Alternatives to Plotly.js logo

Alternatives to Plotly.js

Highcharts, Bokeh, Marvel, Matplotlib, and Storyline are the most popular alternatives and competitors to Plotly.js.
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What is Plotly.js and what are its top alternatives?

Plotly.js is a JavaScript graphing library that allows users to create interactive, web-based plots and charts. The key features of Plotly.js include support for a wide range of chart types, interactivity with hover, zoom, and pan functionalities, and the ability to export plots in various formats. However, some limitations of Plotly.js include a steep learning curve for beginners and potential performance issues with large datasets.

  1. D3.js: D3.js is a powerful JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data. Key features include data-driven DOM manipulation, creating complex and customizable visualizations, and extensive community support. Pros of using D3.js include its flexibility and ability to create unique visualizations, while cons include a steeper learning curve compared to other libraries.
  2. Highcharts: Highcharts is a JavaScript charting library that offers a wide range of chart types and interactive features. Key features include responsive design, easily customizable charts, and extensive documentation. Pros of Highcharts include its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with various platforms, while cons include its licensing fees for commercial use.
  3. Chart.js: Chart.js is a simple and lightweight JavaScript charting library that allows users to create responsive and visually appealing charts. Key features include support for various chart types, easy customization options, and community plugins. Pros of Chart.js include its simplicity and ease of use, while cons include limited features compared to more advanced libraries.
  4. Google Charts: Google Charts is a powerful tool for creating various types of interactive charts and graphs using a simple JavaScript API. Key features include support for a wide range of chart types, real-time data updates, and compatibility with all modern browsers. Pros of Google Charts include its seamless integration with Google products and free usage, while cons include less customization options compared to other libraries.
  5. NVD3: NVD3 is built on top of D3.js and provides reusable chart components for creating interactive visualizations. Key features include responsive design, easy integration with D3.js, and a rich set of chart types. Pros of NVD3 include its high-quality visualizations and ease of use with D3.js, while cons include fewer customization options compared to other libraries.
  6. ECharts: ECharts is a powerful charting and visualization library written in JavaScript that offers interactive and highly customizable charts. Key features include support for a wide range of visualizations, animation effects, and compatibility with different devices. Pros of ECharts include its excellent performance and extensive documentation, while cons include a steeper learning curve for beginners.
  7. ApexCharts: ApexCharts is a modern JavaScript charting library that offers a flexible and feature-rich solution for creating interactive charts. Key features include support for dynamic, real-time updates, numerous chart types, and customizable themes. Pros of ApexCharts include its ease of use and extensive customization options, while cons include occasional bugs and limitations in certain chart functionalities.
  8. FusionCharts: FusionCharts is a comprehensive JavaScript charting library that provides a wide range of interactive charts and maps. Key features include support for advanced chart types, extensive customization options, and compatibility with all major web technologies. Pros of FusionCharts include its rich set of features and great performance, while cons include its pricing model for commercial use.
  9. Rickshaw: Rickshaw is a JavaScript toolkit for creating interactive real-time graphs with a simple and modular structure. Key features include support for streaming data, customizable visuals, and smooth animations. Pros of Rickshaw include its lightweight design and seamless integration with various frameworks, while cons include a lack of updates and limited community support.
  10. Vega-Lite: Vega-Lite is a high-level grammar of interactive graphics that simplifies the process of creating complex visualizations. Key features include a concise and declarative JSON syntax, automatic layout optimization, and compatibility with multiple data formats. Pros of Vega-Lite include its ease of use and scalability for large datasets, while cons include limited support for highly customized visualizations compared to other libraries.

Top Alternatives to Plotly.js

  • Highcharts
    Highcharts

    Highcharts currently supports line, spline, area, areaspline, column, bar, pie, scatter, angular gauges, arearange, areasplinerange, columnrange, bubble, box plot, error bars, funnel, waterfall and polar chart types. ...

  • Bokeh
    Bokeh

    Bokeh is an interactive visualization library for modern web browsers. It provides elegant, concise construction of versatile graphics, and affords high-performance interactivity over large or streaming datasets. ...

  • Marvel
    Marvel

    A super simple tool that turns any image (including PSDs) or sketch into interactive prototypes for any device. Powered by Dropbox. ...

  • Matplotlib
    Matplotlib

    It is a Python 2D plotting library which produces publication quality figures in a variety of hardcopy formats and interactive environments across platforms. It can be used in Python scripts, the Python and IPython shells, the Jupyter notebook, web application servers, and four graphical user interface toolkits. ...

