what tool would a programmer use to visualize the relationship between modules

Consuming large sets of data isn't always straightforward. Sometimes, data sets are and then large that it'due south downright impossible to discern annihilation useful from them. That's where data visualizations come in.

Creating data visualizations is rarely straightforward. It's non every bit if designers can only take a data set up with thousands of entries and create a visualization from scratch. Sure, information technology'due south possible, only who wants to spend dozens or hundreds of hours plotting dots on a scatter chart? That'south where data visualization tools come up in.

Data visualization tools provide data visualization designers with an easier way to create visual representations of large data sets. When dealing with data sets that include hundreds of thousands or millions of data points, automating the process of creating a visualization, at least in part, makes a designer's chore significantly easier.

These data visualizations can then be used for a variety of purposes: dashboards, annual reports, sales and marketing materials, investor slide decks, and virtually anywhere else information needs to be interpreted immediately.

The best data visualization tools on the market have a few things in common. First is their ease of utilize. There are some incredibly complicated apps available for visualizing data. Some take splendid documentation and tutorials and are designed in ways that experience intuitive to the user. Others are lacking in those areas, eliminating them from any list of "all-time" tools, regardless of their other capabilities.

The best tools tin besides handle huge sets of data. In fact, the very best can even handle multiple sets of data in a single visualization.

The best tools also can output an array of different chart, graph, and map types. Well-nigh of the tools below tin can output both images and interactive graphs. In that location are exceptions to the multifariousness of output criteria, though. Some information visualization tools focus on a specific blazon of chart or map and do it very well. Those tools too have a place among the "best" tools out there.

Finally, there are cost considerations. While a higher price tag doesn't necessarily disqualify a tool, the higher toll tag has to be justified in terms of better support, better features, and better overall value.

This data visualization shows the Human Rights Protection index (from 1950 to 2014) and the Man Rights Violations index (in 2014) for 50 countries. (past Federica Fragapane)

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of applications, tools, and scripts available to create visualizations of large information sets. Many are very bones and have a lot of overlapping features.

But in that location are standouts that either have more capability for the types of visualizations they tin can create or are significantly easier to use than the other options out there.

Tableau (and Tableau Public)

Tableau has a variety of options available, including a desktop app, server and hosted online versions, and a gratis public option. In that location are hundreds of data import options available, from CSV files to Google Ads and Analytics data to Salesforce data.

Output options include multiple nautical chart formats as well every bit mapping capability. That ways designers tin can create color-coded maps that showcase geographically important data in a format that's much easier to digest than a table or chart could e'er be.

The public version of Tableau is free to use for anyone looking for a powerful manner to create information visualizations that can exist used in a variety of settings. From journalists to political junkies to those who just want to quantify the information of their own lives, at that place are tons of potential uses for Tableau Public. They have an extensive gallery of infographics and visualizations that take been created with the public version to serve as inspiration for those who are interested in creating their own.

Pros

• Hundreds of data import options
• Mapping capability
• Free public version available
• Lots of video tutorials to walk you through how to use Tableau

Cons

• Non-free versions are expensive ($70/month/user for the Tableau Creator software)
• Public version doesn't allow you to proceed data analyses private

Data Visualization Examples

A data visualization of unique words used by three central characters in the Game of Thrones book series.

Data visualizations can make public safety data easier to digest.

An interactive visualization of the highest-grossing actors of all time.

Bottom Line

Tableau is a great choice for those who need to create maps in improver to other types of charts. Tableau Public is also a great option for anyone who wants to create public-facing visualizations.

Infogram

Infogram is a fully-featured elevate-and-drop visualization tool that allows even not-designers to create effective visualizations of data for marketing reports, infographics, social media posts, maps, dashboards, and more than.

Finished visualizations can be exported into a number of formats: .PNG, .JPG, .GIF, .PDF, and .HTML. Interactive visualizations are also possible, perfect for embedding into websites or apps. Infogram also offers a WordPress plugin that makes embedding visualizations fifty-fifty easier for WordPress users.

Pros

• Tiered pricing, including a costless program with basic features
• Includes 35+ chart types and 550+ map types
• Drag and drop editor
• API for importing additional data sources

Cons

• Significantly fewer built-in data sources than some other apps

Examples

Visualizations can make circuitous topics easy to empathize.

Charts make data easier to compare, year-to-year.

Maps are an excellent way to give a snapshot of worldwide information.

Bottom Line

Infogram is a dandy option for non-designers as well as designers. The drag-and-driblet editor makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to create professional-looking designs without a lot of visual design skill.

ChartBlocks

ChartBlocks claims that data can be imported from "anywhere" using their API, including from live feeds. While they say that importing data from any source can be done in "just a few clicks," it'due south bound to be more circuitous than other apps that accept automated modules or extensions for specific data sources.

The app allows for all-encompassing customization of the final visualization created, and the chart edifice wizard helps users pick exactly the right data for their charts before importing the data.

Designers can create most any kind of chart, and the output is responsive—a large advantage for data visualization designers who want to embed charts into websites that are likely to be viewed on a variety of devices.

