d3vsrecharts
D3 is the low-level primitive — build any visualization but write a lot of code. Recharts is high-level React components built on D3. Pick Recharts for standard charts; D3 for custom visualizations.
d3
github.com/d3/d3The data visualization library. ~108k stars. Steep learning curve but unmatched flexibility. Used under the hood by most React charting libraries. Reach for it when off-the-shelf charts cannot do what you need.
Full review →recharts
github.com/recharts/rechartsComposable charting library for React. ~24k stars. Built on D3 but with a much friendlier API. Default choice for dashboards and analytics UIs in React.
Full review →Which should you pick?
Pick d3 if…
You are building genuinely custom data visualization or interactive infographics.
Skip d3 if…
You need standard bar/line/pie charts — Recharts is faster.
Pick recharts if…
You are adding charts to a React dashboard or analytics view.
Skip recharts if…
You need fully custom data viz — D3 directly gives you more control.
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