ChartDB vs Data Formulator
A data-driven comparison of two Data visualization apps & tools: popularity, development activity, licensing and installation. Updated .
ChartDBAn Open-source tool to visualize database schemas and generate ER diagrams from a single query.
Data FormulatorAI-assisted tool for transforming data and creating visualizations, from Microsoft Research.
Key differences
- ChartDB has 1.3× as many GitHub stars as Data Formulator (23K vs 17.5K).
- Data Formulator had more development activity over the last 12 months: 930 commits vs 116.
- ChartDB is licensed under AGPL-3.0; Data Formulator under MIT.
- ChartDB is written primarily in TypeScript, Data Formulator in Python.
By the numbers
- ChartDB
- Data Formulator
Show data as a table
| Metric | ChartDB | Data Formulator |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 22,987 | 17,525 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 116 | 930 |
| Contributors | 66 | 36 |
| Forks | 1,494 | 1,724 |
Development activity
Commits per month to each default branch, last 12 complete months.
- ChartDB
- Data Formulator
Show data as a table
| Month | ChartDB | Data Formulator |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 18 | 40 |
| Nov 2025 | 17 | 42 |
| Dec 2025 | 48 | 48 |
| Jan 2026 | 21 | 38 |
| Feb 2026 | 1 | 129 |
| Mar 2026 | 7 | 146 |
| Apr 2026 | 4 | 231 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 136 |
| Jun 2026 | 0 | 22 |
| Jul 2026 | 0 | 66 |
| Aug 2026 | 0 | 32 |
| Sep 2026 | 0 | 0 |
Side by side
| Attribute | ChartDB | Data Formulator |
|---|---|---|
| Description | An Open-source tool to visualize database schemas and generate ER diagrams from a single query. | AI-assisted tool for transforming data and creating visualizations, from Microsoft Research. |
| Category | Data visualization apps & tools | Data visualization apps & tools |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Status | Maintained | Active |
| Latest release | v1.20.1 () | 0.8b1 () |
| Last commit | ||
| Repository created | ||
| Open issues | 117 | 54 |
| Install | – | pip install data-formulator |
Which should you choose?
Popularity and activity are only part of the story. Consider which ecosystem you work in, the chart types and interactions you need, how much data you render, and whether the license fits your project. Both tool pages list alternatives if neither is quite right.
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ChartDB
An Open-source tool to visualize database schemas and generate ER diagrams from a single query.
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Data Formulator
AI-assisted tool for transforming data and creating visualizations, from Microsoft Research.