  • Storyline
    Storyline

    Storyline makes it easy to create, test & publish Alexa skills in minutes with a visual interface and pre-built templates. ...

  • D3.js
    D3.js

    It is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data. Emphasises on web standards gives you the full capabilities of modern browsers without tying yourself to a proprietary framework. ...

  • Tableau
    Tableau

    Tableau can help anyone see and understand their data. Connect to almost any database, drag and drop to create visualizations, and share with a click. ...

  • Dash
    Dash

    Dash is an API Documentation Browser and Code Snippet Manager. Dash stores snippets of code and instantly searches offline documentation sets for 150+ APIs. You can even generate your own docsets or request docsets to be included. ...

Plotly.js alternatives & related posts

Highcharts logo

Highcharts

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A charting library written in pure JavaScript, offering an easy way of adding interactive charts to your web...
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PROS OF HIGHCHARTS
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    Low learning curve and powerful
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    Multiple chart types such as pie, bar, line and others
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    Responsive charts
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    Handles everything you throw at it
  • 8
    Extremely easy-to-parse documentation
  • 5
    Built-in export chart as-is to image file
  • 5
    Easy to customize color scheme and palettes
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    Export on server side, can be used in email
CONS OF HIGHCHARTS
  • 9
    Expensive

related Highcharts posts

Here is my stack on #Visualization. @FusionCharts and Highcharts are easy to use but only free for non-commercial. Chart.js and Plotly are two lovely tools for commercial use under the MIT license. And D3.js would be my last choice only if a complex customized plot is needed.

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Bokeh logo

Bokeh

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An interactive visualization library
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PROS OF BOKEH
  • 12
    Beautiful Interactive charts in seconds
CONS OF BOKEH
    Be the first to leave a con

    related Bokeh posts

    Shared insights
    on
    MatplotlibMatplotlibBokehBokehDjangoDjango

    Hi - I am looking to develop an app accessed by a browser that will display interactive networks (including adding or deleting nodes, edges, labels (or changing labels) based on user input. Look to use Django at the backend. Also need to manage graph versions if one person makes a graph change while another person is looking at it. Mainly tree networks for starters anyway. I probably will use the Networkx package. Not sure what the pros and cons are using Bokeh vs Matplotlib. I would be grateful for any comments or suggestions. Thanks.

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    Marvel logo

    Marvel

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    Prototyping for everyone
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    PROS OF MARVEL
    • 15
      Nice UI
    • 14
      Free
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      Easy animations
    • 5
      Iphone app
    • 5
      Dropbox integration
    CONS OF MARVEL
      Be the first to leave a con

      related Marvel posts

      Matplotlib logo

      Matplotlib

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      A plotting library for the Python programming language
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      PROS OF MATPLOTLIB
      • 10
        The standard Swiss Army Knife of plotting
      CONS OF MATPLOTLIB
      • 5
        Lots of code

      related Matplotlib posts

      Shared insights
      on
      MatplotlibMatplotlibBokehBokehDjangoDjango

      Hi - I am looking to develop an app accessed by a browser that will display interactive networks (including adding or deleting nodes, edges, labels (or changing labels) based on user input. Look to use Django at the backend. Also need to manage graph versions if one person makes a graph change while another person is looking at it. Mainly tree networks for starters anyway. I probably will use the Networkx package. Not sure what the pros and cons are using Bokeh vs Matplotlib. I would be grateful for any comments or suggestions. Thanks.

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      Storyline logo

      Storyline

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      Create Alexa skills without coding
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      PROS OF STORYLINE
        Be the first to leave a pro
        CONS OF STORYLINE
          Be the first to leave a con

          related Storyline posts

          D3.js logo

          D3.js

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          A JavaScript visualization library for HTML and SVG
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          PROS OF D3.JS
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            Beautiful visualizations
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            Svg
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            Data-driven
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            Large set of examples
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            Data-driven documents
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            Visualization components
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            Transitions
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            Dynamic properties
          • 16
            Plugins
          • 11
            Transformation
          • 7
            Makes data interactive
          • 4
            Open Source
          • 4
            Enter and Exit
          • 4
            Components
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            Exhaustive
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            Backed by the new york times
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            Easy and beautiful
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            Highly customizable
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            Awesome Community Support
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            Simple elegance
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            Templates, force template
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            Angular 4
          CONS OF D3.JS
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            Beginners cant understand at all
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            Complex syntax

          related D3.js posts

          Tim Abbott
          Shared insights
          on
          Plotly.jsPlotly.jsD3.jsD3.js
          at

          We use Plotly (just their open source stuff) for Zulip's user-facing and admin-facing statistics graphs because it's a reasonably well-designed JavaScript graphing library.

