What is the purpose/function of the output parameter in the server function?

[travis-leith]

In a starting template created by the shiny CLI, I changed the name of the output parameter, to see what happens. No change to the application. Is there any use for this parameter?

[travis-leith]

Coming back to this, I must have made a mistake when I changed the name of the output parameter. I have since learned that the output parameter is used implicitly/magically via the function decorators. Would be happy if someone who knows better can confirm or correct this statement.

[cpsievert]

output (or really, the 2nd parameter of the server function) started out as a required parameter, but is now optional, and is generally only useful if you want to specify an output ID using a string (instead of using the name of provided to the @render function)

[travis-leith]

@cpsievert that sounds quite interesting actually. I would prefer to wire up the outputs explicitly. Can you show me an example of what that would look like?