Pros

• Complimentary and reasonably priced paid plans are available
• Like shooting fish in a barrel to apply magician for importing the necessary information

Cons

• Unclear how robust their API is
• Doesn't appear to take any mapping capability

Examples

Stacked graph charts are an constructive way to compare and dissimilarity data.

Scatter plots are a unproblematic manner to represent data trends.

Line charts are effective at showing trends and comparisons.

Lesser Line

ChartBlocks has an excellent free plan, which is a big plus. The ease of use for creating basic charts and graphs is also outstanding.

Datawrapper

Datawrapper was created specifically for calculation charts and maps to news stories. The charts and maps created are interactive and fabricated for embedding on news websites. Their data sources are limited, though, with the primary method being copying and pasting information into the tool.

Once data is imported, charts can be created with a single click. Their visualization types include cavalcade, line, and bar charts, election donuts, area charts, scatter plots, choropleth and symbol maps, and locator maps, among others. The finished visualizations are reminiscent of those seen on sites like the New York Times or Boston World. In fact, their charts are used past publications similar Mother Jones, Fortune, and The Times.

The free plan is perfect for embedding graphics on smaller sites with express traffic, but paid plans are on the expensive side, starting at $39/month.

Pros

• Specifically designed for newsroom data visualization
• Free plan is a good fit for smaller sites
• Tool includes a built-in colour blindness checker

Cons

• Express information sources
• Paid plans are on the expensive side

Case

Besprinkle plots can show a multitude of data, particularly when color-coded to show more than points.

Bottom Line

Datawrapper is an excellent choice for information visualizations for news sites. Despite the price tag, the features Datawrapper includes for news-specific visualization make it worth it.

D3.js

D3.js is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents using data. D3.js requires at least some JS knowledge, though in that location are apps out there that allow not-programming users to employ the library.

Those apps include NVD3, which offers reusable charts for D3.js; Plotly's Chart Studio, which also allows designers to create WebGL and other charts; and Ember Charts, which besides uses the Ember.js framework.

Pros

• Very powerful and customizable
• Huge number of chart types possible
• A focus on web standards
• Tools available to let not-programmers create visualizations
• Free and open source

Cons

• Requires programming noesis to employ alone
• Less support available than with paid tools

Examples

Chord diagrams evidence relationships between groups of entries.

Showing geographic data is best done with data maps.

Voronoi maps are an interesting way to show geographic data.

Bottom Line

D3.js is simply suitable for those designers who either have access to a programmer for help or have programming noesis themselves.

Google Charts

Google Charts is a powerful, complimentary data visualization tool that is specifically for creating interactive charts for embedding online. Information technology works with dynamic data and the outputs are based purely on HTML5 and SVG, and so they work in browsers without the use of additional plugins. Information sources include Google Spreadsheets, Google Fusion Tables, Salesforce, and other SQL databases.

There are a variety of chart types, including maps, scatter charts, column and bar charts, histograms, expanse charts, pie charts, treemaps, timelines, gauges, and many others. These charts tin be customized completely, via simple CSS editing.

Pros

• Costless
• Broad variety of chart formats bachelor
• Cross-browser uniform since it uses HTML5/SVG
• Works with dynamic data

Cons

• Beyond the tutorials and forum bachelor, there'due south limited support

Examples

Philharmonic charts show trends and comparisons.

GeoCharts are just i method of visualizing data with Google Charts.

Annotations make charts and graphs easier to empathise.

Bottom Line

Google Charts is a bully option if a designer is somewhat comfortable with coding and wants a powerful, free solution. Being able to employ any SQL database as a data source makes it a skilful option for large data sets, too.

FusionCharts

FusionCharts is another JavaScript-based option for creating web and mobile dashboards. It includes over 150 nautical chart types and i,000 map types. It can integrate with popular JS frameworks (including React, jQuery, React, Ember, and Angular) as well every bit with server-side programming languages (including PHP, Java, Django, and Ruby on Rails).

FusionCharts gives ready-to-utilise code for all of the chart and map variations, making it easier to embed in websites fifty-fifty for those designers with express programming knowledge. Because FusionCharts is aimed at creating dashboards rather than just straightforward data visualizations it's one of the most expensive options included in this commodity. But it'southward likewise i of the well-nigh powerful.

Pros

• Huge number of nautical chart and map format options
• More than features than well-nigh other visualization tools
• Integrates with a number of unlike frameworks and programming languages

Cons

• Expensive (starts at almost $500 for one developer license)
• Overkill for uncomplicated visualizations outside of a dashboard environs

Examples

FusionCharts is designed for creating data visualization dashboards.

Dashboards tin showcase numerous information visualizations side by side.

Managing business operations is done best with information visualization dashboards.

Lesser Line

For creating dashboards, null else in this article really compares to FusionCharts. If that's the project at hand, this is undoubtedly the most powerful choice.

