Pros of Highcharts

• Commercial-grade support and documentation
• Extensive range of chart types and customization options
• Better cross-browser compatibility, especially for older browsers

Cons of Highcharts

• Requires a license for commercial use
• Steeper learning curve due to more complex API
• Larger file size, potentially impacting page load times

Code Comparison

ECharts:

var myChart = echarts.init(document.getElementById('main'));
myChart.setOption({
    xAxis: {type: 'category', data: ['Mon', 'Tue', 'Wed']},
    yAxis: {type: 'value'},
    series: [{data: [120, 200, 150], type: 'line'}]
});

Highcharts:

Highcharts.chart('container', {
    xAxis: {categories: ['Mon', 'Tue', 'Wed']},
    yAxis: {title: {text: 'Values'}},
    series: [{name: 'Data', data: [120, 200, 150]}]
});

Both ECharts and Highcharts are powerful charting libraries with their own strengths. ECharts offers a free, open-source solution with good performance and a growing community. It's particularly strong in handling large datasets and provides unique chart types popular in East Asian markets. Highcharts, while requiring a license for commercial use, offers more polished documentation, extensive customization options, and better support for older browsers. The choice between them often depends on specific project requirements, budget constraints, and target audience.

Pros of Chart.js

• Lightweight and simple to use, with a smaller file size
• Easier learning curve for beginners
• Better default animations and interactivity out of the box

Cons of Chart.js

• Less customization options compared to ECharts
• Limited chart types and advanced features
• May require additional plugins for complex visualizations

Code Comparison

Chart.js:

new Chart(ctx, {
    type: 'bar',
    data: {
        labels: ['Red', 'Blue', 'Yellow'],
        datasets: [{
            label: 'My Dataset',
            data: [12, 19, 3]
        }]
    }
});

ECharts:

echarts.init(document.getElementById('main')).setOption({
    xAxis: {
        type: 'category',
        data: ['Red', 'Blue', 'Yellow']
    },
    yAxis: {
        type: 'value'
    },
    series: [{
        data: [12, 19, 3],
        type: 'bar'
    }]
});

Both libraries offer straightforward ways to create charts, but ECharts provides more detailed configuration options, while Chart.js focuses on simplicity and ease of use. ECharts excels in handling large datasets and creating complex visualizations, whereas Chart.js is ideal for quick, simple charts with minimal setup.

Pros of D3

• More flexible and customizable, allowing for complex and unique visualizations
• Extensive documentation and large community support
• Direct manipulation of the DOM for fine-grained control

Cons of D3

• Steeper learning curve, especially for beginners
• Requires more code to create basic charts
• Less out-of-the-box functionality compared to ECharts

Code Comparison

D3:

const svg = d3.select("body").append("svg")
    .attr("width", 400)
    .attr("height", 300);

svg.selectAll("rect")
    .data(data)
    .enter()
    .append("rect")
    .attr("x", (d, i) => i * 40)
    .attr("y", d => 300 - d * 10)
    .attr("width", 35)
    .attr("height", d => d * 10);

ECharts:

const option = {
    xAxis: {
        type: 'category',
        data: ['Mon', 'Tue', 'Wed', 'Thu', 'Fri']
    },
    yAxis: {
        type: 'value'
    },
    series: [{
        data: [120, 200, 150, 80, 70],
        type: 'bar'
    }]
};
chart.setOption(option);

D3 provides more control over individual elements, while ECharts offers a more declarative approach with pre-built chart types.

Pros of Plotly.js

• More extensive documentation and examples
• Better support for 3D visualizations
• Easier integration with web frameworks like React and Vue

Cons of Plotly.js

• Larger file size, potentially impacting page load times
• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Less performant with large datasets compared to ECharts

Code Comparison

ECharts:

var myChart = echarts.init(document.getElementById('main'));
var option = {
    xAxis: {type: 'category', data: ['A', 'B', 'C']},
    yAxis: {type: 'value'},
    series: [{type: 'bar', data: [1, 2, 3]}]
};
myChart.setOption(option);

Plotly.js:

var data = [{
    x: ['A', 'B', 'C'],
    y: [1, 2, 3],
    type: 'bar'
}];
var layout = {title: 'Simple Bar Chart'};
Plotly.newPlot('myDiv', data, layout);

Both libraries offer powerful charting capabilities, but they differ in syntax and approach. ECharts uses a more configuration-based setup, while Plotly.js leans towards a data-driven structure. The choice between them often depends on specific project requirements and personal preference.

Pros of three.js

• Specializes in 3D graphics rendering, offering more advanced 3D capabilities
• Larger community and ecosystem, with extensive documentation and examples
• More flexible and customizable for complex 3D visualizations

Cons of three.js

• Steeper learning curve, especially for those new to 3D graphics
• Larger file size and potentially higher performance overhead
• Less suitable for simple 2D charts and graphs

Code Comparison

ECharts (2D bar chart):

var myChart = echarts.init(document.getElementById('main'));
var option = {
    xAxis: {type: 'category', data: ['A', 'B', 'C']},
    yAxis: {type: 'value'},
    series: [{type: 'bar', data: [120, 200, 150]}]
};
myChart.setOption(option);

three.js (3D cube):

const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000);
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer();
const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry();
const material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({color: 0x00ff00});
const cube = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material);
scene.add(cube);

Both libraries are powerful tools for data visualization, but they serve different purposes. ECharts excels in creating 2D charts and graphs with ease, while three.js is better suited for complex 3D visualizations and interactive graphics. The choice between them depends on the specific requirements of your project.

Pros of Recharts

• Built specifically for React, offering seamless integration with React applications
• Simpler API and more declarative syntax, making it easier for React developers to use
• Smaller bundle size, which can lead to faster load times for web applications

Cons of Recharts

• Less feature-rich compared to ECharts, with fewer chart types and customization options
• Smaller community and ecosystem, resulting in fewer resources and third-party extensions
• Limited support for non-React environments

Code Comparison

ECharts:

var myChart = echarts.init(document.getElementById('main'));
var option = {
    xAxis: {type: 'category', data: ['Mon', 'Tue', 'Wed']},
    yAxis: {type: 'value'},
    series: [{data: [120, 200, 150], type: 'line'}]
};
myChart.setOption(option);

Recharts:

import { LineChart, Line, XAxis, YAxis } from 'recharts';
const data = [{name: 'Mon', value: 120}, {name: 'Tue', value: 200}, {name: 'Wed', value: 150}];
<LineChart width={400} height={300} data={data}>
  <XAxis dataKey="name" /><YAxis /><Line type="monotone" dataKey="value" stroke="#8884d8" />
</LineChart>