Most basic line chart in d3.js




This post describes how to build a very basic line chart with d3.js. Only one category is represented, to simplify the code as much as possible. The input dataset is under the .csv format. You can see many other examples in the line chart section of the gallery. Learn more about the theory of line chart in data-to-viz.com.


Lineplot section

Steps:

  • The Html part of the code just creates a div that will be modified by d3 later on.

  • The first part of the javascript code set a svg area. It specify the chart size and its margin. Read more.

  • Data show the evolution of bitcoin price. read more.

  • Line is drawn using a path, and using the d3.line utility.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<meta charset="utf-8">

<!-- Load d3.js -->
<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v4.js"></script>

<!-- Create a div where the graph will take place -->
<div id="my_dataviz"></div>


<script>

// set the dimensions and margins of the graph
var margin = {top: 10, right: 30, bottom: 30, left: 60},
    width = 460 - margin.left - margin.right,
    height = 400 - margin.top - margin.bottom;

// append the svg object to the body of the page
var svg = d3.select("#my_dataviz")
  .append("svg")
    .attr("width", width + margin.left + margin.right)
    .attr("height", height + margin.top + margin.bottom)
  .append("g")
    .attr("transform",
          "translate(" + margin.left + "," + margin.top + ")");

//Read the data
d3.csv("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/holtzy/data_to_viz/master/Example_dataset/3_TwoNumOrdered_comma.csv",

  // When reading the csv, I must format variables:
  function(d){
    return { date : d3.timeParse("%Y-%m-%d")(d.date), value : d.value }
  },

  // Now I can use this dataset:
  function(data) {

    // Add X axis --> it is a date format
    var x = d3.scaleTime()
      .domain(d3.extent(data, function(d) { return d.date; }))
      .range([ 0, width ]);
    svg.append("g")
      .attr("transform", "translate(0," + height + ")")
      .call(d3.axisBottom(x));

    // Add Y axis
    var y = d3.scaleLinear()
      .domain([0, d3.max(data, function(d) { return +d.value; })])
      .range([ height, 0 ]);
    svg.append("g")
      .call(d3.axisLeft(y));

    // Add the line
    svg.append("path")
      .datum(data)
      .attr("fill", "none")
      .attr("stroke", "steelblue")
      .attr("stroke-width", 1.5)
      .attr("d", d3.line()
        .x(function(d) { return x(d.date) })
        .y(function(d) { return y(d.value) })
        )

})

</script>

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