Comparison guide
Chartjs vs D3
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Chartjs
4.7 KB gzipped
Most Popular
D3
13.8M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Chartjs
20/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Chartjs
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
D3
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
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Choosing between Chartjs and D3? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Downloads & Popularity
D3 leads with 13.8M weekly downloads — roughly 1021.5x more. Chartjs has 13.5K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Chartjs has the smallest gzipped bundle at 4.7 KB. D3 comes in at 89.8 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
D3 has an overall health score of 61/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Chartjs has an overall health score of 53/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Chartjs if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record. Choose D3 if you value massive community and ecosystem, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Chartjs and D3 are solid choices for JavaScript development. D3 has the edge in overall health score (61/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is chartjs better than d3?
- It depends on your needs. Chartjs has a health score of 53/100 while D3 scores 61/100. D3 has more recorded weekly downloads (13.8M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, chartjs or d3?
- Chartjs has the smaller gzipped bundle at 4.7 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use chartjs vs d3?
- D3 has more recorded weekly downloads (13.8M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, chartjs or d3?
- Chartjs has a maintenance score of 20/100. Chartjs scores 20/100 and D3 scores 20/100 on maintenance.
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