Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
When should I pick Line chart?
When the story is: trends, seasonality and a few series over time.
When should I avoid Line chart?
Skip it in cases like: unordered categories, or more than about four overlapping series.
Who invented or popularised it?
William Playfair, 1786 — later refined for meteorology and markets
What does it encode?
position of a polyline through ordered time
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
Line chart encodes values as position of a polyline through ordered time. William Playfair, 1786 — later refined for meteorology and markets.
In reports, ads and assignments it fits trends, seasonality and a few series over time. Skip it when unordered categories, or more than about four overlapping series.
Software
- Software 1 — Excel or Google Sheets
- Software 2 — PowerPoint
- Software 3 — Figma / Illustrator — ad and poster shapes
- Software 4 — Python matplotlib or R ggplot — assignment and research figures
- Software 5 — This atlas's server-rendered SVG — examples without a chart library
Exports
- Exports 1 — SVG
- Exports 2 — PDF
- Exports 3 — EMF/SVG into slides (no screenshots)
- Exports 4 — SVG for web, PDF for print
Accessibility
- Accessibility 1 — Never hue alone. Stack pattern, label and position.
- Accessibility 2 — 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for large marks.
- Accessibility 3 — Short alt text on the chart; numbers also as an HTML table.
- Accessibility 4 — Motion only as emphasis. Honour prefers-reduced-motion.
Line chart: honour position of a polyline through ordered time, and switch when unordered categories, or more than about four overlapping series.