Highcharts

Highcharts is a JavaScript charting library developed by Highsoft. Released in 2009, it provides a way to add interactive charts to websites and web applications with a declarative options object that describes chart type, data series, axes, and interactivity.

The library renders graphics using SVG in modern browsers and supports a wide range of chart types, including line, spline, area, column, bar, pie, scatter, bubble, heatmap, treemap, polar and gauge charts, as well as specialized stock charts in Highcharts Stock and maps in Highmaps. It includes features such as tooltips, legends, data labels, zoom and pan, responsive layout, crosshair pointers, and accessibility support. It can load data from local data structures or remote sources (JSON, CSV) and can update in real time.

Highcharts is extensible through modules and plugins. Key modules include exporting to images or PDFs, data export, accessibility, and the Boost module for rendering large data sets using canvas for performance. The library also offers official wrappers for React, Angular, and Vue, and supports server-side rendering and TypeScript typings. Licensing follows a dual model: free for non-commercial use and paid licenses for commercial production use.

Since its release, Highcharts has become widely used in enterprise and government applications, favored for its mature API, browser compatibility, and extensive documentation. It is maintained by Highsoft and a community of contributors and ecosystem partners.