Chart.js vs D3.js
| Feature | Chart.js | D3.js |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Embeddable | Embeddable |
| Sub-category | Data Visualization | Data Visualization |
| Maturity | mature | mature |
| Complexity | beginner | expert |
| Performance tier | medium | medium |
| License | MIT | ISC |
| License type | permissive | permissive |
| Pricing | fully free | fully free |
| GitHub stars | 66.0K | 110.0K |
| Contributors | 400 | 100 |
| Commit frequency | weekly | weekly |
| Plugin ecosystem | none | none |
| Docs quality | excellent | excellent |
| Backing org | Chart.js | Mike Bostock |
| Funding model | community | community |
| Min RAM | 16 MB | 32 MB |
| Min CPU cores | 1 | 1 |
| Scaling pattern | single_node | single_node |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| K8s native | No | No |
| Offline capable | No | No |
| Vendor lock-in | none | none |
| Languages | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| API type | SDK | SDK |
| Protocols | HTTP | HTTP |
| Deployment | npm, cdn | npm, cdn |
| SDK languages | — | — |
| Team size fit | solo, small, medium | solo, small, medium |
| First release | 2013 | 2011 |
| Latest version | — | — |
When to use Chart.js
- ✓ Embed interactive charts in web dashboards
- ✓ Simple data visualization for reports
- ✓ Responsive charts for mobile apps
When to use D3.js
- ✓ Custom interactive data visualizations
- ✓ Geographic data maps
- ✓ Network/graph visualizations
- ✓ Scientific data plotting
- ✓ Custom dashboard components
Chart.js anti-patterns
- ✕ Canvas-based — not SVG (harder to style)
- ✕ Limited chart types vs D3
- ✕ Large datasets can be slow
D3.js anti-patterns
- ✕ Steep learning curve
- ✕ Verbose for simple charts
- ✕ No built-in chart types — build everything
- ✕ Requires DOM understanding