rstudio-server.service.d
             └─override.conf
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Fri 2023-01-20 10:00:48 CET; 2min 20s ago
   Duration: 28ms
    Process: 53517 ExecStart=/usr/bin/rserver --server-daemonize=0 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Main PID: 53517 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 12ms

Jan 20 10:00:48 [ABRIDGED] systemd[1]: Started RStudio Server daemon.
Jan 20 10:00:48 [ABRIDGED] rserver[53517]: Error reading /etc/rstudio/rserver.conf: unrecognised option 'server-project-sharing'
Jan 20 10:00:48 [ABRIDGED] rserver[53517]: ERROR Error reading /etc/rstudio/rserver.conf: unrecognised option 'server-project-sharing'; LOGGED FROM: bool rstudio::core::program_options::parseConfigFile(rstudio_boost::program_options::variables_map&, const string&, const rstudio::core::program_options::OptionsDescription&, bool) src/cpp/core/ProgramOptions.cpp:158
Jan 20 10:00:48 [ABRIDGED] systemd[1]: rstudio-server.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jan 20 10:00:48 [ABRIDGED] systemd[1]: rstudio-server.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

[fuzzyruzzy]

I have commented out server-project-sharing=0 in /etc/rstudio/rserver.conf.

Then it complained about auth-pam-sessions-enabled=0 and I commented that as well.

Now it gives this error:

× rstudio-server.service - RStudio Server daemon
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/rstudio-server.service; disabled; preset: disabled)
    Drop-In: /etc/systemd/system/rstudio-server.service.d
             └─override.conf
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Fri 2023-01-20 10:07:04 CET; 3min 33s ago
   Duration: 6ms
    Process: 57170 ExecStart=/usr/bin/rserver --server-daemonize=0 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Main PID: 57170 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 6ms

Jan 20 10:07:04 [ABRIDGED] systemd[1]: Started RStudio Server daemon.
Jan 20 10:07:04 [ABRIDGED] rserver[57170]: ERROR system error 13 (Permission denied) [path: /var/run/rstudio-server, target-dir: ]; OCCURRED AT rstudio::core::Error rstudio::core::FilePath::createDirectory(const string&) const src/cpp/shared_core/FilePath.cpp:846; LOGGED FROM: int main(int, char* const*) src/cpp/server/ServerMain.cpp:659
Jan 20 10:07:04 [ABRIDGED] systemd[1]: rstudio-server.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jan 20 10:07:04 [ABRIDGED] systemd[1]: rstudio-server.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

I'm also lost about those changes. Posit Workbench is the new name for RStudio?

[fuzzyruzzy]

@jonathan is there a solution?