Chart types in Dotwave

Choosing the right chart type is half the work of a good dashboard. Dotwave offers a focused set of chart types, each suited to a particular question. This reference lists every one, grouped by the job it does, with a one-line description, when to reach for it, and the data it needs. Use it to match your question to the chart that answers it most clearly — and remember the chart coach will nudge you if a different type would read better.

Comparison charts

Comparison charts put categories side by side so a viewer can rank them at a glance.

Bar

A bar chart compares a measure across categories using rectangular bars. Reach for it whenever you want to rank or compare discrete groups — revenue by region, orders by product, spend by customer. It needs one categorical column for the bars and one numeric measure for their length.

Pie

A pie chart shows how a whole breaks into parts as slices of a circle. Use it when you want to show composition and there are only a few categories that sum to a meaningful total. It needs one categorical column and one numeric measure; keep the number of slices small so the shares stay readable.

Donut

A donut chart is a pie chart with the center removed, giving room for a total or label in the middle. Use it for the same part-to-whole comparisons as a pie when you also want to surface the overall figure. It needs the same data: one category column and one numeric measure.

Radial

A radial chart plots values around a circular axis, useful for a compact comparison of a handful of categories or for showing progress toward a target. Use it when a circular layout communicates the idea better than straight bars. It needs one categorical column and one numeric measure.

Trend charts

Trend charts show how a value moves over an ordered dimension, almost always time.

Line

A line chart connects values in order to reveal a trend over time. Use it for anything that changes across a continuous sequence — revenue by month, sign-ups by week. It needs an ordered dimension (typically a date column) on one axis and a numeric measure on the other.

Area

An area chart is a line chart with the space beneath the line filled, emphasizing volume or cumulative magnitude over time. Use it when the size of a total, not just its direction, is the point. It needs the same data as a line chart: an ordered dimension and a numeric measure.

Distribution and relationship

These charts describe the shape of a single variable or the link between two.

Histogram

A histogram groups a numeric column into ranges and shows how many records fall in each, revealing the distribution. Use it to understand spread, skew, and outliers — order values, ages, response times. It needs a single numeric column, which Dotwave buckets automatically.

Scatter

A scatter plot places each record as a point using two numeric axes, exposing the relationship between two measures. Use it to spot correlation or clusters — spend versus frequency, price versus rating. It needs two numeric columns, one per axis.

Single value and detail

Sometimes the clearest chart is one number, and sometimes it's the raw rows.

Big number

A big number displays a single KPI as one large figure — total revenue, active customers, conversion rate. Use it to headline the one metric that matters most on a board. It needs a single aggregated value, typically a sum or count of one measure.

Table

A table shows the underlying rows and columns directly, with no aggregation applied unless you ask for it. Use it when viewers need exact values, detail, or the ability to scan many fields at once. It needs any set of columns you want to display.