Data Visualization in JavaScript with React and D3.js from Udemy

Part science, part art, data visualization is one of the most -in-demand skills in the data science and software industries. Taught by a full-time data visualization developer, this dataviz course gets you up and running quickly with a flexible and highly customizable method for building interactive visualizations and storytelling with data.

After this tutorial, you'll be able to produce beautiful data visualizations using your own graphic style that are performant and highly responsive to user input. The stack taught here includes the latest versions of React (v17) and D3.js (v7), two of the most popular modern JavaScript libraries mentioned in job postings. The course focuses on learning JavaScript through practical experience and examples, drawing on the author's experience to show you the tradeoffs of various methods of combining these powerful tools.

If you're looking to gain highly in-demand skills for business intelligence, building dashboards, or other visualization tools, this course will get you up and running quickly and give you a competitive edge in the job market.

Some prior knowledge of using React and D3 separately is recommended for this course. However, we will cover the necessary topics in brief review modules and provide plenty of data visualization examples, so a little independent study and a grasp of basic JavaScript should be enough to get you started.

Course Outline:

Introduction

Why learn React and D3

Part 1: D3 basics review

Binding data to the Document-Object Model (DOM) using D3
Adding data and styling it in D3

Part 2: A declarative approach to integrating React and D3

Translating D3 syntax into JSX
Pros and cons of this approach

Part 3: A hybrid approach to React and D3

Learn how to balance D3's built-in transition capabilities and DOM updates and React's render cycle
Build a fully functioning scatterplot that updates with new data

Part 4: Practical project - Gapminder scatterplot

Build a fully interactive data visualization of the popular gapminder dataset
Add user-defined filters and other controls
Bring all your knowledge together to create a fully immersive chart similar to what you would create for a business use case or publication

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

Why combine D3 and React?

How the Course is Structured

Review of basic D3 concepts

Introduction to D3 and the Document Object Model (DOM)

Data binding with D3

Scaling and styling data in D3

Integrating React and D3: A Declarative Approach

Introduction: the quickest way to start integrating React and D3

Setting up our React project environment

Functional Components

Loading data from static files

Setting up scales using D3

Mapping over data elements to create JSX

Adding interactivity with useState

Pros and Cons of the declarative approach

Integrating React and D3: A hybrid approach

Introduction: the best of both the React and D3 worlds

Project setup and creating the general structure

Adding a useEffect hook with styling

Adding transitions and animation

Pros and Cons of this approach

Real-world Project: Building the Gapminder scatterplot

Introduction to the Gapminder chart

Loading data and creating the chart components

Adding scales using D3 and the useEffect hook

Styling the chart using D3

Building the chart axes

Adding a crosshair to display averages

Adding interactivity: building the year slider

Building the interactive Legend

Final thoughts on combining React and D3 for data visualization

Publishing your work

Final thoughts on React and D3 for data visualization

Reviews summary

Combining react and d3 for dataviz

According to learners, this course is largely positive, praised for effectively teaching how to combine React and D3.js for data visualization. Students highlight the instructor's clear explanations and the value of hands-on coding demos and the challenging but rewarding final project. However, a significant number of reviewers note that the prerequisites are higher than stated, recommending it primarily for those already comfortable with both libraries due to the fast pace.

Instructor explains concepts clearly.

"The instructor explains complex concepts like integrating React's state management with D3's DOM manipulation beautifully."

"The instructor's explanations are clear, and the coding demos are easy to follow."

"The instructor is knowledgeable and presents the material logically."

"Instructor does a great job breaking down the complex topic."

Final project is challenging yet practical.

"The project on Gapminder was very challenging but incredibly rewarding."

"It truly shows how to build production-ready data visualizations."

"The final project is a great capstone."

"The project reinforced the concepts nicely."

"The project is challenging but rewarding."

Successfully teaches combining libraries.

"perfectly bridges the gap between React and D3."

"effectively teaching how to combine React and D3 for data visualization."

"practical integration patterns."

"feel much more confident combining these technologies now."

Course pace is fast.

"The declarative approach section was a bit fast-paced"

"the pace is very quick."

"The pace assumes you are familiar with advanced concepts."

Requires strong prior React and D3 knowledge.

"Requires solid prior knowledge of both React and D3 though."

"Need to have a strong background in JS, React, and D3 to keep up."

"Definitely not for absolute beginners in either library."

"Prerequisites are understated; this is best for intermediate/advanced users."

