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Creating Charts with Google Charts

Google Charts is a free JavaScript library that can create professional graphs and charts using your data.

Google Charts can display:

  • Pie Charts
  • Bar Charts
  • Column Charts
  • Line Charts
  • Area Charts

In this tutorial you will create your first chart using sample data.

Step 1 - Load the Google Charts Library

Add the following line inside the <head> section of your webpage.

<script src="https://www.gstatic.com/charts/loader.js"></script>

Step 2 - Create a Chart Container

Add a div where the chart will be displayed.

<div id="chart_div"
     style="width:100%; max-width:900px; min-height:320px;">
</div>

Step 3 - Create the Chart

Add the following JavaScript before the closing </body> tag.

<script>

google.charts.load(
    'current',
    {'packages':['corechart']}
);

google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawChart);

function drawChart()
{

    var data =
        google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([

        ['Risk Level', 'Count'],

        ['Low',15],

        ['Medium',8],

        ['High',3]

    ]);


    var options = {

        title:'Security Events by Risk Level'

    };


    var chart =
        new google.visualization.PieChart(

        document.getElementById('chart_div')

    );


    chart.draw(data, options);

}

</script>

image-1782085452882.png

Understanding the Data

Google Charts uses an array to store chart data.

[
 ['Risk Level', 'Count'],

 ['Low',15],

 ['Medium',8],

 ['High',3]
]

The first row contains the headings.

The remaining rows contain the data values.

Changing the Chart Type

The chart type is controlled by:

google.visualization.PieChart

You can change it to:

Chart Class
Pie Chart PieChart
Column Chart ColumnChart
Bar Chart BarChart
Line Chart LineChart
Area Chart AreaChart

Example:

google.visualization.BarChart

will display the same data as a bar chart.

Complete Example

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

    <title>Google Charts Example</title>

    <script src="https://www.gstatic.com/charts/loader.js"></script>

</head>

<body>

<div id="chart_div"
     style="width:100%; max-width:900px; min-height:320px;">
</div>


<script>

google.charts.load(
    'current',
    {'packages':['corechart']}
);

google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawChart);

function drawChart()
{

    var data =
        google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([

        ['Risk Level', 'Count'],

        ['Low',15],

        ['Medium',8],

        ['High',3]

    ]);


    var options = {

        title:'Security Events by Risk Level'

    };


    var chart =
        new google.visualization.PieChart(

        document.getElementById('chart_div')

    );


    chart.draw(data, options);

}

</script>

</body>

</html>

Accessibility and data note

Provide the values in an HTML table or concise text summary as well as the chart. Do not rely on colour alone, and give the chart container an accessible name where practical. Google Charts loads JavaScript from Google; use fictional or non-personal summary data only.

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