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Plotly vs ggplot2: What are the differences?

Differences Between Plotly and ggplot2

Plotly and ggplot2 are both popular data visualization libraries, but there are several key differences between the two.

  1. Syntax and Language: Plotly is primarily a web-based tool that uses JavaScript and D3.js for rendering charts, while ggplot2 is a package in R that uses a grammar of graphics to create visualizations. This difference in language and syntax affects the way charts are coded and customized.

  2. Interactivity: Plotly offers built-in interactivity and allows users to create interactive visualizations with features such as zooming, panning, and hover effects. ggplot2, on the other hand, focuses more on static visualizations and does not have the same level of interactivity.

  3. Support for Web Development: Plotly is designed with web applications in mind and provides APIs and tools for embedding charts into web pages and applications. ggplot2, being an R package, is more suitable for statistical analysis and data exploration within the R ecosystem.

  4. Chart Types and Options: Plotly provides a wider range of chart types and more customization options compared to ggplot2. Plotly supports 3D plots, heatmaps, contour plots, and more, whereas ggplot2 offers a more limited set of chart types.

  5. Collaboration and Sharing: Plotly offers cloud-based services that allow for easy collaboration and sharing of visualizations. Multiple users can work on the same project, and charts can be shared and embedded in websites or applications. ggplot2 does not have built-in collaborative features like Plotly.

  6. Platform Compatibility: Plotly is compatible with multiple programming languages, including Python, R, and Julia. It can be used in various environments and integrated with different frameworks. ggplot2, being an R package, is primarily used within the R environment.

In summary, Plotly is a web-based visualization tool that offers interactivity, extensive customization options, collaboration features, and compatibility with multiple programming languages. ggplot2, on the other hand, is a graphics package in R that focuses on static visualizations and is more suitable for statistical analysis within the R ecosystem.

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Pros of ggplot2
Pros of Plotly.js
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    • 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 ggplot2
    Cons of Plotly.js
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      • 17
        Terrible document

      Sign up to add or upvote consMake informed product decisions

      What is ggplot2?

      It is a general scheme for data visualization which breaks up graphs into semantic components such as scales and layers.

      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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      What companies use ggplot2?
      What companies use Plotly.js?
      See which teams inside your own company are using ggplot2 or Plotly.js.
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      What tools integrate with ggplot2?
      What tools integrate with Plotly.js?

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      What are some alternatives to ggplot2 and Plotly.js?
      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.
      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.
      Base
      The Intelligent Sales Productivity Platform - leveraging Big Data, mobility and real-time computing to give sales teams the tools they need to be successful.
      ApexCharts
      A modern JavaScript charting library to build interactive charts and visualizations with simple API.
      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.
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