amCharts vs D3.js vs Plotly.js

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amCharts

216
230
+ 1
21
D3.js

1.9K
1.7K
+ 1
653
Plotly.js

361
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D3.js vs Plotly vs amCharts: What are the differences?

Introduction:

D3.js, Plotly, and amCharts are popular JavaScript libraries used for data visualization. Each of these libraries has unique features and differences that set them apart. Below are the key differences between D3.js, Plotly, and amCharts.

1. Customization and Flexibility: D3.js provides the most flexibility and customization options among the three libraries. Users have granular control over every aspect of the visualization, making it suitable for complex and unique data visualizations. Plotly and amCharts offer easier implementation and come with a wide range of pre-designed templates and charts, limiting the extent of customization compared to D3.js.

2. Ease of Use and Learning Curve: Plotly and amCharts are known for their user-friendly interfaces and simplified coding syntax, which make them easier to use for those with less experience in data visualization. D3.js, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve due to its more complex API and implementation requirements.

3. Community Support and Documentation: D3.js has a robust community of users and extensive documentation, making it easier to troubleshoot issues and find resources for development. Plotly and amCharts also have active user communities, but they may not have the same level of comprehensive documentation and resources available as D3.js.

4. Interactivity and Real-time Data: Plotly provides excellent support for real-time data streaming and interactive visualizations, suitable for dynamic applications. amCharts also offers interactive features, but Plotly is known for its advanced interactivity capabilities, while D3.js requires more effort to implement real-time data visualization features.

5. Performance and Scalability: D3.js is highly optimized for performance and scalability, making it suitable for handling large datasets and complex visualizations efficiently. Plotly and amCharts are designed for ease of use and may not offer the same level of performance optimization as D3.js, particularly when dealing with extensive data processing and rendering requirements.

6. Licensing and Pricing: D3.js is open-source and free to use, making it a cost-effective option for developers. Plotly and amCharts offer both open-source and commercial versions, with additional features and support available in the paid plans. Users looking for a budget-friendly solution may opt for D3.js, while those requiring premium features and support may choose Plotly or amCharts.

In Summary, D3.js stands out for its customization and flexibility, while Plotly and amCharts offer easier implementation and user-friendly interfaces. Developers can choose the best library based on their specific requirements for data visualization projects.

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Pros of amCharts
Pros of D3.js
Pros of Plotly.js
  • 18
    Mock-up tools
  • 3
    Each element can be Customized
  • 195
    Beautiful visualizations
  • 103
    Svg
  • 92
    Data-driven
  • 81
    Large set of examples
  • 61
    Data-driven documents
  • 24
    Visualization components
  • 20
    Transitions
  • 18
    Dynamic properties
  • 16
    Plugins
  • 11
    Transformation
  • 7
    Makes data interactive
  • 4
    Open Source
  • 4
    Enter and Exit
  • 4
    Components
  • 3
    Exhaustive
  • 3
    Backed by the new york times
  • 2
    Easy and beautiful
  • 1
    Highly customizable
  • 1
    Awesome Community Support
  • 1
    Simple elegance
  • 1
    Templates, force template
  • 1
    Angular 4
  • 16
    Bindings to popular languages like Python, Node, R, etc
  • 10
    Integrated zoom and filter-out tools in charts and maps
  • 9
    Great support for complex and multiple axes
  • 8
    Powerful out-of-the-box featureset
  • 6
    Beautiful visualizations
  • 4
    Active user base
  • 4
    Impressive support for webgl 3D charts
  • 3
    Charts are easy to share with a cloud account
  • 3
    Webgl chart types are extremely performant
  • 2
    Interactive charts
  • 2
    Easy to use online editor for creating plotly.js charts
  • 2
    Publication quality image export

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Cons of amCharts
Cons of D3.js
Cons of Plotly.js
  • 1
    Amcharts upgrade often need to rewrite all code
  • 11
    Beginners cant understand at all
  • 6
    Complex syntax
  • 18
    Terrible document

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What is amCharts?

amCharts is an advanced charting library that will suit any data visualization need. Our charting solution include Column, Bar, Line, Area, Step, Step without risers, Smoothed line, Candlestick, OHLC, Pie/Donut, Radar/ Polar, XY/Scatter/Bubble, Bullet, Funnel/Pyramid charts as well as Gauges.

What is 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.

What is Plotly.js?

It is a standalone Javascript data visualization library, and it also powers the Python and R modules named plotly in those respective ecosystems (referred to as Plotly.py and Plotly.R). It can be used to produce dozens of chart types and visualizations, including statistical charts, 3D graphs, scientific charts, SVG and tile maps, financial charts and more.

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Sep 8 2017 at 2:54PM

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What are some alternatives to amCharts, D3.js, and Plotly.js?
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.
Google Charts
It is an interactive Web service that creates graphical charts from user-supplied information. The user supplies data and a formatting specification expressed in JavaScript embedded in a Web page; in response the service sends an image of the chart.
FusionCharts
It is the most comprehensive JavaScript charting library, with over 100+ charts and 2000+ maps. Integrated with all popular JavaScript frameworks and server-side programming languages. Create interactive JavaScript charts for your web and enterprise applications.
ECharts
It is an open source visualization library implemented in JavaScript, runs smoothly on PCs and mobile devices, and is compatible with most current browsers.
Victory
A collection of composable React components for building interactive data visualizations.
See all alternatives