          If you've tried using D3.js, it's a pretty poor developer experience, and that translates to spending a bunch of time getting the graphs one wants even for things that are conceptually pretty basic. Plotly isn't amazing (it's decent), but it's way better than than D3 unless you have very specialized needs.

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          Amit Garg
          Shared insights
          on
          D3.jsD3.jsApexChartsApexChartsReactReact

          Hi,

          I am looking at integrating a charting library in my React frontend that allows me to create appealing and interactive charts. I have basic familiarity with ApexCharts with React but have also read about D3.js charts and it seems a much more involved integration. Can someone please share their experience across the two libraries on the following dimensions:

          1. Amount of work needed for integration
          2. Amount of work or ease for creating new charts in either of the libraries.

          Regards

          Amit

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          Tableau logo

          Tableau

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          Tableau helps people see and understand data.
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          PROS OF TABLEAU
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            Capable of visualising billions of rows
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            Intuitive and easy to learn
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            Responsive
          CONS OF TABLEAU
          • 2
            Very expensive for small companies

          related Tableau posts

          Looking for the best analytics software for a medium-large-sized firm. We currently use a Microsoft SQL Server database that is analyzed in Tableau desktop/published to Tableau online for users to access dashboards. Is it worth the cost savings/time to switch over to using SSRS or Power BI? Does anyone have experience migrating from Tableau to SSRS /or Power BI? Our other option is to consider using Tableau on-premises instead of online. Using custom SQL with over 3 million rows really decreases performances and results in processing times that greatly exceed our typical experience. Thanks.

          See more
          Shared insights
          on
          TableauTableauQlikQlikPowerBIPowerBI

          Hello everyone,

          My team and I are currently in the process of selecting a Business Intelligence (BI) tool for our actively developing company, which has over 500 employees. We are considering open-source options.

          We are keen to connect with a Head of Analytics or BI Analytics professional who has extensive experience working with any of these systems and is willing to share their insights. Ideally, we would like to speak with someone from companies that have transitioned from proprietary BI tools (such as PowerBI, Qlik, or Tableau) to open-source BI tools, or vice versa.

          If you have any contacts or recommendations for individuals we could reach out to regarding this matter, we would greatly appreciate it. Additionally, if you are personally willing to share your experiences, please feel free to reach out to me directly. Thank you!

          See more
          Dash logo

          Dash

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          Gives your Mac instant offline access to 150+ API documentation sets
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          PROS OF DASH
          • 17
            Dozens of API docs and Cheat-Sheets
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            Great for offline use
          • 8
            Works with Alfred
          • 8
            Excellent documentation
          • 8
            Quick API search
          • 5
            Fast
          • 3
            Good integration with Xcode and AppCode
          • 2
            Great for mobile dev work
          CONS OF DASH
            Be the first to leave a con

            related Dash posts

            My company wants to make some relatively small, self-contained web apps to go through specific engineering analysis workflows.

            Each app would involve:

            (a) User inputs numbers and tabular data either in a table or from a csv import

            (b) App makes plots of this data

            (c) App performs calculations based on user input and outputs results as either plots or numbers or tabular data

            It seems like there must be zillions of applications where people want these things, so I want a 'low code' approach that already handles a bunch of details so we don't have to. Experience in the past with Angular has involved, in my experience, a lot of low-level coding to 'reinvent the wheel', creating capabilities (like menus to control plotting options like font size) that I'd expect to be very common.

            Specific wants:

            (a) Plotting capabilities with prebuilt convenient plotting controls

            (b) Ability to 'save' and 'load' (as in, you do the analysis and get results and want to save so that you can reopen this save environment with the data and analysis, as if you'd never closed it)

            (c) For specific components, ability to swap out the built-in components with a customized plot/widget.

            For example, with (c), we might have a situation where we do want to make a custom plot or tool, and would like to be able to drop that into the general application

            Question is - does something exist that does what I am describing? What would you recommend? On our list to check out: Microsoft PowerApps , Dash , UI Bakery, Retool , Tibco Spotfire , Outsystems, Zoho, Creatio, or any other suggestions.

            Other considerations:

            (a) How easy are these apps to maintain (i.e., do they frequently make non back compatible, breaking updates, like they do with Angular)

            (b) Need excellent security so I can deploy web apps for large companies

            (c) General ease of use (would like to be efficient with developer time).

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