Getting Started with D3: Creating Data-Driven Documents

by Mike Dewar

Learn how to create beautiful, interactive, browser-based data visualizations with the D3 JavaScript library. This hands-on book shows you how to use a combination of JavaScript and SVG to build everything from simple bar charts to complex infographics. You’ll learn how to use basic D3 tools by building visualizations based on real data from the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority. Using historical tables, geographical information, and other data, you’ll graph bus breakdowns and accidents and the percentage of subway trains running on time, among other examples. By the end of the book, you’ll be prepared to build your own web-based data visualizations with D3.

Genres: Programming, Technology, Technical, Design, Computers

66 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[briz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure who this book is pitched to - maybe it resonates with people who already have a pretty good knowledge of JavaScript. For complete newbies, or people at level 1.1 noob, it feels really scattered and mostly baffling. I found Interactive Data Visualization for the Web a lot friendlier - and richer, in terms of both explanations and resources for further study.

One (pretty big) plus point, to Mike Dewar's credit, is his hands-on example using the New York City subway. I sometimes complain about the examples used in code tutorials (they skew heavily towards the interests of middle-aged white dudes - e.g. program a poker game! replicate Pong!), and I appreciated something that was: (1) civics-ish, (2) urban design-y, and (3) with a lot of depth (there are so many questions one could ask about the New York City subway, amirite?).

[Alex Ott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short introduction into D3.js Visualization library. The book provides enough information to start with library, but it would be also helpful to read the paper with design rationale behind it: http://vis.stanford.edu/papers/d3

And also look to other libraries, built on the top of D3.js

[Jörn Dinkla · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit to short, but good as an introduction if you know JavaScript and web development.

[Colle Owino · Rating 3 out of 5]

I practically skimmed through this book. In my humble opinion it was kind of like chewing leather. I took it on about 3 different times and in all those cases I would end up wondering why things are the way they are. I suppose this isn't a beginners book. Short as it may be it demands full and complete attention of the reader. Throwing snippet at you and hoping you are still there to grasp whatever is going on. Maybe the next time I attempt to read it I will finally be ready.

[Eduardo Deboni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a great tutorial with practical examples of D3 applications. The examples are based on data from the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority Data Set. The data is still available but you still can find them in github (I will leave my exercises there too). There are minor typos in the code, but it´s easy to spot them and learn D3. Aproved!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a short intro that assumes you are already comfortable with JavaScript. It has a few nice examples, but doesn’t really cover the breadth of possibilities for the library.

[Tadas Talaikis · Rating 3 out of 5]

// badass visualization code goes here

Don't need it, but good to know.

[Alberto Garcia Ariza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pese a ser una introducción, deja gran parte de los ejemplos sin explicar, aunque aún así me ha servido para iniciarme en d3. Pero a diferencia de otros manuales que he leído, dudo que sea capaz de replica los ejemplos. Aún así, teniendo en cuenta la poca literatura existente sobre el tema puede ser recomendable, aunque en la web encontramos tutoriales con una curva de aprendizaje màs asequible.

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually include work related books in my reading list as I don't generally read them from cover to cover. This was a short book and I did read it all and followed the examples. It is a good introduction to D3 and I did learn enough to modify some examples for my own data and purposes.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually include work related books in my reading list as I don't generally read them from cover to cover. This was a short book and I did read it all and followed the examples. It is a good introduction to D3 and I did learn enough to modify some examples for my own data and purposes.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro, though nothing replaces actually *using* D3.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

clear, easy to read, a good initial tour to get started

[Suresh Sankaran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to get started with D3 framework...but will give only very basic stuff which can not be enough to start serious development

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good for a quick, get over the learning curve introduction to D3. Set me up to learn more about D3 and not have to worry about some of the basics that some guides gloss over.

[Siegfried-A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to D3 for web developers. I'd have liked some more advanced chapters or at least an overview of what additional stuff D3 provides.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good introduction into the world of D3, would need a follow up if you wanted to master some of the more advanced techniques, but still, it does what the title states.

[Steven Pennebaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says it is - a good place to start.

[Parinya Chavanasuvarngull · Rating 4 out of 5]

เป็นหนังสือเริ่มต้นที่ดีระดับหนึ่ง... ถึงยังไงซะ D3 ก็ค่อนข้างยาก ต้องใช้เวลาศึกษา และอ่านกันยาวๆ แต่ก็คุ้มค่าเพราะมันสามารถวาด chard อะไรก็ได้ ยืดหยุ่นสุดๆ นั่นเอง