JFreeChart vs Lets-Plot for Kotlin
A data-driven comparison of two Java, Kotlin & Scala visualization libraries: popularity, development activity, licensing and installation. Updated .
JFreeChart2D chart library for Java applications using Swing, JavaFX or server-side rendering.
Lets-Plot for KotlinGrammar of graphics plotting API for Kotlin, built on Lets-Plot.
Key differences
- JFreeChart has 2.9× as many GitHub stars as Lets-Plot for Kotlin (1.4K vs 487).
- Lets-Plot for Kotlin had more development activity over the last 12 months: 129 commits vs 0.
- JFreeChart is licensed under LGPL-2.1; Lets-Plot for Kotlin under MIT.
- JFreeChart is written primarily in Java, Lets-Plot for Kotlin in Kotlin.
- JFreeChart is the older project: its repository was created in 2016, Lets-Plot for Kotlin's in 2019.
- JFreeChart has had no commits since Jun 7, 2025.
By the numbers
- JFreeChart
- Lets-Plot for Kotlin
Show data as a table
| Metric | JFreeChart | Lets-Plot for Kotlin |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 1,391 | 487 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 0 | 129 |
| Contributors | 30 | 15 |
| Forks | 672 | 39 |
Development activity
Commits per month to each default branch, last 12 complete months.
- JFreeChart
- Lets-Plot for Kotlin
Show data as a table
| Month | JFreeChart | Lets-Plot for Kotlin |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | 0 | 30 |
| Dec 2025 | 0 | 12 |
| Jan 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 67 |
| Apr 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | 0 | 11 |
| Jul 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2026 | 0 | 0 |
Side by side
| Attribute | JFreeChart | Lets-Plot for Kotlin |
|---|---|---|
| Description | 2D chart library for Java applications using Swing, JavaFX or server-side rendering. | Grammar of graphics plotting API for Kotlin, built on Lets-Plot. |
| Category | Java, Kotlin & Scala visualization libraries | Java, Kotlin & Scala visualization libraries |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Kotlin |
| Status | Inactive | Maintained |
| Latest release | v1.5.6 () | v4.15.0 () |
| Last commit | ||
| Repository created | ||
| Open issues | 126 | 10 |
| Install | implementation("org.jfree:jfreechart:1.5.5") | implementation("org.jetbrains.lets-plot:lets-plot-kotlin-jvm:4.10.0") |
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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JFreeChart
2D chart library for Java applications using Swing, JavaFX or server-side rendering.
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Lets-Plot for Kotlin
Grammar of graphics plotting API for Kotlin, built on Lets-Plot.