Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

D3.js VS ChartBlocks

Compare D3.js VS ChartBlocks and see what are their differences

D3.js logo D3.js

D3.js is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data. D3 helps you bring data to life using HTML, SVG, and CSS.

ChartBlocks logo ChartBlocks

Import data, design and share a chart in minutes. Or seconds via the API.
  • D3.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-11

D3 allows you to bind arbitrary data to a Document Object Model (DOM), and then apply data-driven transformations to the document. For example, you can use D3 to generate an HTML table from an array of numbers. Or, use the same data to create an interactive SVG bar chart with smooth transitions and interaction.

D3 is not a monolithic framework that seeks to provide every conceivable feature. Instead, D3 solves the crux of the problem: efficient manipulation of documents based on data. This avoids proprietary representation and affords extraordinary flexibility, exposing the full capabilities of web standards such as HTML, SVG, and CSS. With minimal overhead, D3 is extremely fast, supporting large datasets and dynamic behaviors for interaction and animation. D3’s functional style allows code reuse through a diverse collection of official and community-developed modules.

  • ChartBlocks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-09-14

D3.js features and specs

  • Powerful Visualization
    D3.js allows for the creation of highly customized and interactive data visualizations, harnessing the full power of web standards like SVG, Canvas, and HTML.
  • Data Binding
    It offers robust support for data-driven transformations and binding, enabling intuitive connections between data sets and DOM elements.
  • Community and Ecosystem
    A large and active community contributes to tutorials, plugins, and tools, which can significantly simplify the development process.
  • Flexibility
    D3.js is highly flexible, providing low-level manipulation capabilities without being tied to any specific chart types or patterns.
  • Performance
    It is highly optimized for performance, allowing for efficient rendering of complex visualizations even with large data sets.

Possible disadvantages of D3.js

  • Steep Learning Curve
    D3.js has a steep learning curve due to its low-level nature and requires a solid understanding of JavaScript, DOM manipulation, and data concepts.
  • Complexity
    Creating complex visualizations can be time-consuming and require a significant amount of custom code, making it less approachable for quick, simple tasks.
  • Browser Compatibility
    Although widely supported, some D3.js features may have inconsistent behavior across different browsers, requiring additional testing and debugging.
  • Documentation
    While extensive, D3.js documentation can be challenging for beginners to navigate and understand, causing misunderstandings and slower development times.
  • Dependency Management
    The library itself is modular, but managing dependencies and integrating D3.js with other JavaScript frameworks or libraries can sometimes be problematic.

ChartBlocks features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    ChartBlocks offers a highly intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible even for users without advanced technical skills.
  • Wide Range of Customization Options
    The platform provides extensive customization options for charts, allowing users to tailor visualizations to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Data Import Flexibility
    ChartBlocks supports importing data from various sources, including direct file uploads, Google Sheets, and URLs, providing flexibility in data management.
  • Responsive Design
    Charts created on ChartBlocks are responsive, ensuring they display well across different devices and screen sizes.
  • Interactive Features
    The platform allows the creation of interactive charts, enhancing user engagement and making data more accessible and easier to understand.

Possible disadvantages of ChartBlocks

  • Limited Free Plan Features
    The free version of ChartBlocks comes with limitations such as fewer chart types and branding restrictions, which may necessitate an upgrade for more robust features.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic features are user-friendly, there is a learning curve associated with leveraging some of the more advanced customization options and features.
  • Export Limitations
    In the free plan, there may be restrictions on exporting charts in certain formats or resolutions, which can be a limitation for users needing high-quality outputs.
  • Performance Issues with Large Datasets
    The platform might experience performance lags and slower responsiveness when handling very large datasets, affecting efficiency.
  • Dependence on Internet Connection
    As a cloud-based service, ChartBlocks requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance, which could be a drawback in areas with poor connectivity.