"felt the prereqs were misleading. If you are not already proficient in React AND D3, you will struggle."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Data Visualization in JavaScript with React and D3.js with these activities:

Review JavaScript Fundamentals

Show steps

Solidify your understanding of JavaScript fundamentals, including variables, data types, functions, and control flow, to prepare for using React and D3.js effectively.

Browse courses on JavaScript Fundamentals

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Review online JavaScript tutorials and documentation.
Practice writing basic JavaScript programs.
Complete online JavaScript quizzes and exercises.

Brush Up on React Concepts

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Revisit core React concepts like components, state management, JSX syntax, and the virtual DOM to ensure a smooth transition into integrating React with D3.js.

Show steps

Review React documentation and tutorials.
Practice building simple React components.
Experiment with state management using useState or useReducer.

Read 'React Quickly'

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Supplement your React knowledge with a comprehensive guide to React development, providing a deeper understanding of the framework used in the course.

View React Quickly, Second Edition on Amazon

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Read the first few chapters covering React fundamentals.
Try out the code examples provided in the book.
Refer to the book when encountering React-related challenges in the course.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Practice D3.js Data Binding

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Reinforce your understanding of D3.js data binding techniques by creating simple visualizations that dynamically update based on data changes.

Show steps

Create a basic bar chart using D3.js.
Update the bar chart with new data dynamically.
Experiment with different data binding methods.

Simple Data Dashboard

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Apply your knowledge by building a simple dashboard that displays data from a public API using React and D3.js.

Show steps

Choose a public API with interesting data.
Create React components to fetch and display the data.
Use D3.js to create visualizations of the data.
Add interactivity to the dashboard.

Blog Post: React and D3.js

Show steps

Solidify your understanding by writing a blog post explaining how to integrate React and D3.js for data visualization, sharing your insights and experiences.

Show steps

Choose a specific aspect of React and D3.js integration to focus on.
Write a clear and concise explanation of the chosen topic.
Include code examples and visualizations to illustrate your points.
Publish your blog post on a platform like Medium or your personal website.

Contribute to a D3.js Project

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Deepen your understanding by contributing to an open-source D3.js project, gaining experience working with a real-world codebase and collaborating with other developers.

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Find an open-source D3.js project on GitHub.
Identify a bug or feature to work on.
Submit a pull request with your changes.
Respond to feedback from the project maintainers.

Career center

Learners who complete Data Visualization in JavaScript with React and D3.js will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Visualization Engineer

A Data Visualization Engineer focuses on building interactive and engaging graphical representations of data. This role translates raw data into understandable formats for stakeholders. This course, emphasizing React and D3.js, helps any aspiring Data Visualization Engineer create dynamic and performant visualizations. The course content, especially the modules on integrating React and D3 using both declarative and hybrid approaches, will be useful when needing to balance React's render cycle with D3's transitions. Furthermore, working on the Gapminder scatterplot project can show how to build immersive charts that suit business needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Visualization Engineer

Dashboard Developer

Dashboard Developers specialize in creating interactive dashboards that monitor key performance indicators and provide real-time insights. This role requires expertise in data visualization techniques and tools. This course helps Dashboard Developers develop proficiency in React and D3.js, two powerful libraries for building dynamic and customizable dashboards. The course content, particularly the practical project of building a Gapminder scatterplot, provides hands-on experience in creating interactive charts with user-defined filters, which are essential for building effective dashboards. Dashboard Developers will be able to produce beautiful data visualizations that are performant and highly responsive to user input.

See salaries and explore the career path for Dashboard Developer

Interactive Journalist

Interactive Journalists create compelling data-driven stories that engage readers through dynamic visualizations. This role requires the ability to transform complex data into accessible and visually appealing narratives. A course that provides practical experience with React and D3.js can build the skills necessary to excel as an Interactive Journalist. Learning to build interactive visualizations, add user-defined filters, and create immersive charts will be valuable for crafting impactful and engaging stories.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interactive Journalist

Data Storyteller

Data Storytellers weave narratives around data, making complex information accessible and engaging. Effective data storytelling often involves creating interactive visualizations that allow audiences to explore data in meaningful ways. This course helps Data Storytellers by providing hands-on experience with React and D3.js. The ability to build dynamic visualizations, add user-defined controls, and create immersive charts will be invaluable for crafting compelling and informative data stories. By understanding how to balance D3's transition capabilities and DOM updates and React's render cycle, data storytellers can create effective narratives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Storyteller

