Apache ECharts vs Lightweight Charts
A data-driven comparison of two JavaScript charting libraries: popularity, development activity, licensing and installation. Updated .
Apache EChartsHighly customizable and interactive charts ready for big datasets.
Lightweight ChartsPerformant HTML5 canvas financial charts, from TradingView.
Key differences
- Apache ECharts has 3.9× as many GitHub stars as Lightweight Charts (67.4K vs 17.5K).
- Lightweight Charts had more development activity over the last 12 months: 329 commits vs 266.
- Apache ECharts is downloaded 5× as often on npm (6.7M vs 1.4M per week).
- Both are released under the Apache-2.0 license.
- Apache ECharts is the older project: its repository was created in 2013, Lightweight Charts's in 2019.
By the numbers
- Apache ECharts
- Lightweight Charts
Show data as a table
| Metric | Apache ECharts | Lightweight Charts |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 67,449 | 17,473 |
| npm downloads / week | 6,709,995 | 1,351,887 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 266 | 329 |
| Contributors | 274 | 58 |
| Forks | 19,817 | 2,631 |
Development activity
Commits per month to each default branch, last 12 complete months.
- Apache ECharts
- Lightweight Charts
Show data as a table
| Month | Apache ECharts | Lightweight Charts |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 26 | 13 |
| Nov 2025 | 22 | 8 |
| Dec 2025 | 42 | 17 |
| Jan 2026 | 21 | 8 |
| Feb 2026 | 15 | 16 |
| Mar 2026 | 45 | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | 39 | 21 |
| May 2026 | 34 | 12 |
| Jun 2026 | 1 | 13 |
| Jul 2026 | 8 | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | 2 | 11 |
| Sep 2026 | 11 | 202 |
Side by side
| Attribute | Apache ECharts | Lightweight Charts |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Highly customizable and interactive charts ready for big datasets. | Performant HTML5 canvas financial charts, from TradingView. |
| Category | JavaScript charting libraries | JavaScript charting libraries |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Latest release | 6.1.0 () | v5.2.1 () |
| Last commit | ||
| Repository created | ||
| Open issues | 1,294 | 113 |
| Install | npm install echarts | npm install lightweight-charts |
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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Apache ECharts
Highly customizable and interactive charts ready for big datasets.
-
Lightweight Charts
Performant HTML5 canvas financial charts, from TradingView.