Chartist.js Tutorial

Getting Started using Chartist.js

A Simple, Responsive Charting Library for Creating Beautiful Charts with Ease.

What is Chartist.js?

Chartist is a simple responsive charting library built with SVG, designed to create beautiful, responsive charts effortlessly. Whether you need line graphs, bar charts, or pie charts, Chartist.js makes the process intuitive while allowing extensive customization. Because it’s built on SVG, charts scale perfectly on any screen size without losing clarity.

Installation & Setup

For Windows Users (Using npm or Yarn)

If you are working on a larger project and using Node.js, you can install Chartist.js via npm:

npm install chartist

!npm install --save chartist
s
0 vulnerabilities

Or, using Yarn:

!yarn add chartist
/bin/bash: line 1: yarn: command not found

Then, import it into your JavaScript file:

# Assuming you are using a library like jupyter notebook, this is how to import CSS:
# from IPython.display import HTML
# HTML('<link rel="stylesheet" href="chartist/dist/chartist.min.css">')

#Then import chartist using a javascript library like requirejs:

# import Chartist from 'chartist';

# This is python so these imports will not work as they are
# for Javascript code.

For Mac/Linux Users (Using npm or Yarn)

The process for Mac and Linux users is the same as Windows:

!npm install chartist
s
0 vulnerabilities

Or with Yarn:

!yarn add chartist
/bin/bash: line 1: yarn: command not found

If you encounter permission issues on Linux/Mac, try running:

!sudo npm install -g chartist
sudo: npm: command not found

Key Features & Explanation

This library is

  1. SVG-Based – Ensures high-quality visuals at any scale.
  2. Fully Responsive – Charts adapt seamlessly to any device.
  3. Highly Customizable – Modify styles using CSS and JavaScript.
  4. Easy to Integrate – Works smoothly with React, Angular, Vue, and more.

Code Examples

First Create a Chart Container

Define a simple div where your chart will appear:

Now create a basic line chart:

from IPython.core.display import display, HTML

html_code = """
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/chartist/dist/chartist.min.css">
  <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/chartist/dist/chartist.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <div class="ct-chart ct-perfect-fourth"></div>
  <script>
    new Chartist.Line('.ct-chart', {
      labels: ['Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday'],
      series: [
        [12, 9, 7, 8, 5],
        [2, 1, 3.5, 7, 3],
        [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]
      ]
    }, {
      fullWidth: true,
      chartPadding: {
        right: 40
      }
    });
  </script>
</body>
</html>
"""

display(HTML(html_code))

Use Cases

1.Educational Data Representation

Schools and universities use Chartist.js to showcase student performance, attendance trends, and course completion rates. Data visualization simplifies progress tracking and helps educators make informed decisions.

2.Financial Data Visualization

Whether you're tracking stock market trends or visualizing your personal finances, Chartist.js makes it easy to display revenue, expenses, and profits. Interactive charts help in identifying patterns and making informed financial decisions.

3.Website Analytics

Web developers and digital marketers can leverage Chartist.js to display traffic sources, bounce rates, and page views. A well-designed dashboard helps teams optimize website performance by analyzing user behavior.

4.Sales and Marketing Reports

Businesses use Chartist.js to showcase customer engagement, revenue growth, and marketing performance. Sales data can be visualized through bar charts, helping teams make strategic decisions based on trends.

5.Health Monitoring

Whether tracking workout progress, sleep cycles, or heart rate variations, health apps use Chartist.js to display real-time and historical data. Personalized insights help users maintain a healthy lifestyle.

6.Supply Chain Management

Logistics teams rely on Chartist.js to monitor inventory levels, delivery times, and demand forecasts. Visualizing this data improves efficiency and helps businesses streamline supply chain operations.

7.Project Management Dashboards

Team leaders use Chartist.js to track project progress, task completion rates, and resource allocation. A well-structured dashboard keeps teams informed and ensures smooth project execution.

8.Weather and Climate Data

Meteorologists and climate scientists use Chartist.js to display temperature changes, rainfall levels, and seasonal patterns. Interactive weather charts help in forecasting and understanding climate trends.

9.Project Management Dashboards

Team leaders use Chartist.js to track project progress, task completion rates, and resource allocation. A well-structured dashboard keeps teams informed and ensures smooth project execution.

Conclusion

In the modern data-driven age, it is essential to display information in an easy-to-understand, compelling, and visually appealing way. Chartist.js provides a powerful yet easy solution for anyone wishing to turn raw data into insightful information. Its lightweight design, responsive layout, and ease of customization make it a perfect option for developers, analysts, businesses, and teachers alike. By tapping into the potential of Chartist.js, you can develop charts that not only look good but also make things clearer and more decision-making-friendly. Be it analyzing trends in finance, monitoring health developments, or business strategy optimization, Chartist.js enables you to present data more effectively. Start exploring, get creative, and take your data visualization to a new level!

Further readings and references

https://gionkunz.github.io/chartist-js/

📌 Further Readings and References for Chartist.js

1️⃣ Official Documentation & Guides

$$ \begin{aligned} &\textbf{Chartist.js Official Documentation:} \\ &\text{https://gionkunz.github.io/chartist-js/} \\ \\ &\textbf{GitHub Repository for Chartist.js:} \\ &\text{https://github.com/gionkunz/chartist-js} \\ \\ &\textbf{Chartist.js Installation Guide:} \\ &\text{https://gionkunz.github.io/chartist-js/getting-started.html} \\ \end{aligned} $$

2️⃣ Tutorials & Implementation Guides

$$ \begin{aligned} &\textbf{Creating Beautiful Charts with Chartist.js:} \\ &\text{https://css-tricks.com/introducing-chartist-js/} \\ \\ &\textbf{Using Chartist.js with React:} \\ &\text{https://dev.to/arpit1912/using-chartist-js-in-reactjs-53km} \\ \\ &\textbf{Styling Chartist.js Charts with CSS:} \\ &\text{https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/08/animating-charts-with-chartist-js/} \\ \end{aligned} $$

3️⃣ Advanced Use Cases & Customization

$$ \begin{aligned} &\textbf{Chartist.js Plugins & Extensions:} \\ &\text{https://gionkunz.github.io/chartist-js/plugins.html} \\ \\ &\textbf{Chartist.js vs Other Charting Libraries:} \\ &\text{https://stackshare.io/stackups/chart-js-vs-chartist-js-vs-d3-js} \\ \\ &\textbf{Customizing SVG Charts in Chartist.js:} \\ &\text{https://tympanus.net/codrops/2015/06/29/making-svgs-dance-with-css-and-javascript/} \\ \end{aligned} $$

4️⃣ Bonus: Interactive Learning & Code Examples

$$ \begin{aligned} &\textbf{CodePen Examples for Chartist.js:} \\ &\text{https://codepen.io/search/pens?q=chartist-js&order=popularity&depth=everything} \\ \end{aligned} $$