User Interface Engineer

User Interface Engineers specialize in designing and implementing user interfaces that are intuitive and visually engaging. The goal is to make applications easy to use and understand. This course can help User Interface Engineers who want to integrate data visualization into their interfaces, as it provides a strong foundation in React and D3.js. The course's focus on building interactive visualizations and adding user-defined filters aligns directly with the needs of a UI Engineer, enabling them to create compelling data-driven user experiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Interface Engineer

Frontend Developer

Frontend Developers create user interfaces for websites and applications, ensuring they are visually appealing and functional. This role requires a strong understanding of JavaScript frameworks. This course helps Frontend Developers by providing practical experience with React and D3.js, two essential libraries for building interactive data visualizations. By understanding how to bind data to the Document Object Model (DOM) with D3 and translate D3 syntax into JSX, frontend developers can create more dynamic and powerful visualizations for data-driven applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Frontend Developer

Business Intelligence Analyst

Business Intelligence Analysts transform data into actionable insights that inform strategic decisions. This role often involves creating dashboards and reports to monitor key performance indicators. This course helps Business Intelligence Analysts create sophisticated data visualizations using React and D3.js. The course provides the experience needed to produce beautiful data visualizations using one's own graphic style that are performant and highly responsive to user input. The skills gained make the Business Intelligence Analyst more effective in conveying data-driven insights to stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Intelligence Analyst

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. This course helps Software Engineers who wish to specialize in data visualization or incorporate interactive data displays into their applications. A key benefit of the course is learning how to effectively combine React and D3.js, two popular JavaScript libraries. The practical project of building a Gapminder scatterplot prepares engineers to tackle real-world visualization challenges.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Data Analyst

Data Analysts interpret and analyze data to provide insights and recommendations. While often working with static charts, some Data Analysts can benefit from creating interactive dashboards and visualizations. This course helps Data Analysts expand their skill set by teaching them to build dynamic visualizations using React and D3.js. The ability to create custom visualizations and add interactive elements, as covered in the course, can significantly enhance a Data Analyst's ability to communicate complex data insights effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Full-Stack Developer

Full Stack Developers work on both the front-end and back-end of web applications. This course helps Full Stack Developers who are looking to enhance their front-end skills with advanced data visualization techniques. By learning to use React and D3.js, full stack developers can create interactive and visually appealing data displays. The course's focus on practical examples and real-world projects makes it well-suited for full stack developers who want hands-on experience with data visualization tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Full-Stack Developer

Web Developer

Web Developers are responsible for building and maintaining websites. This course helps Web Developers who want to add interactive data visualizations to their projects. Focusing on React and D3.js, the course teaches how to create dynamic and visually appealing charts. Web Developers can utilize the knowledge gained to enhance user engagement and provide more informative and interactive web experiences.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists use statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms to extract knowledge and insights from data. While not always a core skill, data visualization is a highly valuable tool for communicating findings. This course may help Data Scientists improve their ability to create compelling visualizations using React and D3.js. The ability to build interactive charts and dashboards can enhance a Data Scientist's capacity to present complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences, leading to more impactful communication of insights.

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Research Scientist

Research Scientists conduct experiments and analyze data to advance knowledge in their respective fields. Visualizing data effectively is crucial for communicating research findings and insights. This course may help Research Scientists enhance their data visualization skills using React and D3.js. Creating interactive charts and visualizations can improve the clarity and impact of research presentations and publications. The knowledge gained in this course can enable scientists to present their findings in a more engaging and accessible manner.

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User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers focus on improving the usability and accessibility of digital products. Integrating data visualization into designs can enhance user understanding and engagement. This course may help User Experience Designers who want to incorporate interactive data displays into their designs, as it provides a solid introduction to React and D3.js. Understanding how to create dynamic charts and visualizations can lead to more intuitive and user-friendly interfaces.

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Information Architect

Information Architects organize and structure information within digital products to improve usability and findability. While not directly related to data visualization, the ability to create interactive data displays can enhance the user experience. This course may help Information Architects who want to incorporate data-driven elements into their designs. The ability to use React and D3.js to create dynamic and interactive visualizations can add value to information-rich applications and websites. A grasp of basic JavaScript should allow an Information Architect to apply these advanced visual constructs to content.

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Data Visualization in JavaScript with React and D3.js

What's inside

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Combining react and d3 for dataviz

Activities

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