amCharts

What amCharts is

amCharts is a JavaScript charting library. It draws charts in a browser, and it also covers geographic maps and chart types built for financial data.

Two things characterise it: how a chart is constructed, and the fact that it is a commercial product.

Licensing first

amCharts is sold rather than given away. The official site publishes the licence terms, including any conditions under which it can be used without purchase.

That is the first thing to establish, because it determines whether the rest of an evaluation is worth doing. It is a far easier question to answer at the start than after a prototype exists.

Charts built from objects

Many charting libraries take a single configuration structure describing the whole chart. You pass one nested object and get a chart back.

amCharts works differently. You create a chart object, then create its axes as objects, then create its series as objects, configuring each as you go.

This is more code for a simple chart. What it buys is direct access to the parts. Changing one axis on an existing chart, or adding a series in response to something a user did, means acting on that object rather than reconstructing a configuration and reapplying it.

For a chart that changes while a user interacts with it, that difference is practical rather than stylistic.

Maps included

Map charts are part of the same library, with geographic data provided.

That matters because the alternative is adding a mapping library and sourcing boundary data separately, then reconciling two different styling systems in the same interface. Having charts and maps come from one library keeps an application's visual language consistent.

Financial chart types

Market data has requirements ordinary chart types handle poorly: candlestick series, long histories that need navigating, and awareness of periods where no trading occurred.

These types are provided rather than approximated. For an application showing price movement, that is the difference between something built for the job and something adapted to it.

Themes

Appearance is applied through themes rather than configured per chart.

For an application with many charts this is what keeps them consistent. Content is decided per chart; appearance is decided once.

Who uses it

amCharts is used by teams building commercial applications where charts are part of the product, particularly where financial chart types or maps are needed and where a licence with defined support terms is a requirement.

Points to consider

Cost is the main one, and the terms should be checked against your specific use.

The object based construction is also more verbose than a configuration driven library. For a page needing three simple charts, a lighter open source library will do it in less code and without the licensing question.

Getting started

The official documentation covers installation, the object model, each chart type, maps and themes, with runnable examples throughout. Building a simple chart with one axis pair and one series covers the construction pattern that everything else follows.