I agree with Naupaka that it is a bit advanced. However, the package
`testthat` is not for defensive programming per se, but for unit tests.
For defensive programming specifically there is the `assertive` and
`assertr` packages. However, unlike Python, the facilities for defensive
programming are not as well developed in R and are a bit unwieldy.
Considering programming is not often done in R for a larger user base
but rather for data analysis at a individual researcher/team level, I
don't think it is worthwhile to add too much/anything to the defensive
programming for R. The lessons are packed enough as it is.

In addition to that, most people coming to the R workshops are looking
to learn about data and statistical analysis. Defensive programming is
something they would likely never use. I've used R for several years and
develop a few packages and even I very rarely use these defensive
facilities.

Just my two cents.

Luke


On 2016-09-30 12:52 PM, Naupaka Zimmerman wrote:
>
> Hi Raniere -
>
> I think it isn't a part of the materials because it's a bit advanced
> for the usual audience level. But that's not to say it wouldn't be
> nice to have. I imagine such a lesson could intro the base assertion
> functions like |stopifnot()| and also Hadley's testthat package. PRs
> welcome!
>
> Best,
> Naupaka
>
> On 30 Sep 2016, at 8:19, Raniere Silva wrote:
>
>     Hi all,
>     on our Programming with Python,
>     http://swcarpentry.github.io/python-novice-inflammation/08-defensive/,
>
>     we have a "Defensive Programming" section.
>     This section is missing on the R lesson.
>     Any experience R instructor can let me know why?
>     And if you have your "translation" of that lesson in R
>     could you send me a copy of it?
>     Cheers,
>     Raniere
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>
>
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