# How R Is Reinventing Itself for Data Science in 2026 Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-programming-languages-podcast-with-fexingo-python-rust-javascript-and-modern-coding-7872026/how-r-is-reinventing-itself-for-data-science-in-2026 Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-programming-languages-podcast-with-fexingo-python-rust-javascript-and-modern-coding-7872026/how-r-is-reinventing-itself-for-data-science-in-2026.md Podcast: [The Programming Languages Podcast with Fexingo: Python, Rust, JavaScript, and Modern Coding](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-programming-languages-podcast-with-fexingo-python-rust-javascript-and-modern-coding-7872026) Published: 2026-07-07T10:05:15+00:00 Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/business/the-programming-languages-podcast/episode-0096.mp3 Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/business/the-programming-languages-podcast/episode-0096.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-programming-languages-podcast-with-fexingo-python-rust-javascript-and-modern-coding-7872026/episodes/how-r-is-reinventing-itself-for-data-science-in-2026 Duration seconds: 506 ## Resource R has long been the statistician's favorite, but in 2026 it's undergoing a quiet renaissance. Lucas and Luna explore how the new R 5.0 release, the Arrow integration for out-of-memory data, and the rise of the 'R in production' movement are making it a serious competitor to Python for enterprise data pipelines. They break down the specific performance gains—like 10x faster data frame operations with the new altrep system—and why companies like Roche and the New York Times are investing heavily in R tooling. A must-listen for data engineers and analysts wondering whether to double down on R or pivot to Python. #RStats #DataScience #DataEngineering #ProgrammingLanguages #R5 #Arrow #DataFrame #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #OpenSource #Roche #NewYorkTimes #AltRep #POSIT #Tidyverse #DataAnalysis #StatisticalComputing Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-programming-languages-podcast-with-fexingo-python-rust-javascript-and-modern-coding-7872026/episodes/how-r-is-reinventing-itself-for-data-science-in-2026/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-programming-languages-podcast-with-fexingo-python-rust-javascript-and-modern-coding-7872026/how-r-is-reinventing-itself-for-data-science-in-2026.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.