Cache

ir caches resolver tooling, dependency resolutions, and materialised package libraries for runs, renders, and ad hoc package-tool runs.

Rust owns the cache root and passes it to the resolver R session as IR_CACHE_DIR. This lets warm resolution-cache hits return without launching R while keeping resolver output in the same cache tree. Installed tools use the same resolver cache for tooling and markers, but their package libraries are materialised under the durable tool store instead of IR_CACHE_DIR.

Resolution requests for ordinary registry refs are keyed by declared packages, resolution source, selected R executable, and runtime selectors such as R_ARCH and R_HOME. If the same request was already resolved, ir reuses the cached library before launching the resolver R session, so pak is not invoked again. Latest resolution records a Unix timestamp inside the cache marker; markers older than IR_LATEST_RESOLUTION_MAX_AGE_SECONDS are refreshed in place, so newly published versions are picked up without accumulating one marker per refresh window. The default max age is 86400 seconds (24 hours). Snapshot resolution uses the exclude-newer date in the key because that repository state is immutable. Python environments use separate cache markers that record the resolved Python executable path. If the recorded Python path no longer exists, ir resolves the Python environment again.

Non-standard refs skip the resolution-marker cache. Each run asks pak to resolve them again, so branch heads, URLs, and local paths are not hidden behind a warm resolution marker.

Cache-backed materialised libraries are content-addressed by the install refs passed to renv::use(), R version, and platform. Scripts or tools that resolve to the same install refs share one library. Source refs are still passed to renv::use() on each run so renv can refresh source installs; renv may reuse its own package cache when the source has not changed. Installed tool libraries use the same content-addressing under IR_TOOL_STORE_DIR.

Commands

$ ir cache dir
$ ir cache clean
$ ir cache clean --force

ir cache dir prints the cache root. ir cache clean removes the whole ir cache, including resolver tooling, resolution markers, Python environment cache entries, and cache-backed materialised libraries. It does not remove installed tool libraries under IR_TOOL_STORE_DIR. --force is accepted and has the same behavior.