Top Open-Source Data Visualization Tools

Tableau Public

Tableau Public is a free and open-sourced data visualization tool. It is a platform that allows users to freely share and explore data visualizations publicly.

They provide Data Visualization or “vizzes” as they call them, to help users comprehend data under any public topic. 

Key Features:

• It allows users to share visualized data publicly. 
• It provides over 3 million interactive data visualizations created by 1 million global users.
• It is a fully hosted tool that can manage millions of viewers and infrastructure.

Google Charts

Google Charts is a simple and free data visualization tool. It is a cloud-based tool that provides a library of data charts.

It provides multiple default charts but also allows limitless customization. It connects users in an online Google Charts forum where they support one another to create visualized data.

Key Features:

• It allows users to access charts and data tools from any web-browser without plug-ins.
• It allows users to create multiple dashboards and also helps match the chart colors as per the website or business.
• It manages the content on the charts and connects real-time data using data connection and protocol tools.

Leaflet

Leaflet is an open-source JavaScript library. It enables users to create mobile-friendly interactive maps.

Developers use the variety of mapping features already embedded in the tool. 

Key Features:

• It is a simple and lightweight tool with a size of only 38 kb of JavaScript.
• It provides multiple plugins to add features and customizations.
• It works well on mobile and desktop platforms.
• It offers visual, user interaction, and performance features zoom, drag panning inertia, keyboard navigation, hardware acceleration, etc.
• It provides mapping controls like zoom buttons, attribution, layer switcher, and scale.

D3.js

D3.js is a JavaScript library that develops and manipulates documents based on data. D3 stands for Data-Driven Documents that manipulate Data Object Model (DOM).

Key Features:

• It visualizes data for users with HTML, SVG, and CSS.
• It uses the full capacity of a browser to develop visualizations without tying to a proprietary framework.
• It connects users to a DOM and applies data-driven manipulations to documents.

Plotly

Plotly is an open-sourced browser-based data visualization tool. It is an interactive solution built on d3.js visualization libraries.

Key Features:

• It allows users to create d3.js visualizations by simply uploading excel files or connecting the SQL database.
• It enables users to work with R or Python to create charts.
• Comparing datasets becomes easier with its multi-chart visualization.
• It creates and displays complex charts on dashboards and websites.
• It allows users to collaborate and share data with different teams and members.

Charted

Charted is a free and open-source tool that automatically visualizes data. The Product Science at Medium created the tool in 2013.

It focuses only on visualization and does not transform format or store data. 

Key Features:

• It only requires a CSV file or Google Sheets link to create visualizations.
• It analyzes and displays discoveries with the data science team.
• The tool comes with integrated components that help with visualizations.
• It also supports tab-delimited files and Dropbox links and requires no training for users.

Datawrapper

Polymaps

Polymaps is an open-source JavaScript library. It creates dynamic and interactive maps in modern web browsers.

It is another tool to use SVG functionality that facilitates styling through CSS which enables interactivity. 

Key Features:

• It displays multi-zoom datasets over maps for users.
• It leverages SVG to display and uses CSS to enable users to define the design.
• It loads a full range of data to showcase information from the country level to states, cities, neighborhoods, and individual streets.

Candela

Candela is an open-source web-visualization tool from Kitware’s Resonant platform. It is a full suite of interoperable data visualization components.

It focuses on creating rich and scalable visualizations. Its API is used in real-world data science applications.

Key Features:

• It creates rich and scalable visualizations for users.
• It provides a normalized API to apply in real-world data science scenarios.
• It enables installation through standard package repositories systems or from a source.

Dygraphs

Dygraphs is a flexible open-source JavaScript charting library. It enables users to explore and understand complex data sets.

Key Features:

• Its primary feature includes handling heavy data sets and plotting millions of data points without getting bogged down.
• It displays strong support for error bars and confidence intervals.
• It is a customizable tool and this flexibility allows it to work well with all browsers.

RAWGraphs

RAWGraphs is an open-source data visualization platform. The tagline on the website states “missing link between spreadsheets and data visualizations”.

The user can simply cut/paste data, upload, or provide a link for the data sets to access a variety of charts.

Key Features:

• It provides users with multiple unconventional visualization models.
• It is built on the D3.js library and is designed for technical as well as non-technical users.
• It builds links between spreadsheets and vector graphics editors.
• It is a web-based platform and handles data through browsers.

OpenHeatMap

OpenHeatMap is a basic online mapping tool. It enables users to upload csv, excel or Google Sheets files to create maps.

It uses data to build static or animated maps. It enables users to view the data in different locations and visualize changes.

Key Features:

• Developers can use the tool to access mapping functionalities of their own website.
• It helps users to communicate through interactive maps that may be static or animated.
• It provides customer demographics data according to zip codes.

Palladio

Palladio is a free web-based tool that visualizes complex, historical and multidimensional data. It allows users to visualize data from CSV, TAB, and/or TSV files.

It is a product created in Stanford University’s Networks in History.

Key Features:

• Its graph view enables users to visualize relationships between data dimensions.
• Its list view feature helps users arrange the data in customized lists.
• It easily visualizes complex historical data.

Databox

Databox is a cloud-based business data dashboard tool. Users can easily connect a data source and choose attributes to be auto-populated in the dashboard.

Key Features:

• It collaborates with data sources like HubSpot CRM, Google Analytics, Instagram, and Facebook Ads.
• It has a DIY Dashboard creator that allows users to choose from multiple templates and design dashboards without a designer or a coder.
• Its key performance indicator scorecards, advanced data modeling, and goal tracking allow data analysts to predict business performance.

Mode

Mode is a free, interactive, and cloud-based platform. It analyzes complex datasets and provides reports.

It is a browser-based data visualization tool that streamlines data for users. 

Key Features:

• It provides a top-level and analytical workflow for users.
• It provides a unique URL to each project which makes it easier to share the links among teams and members.
• It works with servers like Microsoft Azure SQL, Amazon Redshift, Oracle, MySQL, SQL, etc.
• It provides free courses for users to learn online.

Conclusion:

Open Source Data Visualization tools are an important aspect of data analytics. Businesses that use data visualization tools leverage actionable information from the analyzed data.