# R data visualization packages

> ggplot2, interactive graphics and Shiny apps. 19 tools, ranked by GitHub stars.

R's visualization ecosystem centers on ggplot2, an implementation of the grammar of graphics that most R users learn first. Interactive alternatives include plotly (R) and visNetwork, rgl covers 3D graphics, and Shiny turns analyses into interactive web applications.

| # | Tool | GitHub stars | Commits (12 mo) | License | Description |
|---:|---|---:|---:|---|---|
| 1 | [ggplot2](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/ggplot2/) | 7,005 | 86 | MIT | A plotting system based on the grammar of graphics. |
| 2 | [Shiny](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/shiny/) | 5,694 | 63 | MIT | Framework for creating interactive applications/visualisations |
| 3 | [plotly (R)](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/plotly-r/) | 2,682 | 19 | MIT | Interactive charts (including adding interactivity to ggplot2 output), cartograms and simple network diagrams |
| 4 | [patchwork](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/patchwork/) | 2,615 | 0 | MIT | Composes multiple ggplot2 plots into a single figure. |
| 5 | [ggstatsplot](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/ggstatsplot/) | 2,207 | 84 | MIT | Ggplot2-based plots with statistical test details included in the graphic. |
| 6 | [rayshader](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/rayshader/) | 2,182 | 33 | GPL-3.0 | 2D and 3D mapping and data visualization in R, including 3D renders of ggplot2 plots. |
| 7 | [gt](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/gt/) | 2,161 | 939 | MIT | Builds publication-quality display tables in R. |
| 8 | [gganimate](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/gganimate/) | 1,983 | 0 | MIT | Grammar of animated graphics that extends ggplot2. |
| 9 | [esquisse](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/esquisse/) | 1,865 | 0 | GPL-3.0 | Drag-and-drop interface for building ggplot2 charts in RStudio or Shiny. |
| 10 | [DiagrammeR](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/diagrammer/) | 1,745 | 22 | MIT | Graph and network diagrams in R, rendered with Graphviz and mermaid. |
| 11 | [ComplexHeatmap](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/complexheatmap/) | 1,557 | 3 | Other | Highly customizable heatmaps for genomic and other matrix data (Bioconductor). |
| 12 | [ggrepel](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/ggrepel/) | 1,261 | 30 | GPL-3.0 | Repels overlapping text labels away from each other in ggplot2 plots. |
| 13 | [ggraph](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/ggraph/) | 1,118 | 0 | MIT | Grammar of graphics for graphs and networks, extending ggplot2. |
| 14 | [Leaflet for R](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/leaflet-for-r/) | 841 | 0 | MIT | R interface to the Leaflet JavaScript library for interactive maps. |
| 15 | [ggvis](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/ggvis/) | 707 | 3 | GPL-2.0 | A data visualization package with a syntax similar to ggplot2 which allows you to create rich interactive graphics. |
| 16 | [visNetwork](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/visnetwork/) | 563 | 0 | MIT | Interactive network visualisations |
| 17 | [rbokeh](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/rbokeh/) | 311 | 0 | MIT | R Interface to Bokeh. |
| 18 | [rgl](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/rgl/) | 103 | 36 | GPL-2.0 | 3D Visualization Using OpenGL |
| 19 | [lattice](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/lattice/) | 74 | 16 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Trellis graphics for R |

Source: https://awesomedataviz.com/categories/r/ · Data updated 2026-10-04 · Content: CC BY 4.0, Awesome Dataviz (https://awesomedataviz.com).