Chart.js

Chart.js is a simple simply flexible JavaScript charting library. It'due south open source, provides a good variety of chart types (eight total), and allows for animation and interaction.

Nautical chart.js uses HTML5 Canvas for output, then it renders charts well across all modernistic browsers. Charts created are too responsive, and so it's smashing for creating visualizations that are mobile-friendly.

Pros

• Costless and open source
• Responsive and cross-browser compatible output

Cons

• Very limited chart types compared to other tools
• Limited back up outside of the official documentation

Examples

Bubble charts tin can showcase numerous data points simultaneously.

Multi-axis line charts are amend when they're annotated (this one uses tooltips when hovering over points on the lines).

Stacked area line charts are visually striking visualizations.

Lesser Line

Nautical chart.js is a practiced option for designers who need a unproblematic, customizable, interactive visualization selection. Its biggest selling points are that it'south free and open up source.

Grafana

Grafana is open-source visualization software that lets users create dynamic dashboards and other visualizations. It supports mixed data sources, annotations, and customizable warning functions, and it can exist extended via hundreds of available plugins. That makes information technology one of the about powerful visualization tools bachelor.

Export functions allow designers to share snapshots of dashboards as well as invite other users to interact. Grafana supports over 50 data sources via plugins. It's costless to download, or there'southward a cloud-hosted version for $49/month. (There'southward too a very limited complimentary hosted version.) The downloadable version also has support plans available, something a lot of other open-source tools don't offer.

Pros

• Open source, with gratis and paid options available
• Big choice of data sources available
• Diversity of chart types available
• Makes creating dynamic dashboards simple
• Tin work with mixed data feeds

Cons

• Overkill for creating simple visualizations
• Doesn't offer every bit many visual customization options as some other tools
• Non the best option for creating visualization images
• Not able to embed dashboards in websites, though possible for individual panels

Examples

Grafana is a powerful data visualization dashboard tool.

Lesser Line

Grafana is one of the best options for creating dashboards for internal use, peculiarly for mixed or big data sources.

Chartist.js

Chartist.js is a complimentary, open-source JavaScript library that allows for creating elementary responsive charts that are highly customizable and cantankerous-browser compatible. The entire JavaScript library is only 10KB when GZIPped. Charts created with Chartist.js tin can besides be animated, and plugins allow information technology to be extended.

Pros

• Complimentary and open source
• Tiny file size
• Charts can be animated

Cons

• Non the widest selection of nautical chart types available
• No mapping capabilities
• Limited back up outside of programmer community

Examples

Chartist.js offers a number of bones graph types.

Lesser Line

Chartist.js is a practiced option for designers who want simple, embeddable, responsive charts with a pocket-size file size.

Sigmajs

Sigmajs is a single-purpose visualization tool for creating network graphs. Information technology'southward highly customizable but does require some bones JavaScript noesis in order to use. Graphs created are embeddable, interactive, and responsive.

Pros

• Highly customizable and extensible
• Free and open up source
• Piece of cake to embed graphs in websites and apps

Cons

• Simply creates i type of visualization: network graphs
• Requires JS noesis to customize and implement

Examples

Sigmajs creates network graphs exclusively.

Lesser Line

Considering of its single focus, Sigmajs is a great choice for creating network graphs as long as the designer is comfortable with JavaScript.

Polymaps

Polymaps is a dedicated JavaScript library for mapping. The outputs are dynamic, responsive maps in a diversity of styles, from image overlays to symbol maps to density maps. It uses SVG to create the images, so designers tin can employ CSS to customize the visuals of their maps.

Pros

• Gratis and open source
• Built specifically for mapping
• Piece of cake to embed maps in websites and apps

Cons

• Only creates one blazon of visualization
• Requires some coding knowledge to customize and implement

Examples

In this case, the information represented is a photoset from NASA'southward World Observatory.

A representation of Flickr geotagged photos.

Lesser Line

Polymaps is a proficient option if maps are the but type of visualization required, every bit long as the designer is comfortable with some bones coding.

Conclusion

There is such a huge multifariousness of visualization tools available to designers that it tin be hard to decide which ane to employ. Data visualization designers should keep in mind things like ease of use and whether a tool has the features they demand.

Selecting the most powerful tool available isn't always the best idea: Learning curves can be steep, requiring more resources to but get up and running, while a simpler tool might be able to create exactly what'southward needed in a fraction of the time. Remember, though, that the tool is simply part of the equation in creating a data visualization; designers also need to consider what else goes into making a great data visualization.

About data visualization tools include free trials (if the entire tool isn't gratuitous), and then it'due south worth taking the fourth dimension to endeavour out a few before deciding on a single solution.

• • •

Further reading on the Toptal Design Blog:

1. Information Visualization – Best Practices and Foundations
2. Become Inspired With These Data Visualizations
3. Dashboard Design – Considerations and Best Practices
4. If You're Not Using UX Data, Information technology's Not UX Blueprint
5. Strength in Numbers – An Overview of Data-Driven Design

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Source: https://www.toptal.com/designers/data-visualization/data-visualization-tools

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