What are the main categories of chart types?

The five main categories are comparison charts (bar, column), trend charts (line, area), distribution charts (histogram, box plot), composition charts (pie, treemap), and relationship charts (scatter, sankey). Each category serves different analytical purposes.

What's the difference between a bar chart and a column chart?

Bar charts use horizontal bars and work best for categorical comparisons with long labels. Column charts use vertical bars and work best for time-based data where the X-axis shows chronological progression.

When should I use a pie chart vs a bar chart?

Use pie charts only for 2-4 simple categories where percentages sum to 100%. Use bar charts for almost everything else—they're more accurate because humans compare lengths better than angles or areas.

What chart types work best for mobile dashboards?

Mobile-friendly charts include simple bar/column charts, line charts, KPI cards, progress bars, and sparklines. Avoid complex scatter plots, network graphs, tables with many columns, and charts with small text.

What's the difference between static and interactive charts?

Static charts display fixed data like PDFs or presentations. Interactive charts support drill-down, filtering, hover tooltips, cross-filtering, and real-time updates.

How do I choose the right chart type for my dashboard?

Start with your analytical question: comparison (bar), trend (line), composition (stacked bar), relationship (scatter), or distribution (histogram). Then consider your audience sophistication and mobile constraints.

What are the most common mistakes in data visualization?

Common mistakes include truncated Y-axes, pie charts with too many slices, 3D effects, inconsistent colors, wrong chart types, information overload, poor mobile rendering, and multi-tenant data leakage in embedded analytics.

Complete GuideFebruary 17, 2026

Chart Types Guide: 40+ Data Visualization Charts Explained

Comprehensive guide covering 40+ chart types organized by purpose, with specific focus on embedded analytics and customer-facing dashboards. Learn when to use bar charts, line charts, scatter plots, and specialized visualizations.

18 min read

Chart Types Guide: 40+ Data Visualization Charts Explained

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