Getting Started: R Markdown Websites

An R Markdown / Bookdown-based website template with a nav bar on top. Best choice if you have existing .Rmd files to build on. If you are starting fresh or already have .qmd files, use the Quarto website setup guide.

1. Create a repository from the template

On the landing page of the OTTR_Template_Website repository, locate the green Use this template button in the upper right corner. Click it, then select Create a new repository and follow the instructions.

2. Name your repository and fill in a short description

Enter a name in the Repository name field and provide a brief description in the Description box.

3. Ensure your repository is set to public

Make sure to set it to a public repository. The rendered pull request preview won’t work on private repositories.

4. Click Create repository from template to proceed

After creating your repository, issues with setup instructions will be automatically filed. Navigate to the Issues tab and follow the instructions there.

5. Check your GitHub Actions settings

Go to Settings > Actions > General. Make sure you have:

1. Given Read and write permissions
2. Checked Allow GitHub Actions to create and approve pull requests

Then click Save.

6. Set up your GitHub personal access token

Go to Settings > Secrets and variables > Actions > Repository secrets and click New repository secret.

• Name: GH_PAT (this exact name is required)
• Secret: create a classic personal access token with repo and workflow scopes checked.

If you encounter any problems, report an issue here.

7. Set up GitHub Pages

In your repository, go to Settings > Pages and configure:

• Source: Deploy from a branch
• Branch: main, folder /docs

Click Save, then check Enforce HTTPS at the bottom of the page.

Warning: If you visit your URL before pushing any file changes, you may see a 404 error. Check after filing your first pull request.

8. Enroll for updates (recommended)

Add jhudsl-robot as a collaborator with write access (Settings > Collaborators & Teams), then add your repository name to the OTTR_Template_Website sync file.

If you’re not a member of the jhudsl GitHub organization, you can:

• Submit your repo info via the OTTR Feedback Google Form
• Open an issue with your repo name and we’ll add it

Repository	Issue Links
OTTR_Template_Website	General issue · Add new repo to sync

If you have any questions about these updates or files, please tag @kweav or @carriewright11.

Next Steps →