Why is there so much fuzz about d3 and alike? [closed]

Question

Sorry if this question is considered trivial but I am a bit lost:

Why is there so much discussion and efforts in working with d3 for data visualization?

In python we have matplotlib (MPL). It can to so many things. Especially for publication ready graphics (PS, PDF)?

Or is the target these new initiatives are trying to achieve the web-visualization and interactivity, only?

And how is the question of report generation (e.g. preparation of a printable report) tackled?

E.g. I have a website with a dashboard for graphics. I zoom in, retrieve data etc. How to I store the figure together with the data table behind to a report? IMHO, easy to achieve with the "old" MPL based way.

Thanks in advance for your clarifications and hints on this hot topic.

Answer 1

I guess there's not really an objective answer to this question, so this is my opinion.

Purpose:

In my workflow, I view d3 as a way to make data analysis more 'available' in two ways. First, it works in a browser, so is platform independent and doesn't require special software. Second, visualisation can make datasets more comprehensible to non analysts, especially because of the potential of interactivity, and the fact you can create a nice 'friendly' web based interface.

A second reason I think d3 may be preferable over other tools is its flexibility. My experience of statistical packages (admittedly I haven't used Matlab) is that if you want to create a custom visualisation from scratch, then it's hard to do so.

Conversely, d3 lets you get right down to the details of precisely where vector shapes are placed, and provides an intuitive and fast way of controlling all of this and linking it to your dataset.

However, if you want to generate 'standard' charts, then other tools may be simpler and quicker. For instance, my experience of Mathematica is that it offers incredible interactive features which often require little more than adding manipulate[] around your code. However, to some extent this relies on 'pre packaged' charts.

Reporting:

d3 isn't perfect for reporting but it's not that bad either. .svg files can be opened in vector graphics programs like Adobe Illustrator, so it is possible to export charts created in d3 to pdf or any other format of your choosing.