JavaScript and jQuery for Data Analysis and Visualization

Chapter 3Building a Visualization Foundation

What's in This Chapter

• Getting to know charting primitives, including point, bar, and pie charts
• Understanding specialized charts, including candlestick, bubble, and surface charts
• Examining the underlying technology for these charts, such as HTML5 and SVG

CODE DOWNLOAD The wrox.com code downloads for this chapter are found at www.wrox.com/go/javascriptandjqueryanalysis on the Download Code tab. The code is in the chapter 4 download and individually named according to the names throughout the chapter.

After you have your data in hand, the big question is how to present it. Before you can make the choice that best communicates your message, you need a thorough grasp of what's possible—in the universe of visualization options as well as in the technology to create them online.

This chapter lays the groundwork for both realms. First, it takes a look at visualizations from the most basic (point, bar, and pie charts among others) to the more specialized (bubble and candlestick charts). Then it examines some of the underlying technology for displaying these visualizations online, primarily HTML5 and SVG.

Exploring the Visual Data Spectrum

Trying to choose the right representation for your data is like being a child and walking into a toy store for the first time. There are just so many shiny, attractive options from which to choose. Whether you go with basic building blocks, such as a pie or bar chart, or opt for a more sophisticated ...