---
name: "ctags-lang-r"
section: "7"
platform: "linux"
package: "ctags"
version: "1:6.2.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ctags-lang-r"
---

# ctags-lang-r(7)

Random notes about tagging R source code with Universal Ctags

## Name

ctags-lang-r - Random notes about tagging R source code with Universal Ctags

## SYNOPSIS

```
ctags ... --languages=+R ...
ctags ... --language-force=R ...
ctags ... --map-R=+.r ...
```

## DESCRIPTION

This man page gathers random notes about tagging R source code with Universal Ctags.

## Kinds

If a variable gets a value returned from a *well-known constructor* and the variable appears for the first time in the current input file, the R parser makes a tag for the variable and attaches a kind associated with the constructor to the tag regardless of whether the variable appears in the top-level context or a function.

Well-known constructor and kind mapping

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Constructor | kind |
| function() | function |
| c() | vector |
| list() | list |
| data.frame() | dataframe |

If a variable doesn't get a value returned from one of well-known constructors, the R parser attaches **globalVar** or **functionVar** kind to the tag for the variable depending on the context.

Here is an example demonstrating the usage of the kinds:

"input.r"

```
G <- 1
v <- c(1, 2)
l <- list(3, 4)
d <- data.frame(n = v)
f <- function(a) {
        g <- function (b) a + b
        w <- c(1, 2)
        m <- list (3, 4)
        e <- data.frame(n = w)
        L <- 2
}
```

"output.tags" with "--options=NONE --sort=no --fields=+KZ -o - input.r"

```
G       input.r /^G <- 1$/;"    globalVar
v       input.r /^v <- c(1, 2)$/;"      vector
l       input.r /^l <- list(3, 4)$/;"   list
d       input.r /^d <- data.frame(n = v)$/;"    dataframe
n       input.r /^d <- data.frame(n = v)$/;"    nameattr        scope:dataframe:d
f       input.r /^f <- function(a) {$/;"        function
g       input.r /^      g <- function (b) a + b$/;"     function        scope:function:f
w       input.r /^      w <- c(1, 2)$/;"        vector  scope:function:f
m       input.r /^      m <- list (3, 4)$/;"    list    scope:function:f
e       input.r /^      e <- data.frame(n = w)$/;"      dataframe       scope:function:f
n       input.r /^      e <- data.frame(n = w)$/;"      nameattr        scope:dataframe:f.e
L       input.r /^      L <- 2$/;"      functionVar     scope:function:f
```

## SEE ALSO

[ctags(1)](/ctags/1.md)