The Carpentries Workbench

The Carpentries Workbench is a open-source and portable lesson infrastructure built with the R programming language. We aim to provide a robust software framework so The Carpentries and its community is able to freely build reliable, stylish, and accessible online learning materials.

All our lessons across our lesson programs, including those in development in The Carpentries Incubator and Lab, are built using the Workbench.

We welcome contributions to the Workbench so please do connect with us over on GitHub!

Source Code

The code for the Workbench is open sourced under a permissible MIT licence.

It comprises three R packages:

• {pegboard}
• {sandpaper}
• {varnish}

Prebuilt Packages

Conda

There are conda packages available for the Workbench software:

• r-pegboard
• r-sandpaper
• r-varnish

Docker

We also provide a pre-built Docker image that is used for our official GitHub lesson builds, and can be used locally for your own:

• workbench-docker (dockerhub)

Documentation

• Workbench

• {pegboard} Vignettes

• {sandpaper} Vignettes

• {varnish} Vignettes

• Workbench Developers Guide

• Workbench Docker

Cite The Workbench

Have you used the Workbench in your own lessons or teaching materials? Please do cite us!

Kamvar, Z. N., Davey, R., Armstrong, M., Barnes, K., Becker, E., Bellini Saibene, Y., Brown, S., Chisholm, R., Colomb, J., Companjen, B., Feickert, M., Gruson, H., Hodges, T., Michonneau, F., Malfait, M., Nitta, J. H., Konovalov, O., Raden, M., Reed, P., Sheargrub, Theodorakis, D., (2025). The Carpentries Workbench. https://carpentries.org/workbench