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Smashing VS amCharts

Compare Smashing VS amCharts and see what are their differences

Smashing logo Smashing

Smashing is a fork of Dashing (which is no longer maintained), a Sinatra based framework that lets you build beautiful dashboards.

amCharts logo amCharts

Advanced javascript charting library that will suit any data visualization need
  • Smashing Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17
  • amCharts Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-09

Smashing features and specs

  • Open Source
    Being open source allows for a global community of developers to contribute, improving its features and security.
  • Highly Customizable
    Smashing allows users to customize widgets and dashboards extensively, catering to specific visualization needs.
  • Active Development
    The project has regular updates and active maintenance from the community, ensuring it stays relevant and functional.
  • Ease of Use
    With straightforward setup and a comprehensive guide, Smashing is user-friendly for developers familiar with Ruby.
  • Support for Multiple Data Sources
    Smashing can integrate various data sources, making it flexible for different use cases.

Possible disadvantages of Smashing

  • Requires Ruby Knowledge
    Smashing is built on Ruby, so familiarity with Ruby is necessary for setup and customization, which might be a barrier for some users.
  • Limited Scalability
    Smashing might not be ideal for very large or enterprise-scale applications without significant customization.
  • No Built-in Role-based Security
    The tool does not offer advanced security features like role-based access control, which could be a concern for sensitive data.
  • Manual Deployment Needed
    Users need to manually deploy and manage the hosting for Smashing, which could require additional infrastructure knowledge.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    As it relies on gem dependencies, there is a need to manage and resolve compatibility issues that may arise with updates.

amCharts features and specs

  • Comprehensive Feature Set
    amCharts offers a wide range of chart types and features, including line charts, bar charts, area charts, and advanced ones like geographical maps and time-series charts.
  • Ease of Use
    The library provides a user-friendly API, making it easier for developers to create and customize charts without extensive coding.
  • Customizability
    amCharts allows a high degree of customization, letting developers tweak almost every aspect of the charts, including colors, labels, and interactivity options.
  • Responsive Design
    Charts created with amCharts are responsive, automatically adjusting to different screen sizes and resolutions.
  • Interactive Elements
    amCharts supports interactive elements like tooltips, drill-downs, and animations which enhance user engagement and data exploration.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The library comes with detailed documentation and a variety of tutorials and samples, making it easier for new users to get started quickly.
  • Community and Support
    There is an active community and official support available, providing assistance through forums and direct support channels.
  • Export Capability
    amCharts provides exporting options, allowing users to export charts as images, PDFs, or data files.

Possible disadvantages of amCharts

  • Cost
    While amCharts offers a free version, the more advanced features and commercial usage require a paid license, which may not be suitable for all budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite an intuitive API, the vast array of customization options can present a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Performance
    For extremely large datasets, the performance might lag compared to some other specialized charting libraries, which could be critical in data-intensive applications.
  • File Size
    Due to its extensive feature set, the library's file size can be relatively large, which might impact the load time of webpages.
  • Dependency on External Libraries
    Certain functionalities in amCharts may depend on additional external libraries, which could complicate the setup process.
  • Browser Compatibility
    While generally good, there may be occasional compatibility issues with older or less common browsers.
  • Complexity for Simple Charts
    For developers needing only simple charts, amCharts might be overkill and thus add unnecessary complexity.

Analysis of amCharts

Overall verdict

  • Yes, amCharts is generally considered a good option for data visualization, particularly due to its ease of use, customization capabilities, and extensive support resources. Many users appreciate its intuitive API and the ability to create visually appealing and interactive charts and dashboards without much hassle.

Why this product is good

  • amCharts is a popular choice for creating interactive charts and maps. It offers a wide range of chart types, from simple ones like line and bar charts to more complex types such as spatial maps and gauges. The library is highly customizable and provides extensive documentation along with examples, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced developers. Additionally, amCharts supports real-time data updates and is compatible with various frameworks and platforms, enhancing its versatility.

Recommended for

    amCharts is recommended for web developers and data analysts who need to present data in a visually compelling way on web applications. It is particularly useful for businesses and organizations requiring interactive and dynamic charting capabilities, such as those in financial analysis, marketing analytics, and scientific research.

Smashing videos

ARMOR YOU SAY... | SMASHING THE BATTLE Review

More videos:

  • Review - The Smashing Pumpkins- Oceania ALBUM REVIEW
  • Review - Smashing Greens Review by Durran Cage - dropped 10lbs in 5 days!

amCharts videos

Amcharts 4 Line Chart in ASP.NET MVC

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Smashing and amCharts)
Data Dashboard
25 25%
75% 75
Data Visualization
23 23%
77% 77
Charting Libraries
0 0%
100% 100
Monitoring Tools
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 Smashing and amCharts

Smashing Reviews

We have no reviews of Smashing yet.
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amCharts Reviews

Top 10 JavaScript Charting Libraries for Every Data Visualization Need
amCharts is one of the JavaScript charting libraries that are helpful when you need a simple, and at the same time, flexible data visualization solution.
Source: hackernoon.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Smashing and amCharts, you can also consider the following products

Mozaik - Mozaïk is a tool based on nodejs / react / d3 / stylus to easily craft beautiful dashboards.

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.

Grafana - Data visualization & Monitoring with support for Graphite, InfluxDB, Prometheus, Elasticsearch and many more databases

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

Dashboards by Keen IO - Responsive dashboard templates for Bootstrap

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