D3.js videos

Data Visualization with D3.js - Full Tutorial Course

More videos:

  • Review - Let's learn D3.js - D3 for data visualization (full course)

ChartBlocks videos

How to Make a Bar Chart

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to D3.js and ChartBlocks)
Charting Libraries
85 85%
15% 15
Data Visualization
88 88%
12% 12
Data Dashboard
85 85%
15% 15
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare D3.js and ChartBlocks

D3.js Reviews

6 JavaScript Charting Libraries for Powerful Data Visualizations in 2023
Depending on your requirements, the best JavaScript library is D3.js, as it’s by far the most customizable. However, it’s also really complex and difficult to master. Plus, it’s not as compatible with TypeScript as it is with JavaScript, which can be off-putting for some developers. If you’d prefer a less complex library that you can use with TypeScript, ECharts, and...
Source: embeddable.com
15 JavaScript Libraries for Creating Beautiful Charts
When we think of charting today, D3.js is the first name that comes up. Being an open source project, D3.js definitely brings many powerful features that were missing in most of the existing libraries. Features like dynamic properties, Enter and Exit, powerful transitions, and syntax familiarity with jQuery make it one the best JavaScript libraries for charting. Charts in...
Top 20 Javascript Libraries
D3 stands for Data-Driven Documents. With D3, you can apply data-driven transformations to DOM objects. The keyword with D3 is ‘data-driven,’ which means documents are manipulated depending on the data received. Data can be received in any format and bound with DOM objects. D3 is very fast and supports dynamic behavior for animation and interactions. There are plenty of...
Source: hackr.io
20+ JavaScript libraries to draw your own diagrams (2022 edition)
D3.js is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data. Right now, I would say is the most popular library of its kind.
15 data science tools to consider using in 2021
Another open source tool, D3.js is a JavaScript library for creating custom data visualizations in a web browser. Commonly known as D3, which stands for Data-Driven Documents, it uses web standards, such as HTML, Scalable Vector Graphics and CSS, instead of its own graphical vocabulary. D3's developers describe it as a dynamic and flexible tool that requires a minimum amount...

ChartBlocks Reviews

A Complete Overview of the Best Data Visualization Tools
ChartBlocks claims that data can be imported from “anywhere” using their API, including from live feeds. While they say that importing data from any source can be done in “just a few clicks,” it’s bound to be more complex than other apps that have automated modules or extensions for specific data sources.
Source: www.toptal.com
The Best Data Visualization Tools - Top 30 BI Software
Chartblocks is an easy-to-use chart building and publishing tool that allows you to build charts from data by importing it from spreadsheets and databases. Charts are created under the hood in HTML5 by using the powerful JavaScript library D3.js and your visualizations will be responsive and compatible with any screen size and device. You can also be able to embed your...
Source: improvado.io

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, D3.js seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 167 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

D3.js mentions (167)

  • IO Devices and Latency
    Do you mean something for data visualization, or tricks condensing large data sets with cursors? https://d3js.org/ Best of luck =3. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • 2024 Nuxt3 Annual Ecosystem Summary🚀
    Document address: D3.js Official Document. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • 100+ Must-Have Web Development Resources
    D3.js: One of the most popular JavaScript visualization libraries. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • What are npm Peer Dependencies and how to use them?
    A Dependency is an npm package that our code depends on in order to be able to run. Some popular packages that can be added as dependencies are lodash, D3, and chartjs. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Introducing RacingBars 📊
    RacingBars is an open-source, light-weight (~45kb gzipped), easy-to-use, and feature-rich javascript library for bar chart race, based on D3.js. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
View more

ChartBlocks mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of ChartBlocks yet. Tracking of ChartBlocks recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing D3.js and ChartBlocks, you can also consider the following products

Chart.js - Easy, object oriented client side graphs for designers and developers.

ZoomCharts - Creating meaningful and aesthetically pleasing data visualizations and incorporating them into your projects is easy with the tools offered by ZoomCharts.

Highcharts - A charting library written in pure JavaScript, offering an easy way of adding interactive charts to your web site or web application

Google Charts - Interactive charts for browsers and mobile devices.

Plotly - Low-Code Data Apps

ZingChart - ZingChart is a fast, modern, powerful JavaScript charting library for building animated, interactive charts and graphs. Bring on the big data!