# D3.js vs Observable Plot

## Key differences

- D3.js has 21× as many GitHub stars as Observable Plot (113.8K vs 5.4K).
- Observable Plot had more development activity over the last 12 months: 38 commits vs 2.
- D3.js is downloaded 28× as often on npm (25.7M vs 928.3K per week).
- Both are released under the ISC license.
- D3.js is written primarily in JavaScript, Observable Plot in HTML.
- D3.js is the older project: its repository was created in 2010, Observable Plot's in 2020.

| | D3.js | Observable Plot |
|---|---|---|
| Description | JavaScript library for producing dynamic, data-driven visualizations with SVG, Canvas and HTML. | A JavaScript library for exploratory data visualization. |
| GitHub stars | 113,802 | 5,400 |
| Commits (12 months) | 2 | 38 |
| Contributors | 136 | 28 |
| License | ISC | ISC |
| Language | JavaScript | HTML |
| Status | Maintained | Active |
| Install | `npm install d3` | `npm install @observablehq/plot` |

Source: https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/d3-vs-observable-plot/ · Data updated 2026-10-04 · Content: CC BY 4.0, Awesome Dataviz (https://awesomedataviz.com).