Charts at a million points

Phaidra · Software Engineer II

An AI feature that answered questions with charts, some holding six or more series of about a million points each. I chose the charting library and built the charts.

My part: The charts, and the library behind them
Level: Software Engineer II
Data: 6+ series × ~1M points each
Stack: React · TypeScript · AG Charts

The problem

One of Phaidra's AI features answered questions about plant data with charts. Those charts were big: six or more series, with around a million points in each.

The whole point of the feature was to look at the data, so a chart that stutters at that size isn't usable. We were using Highcharts, and the question was whether to keep it.

What I did

AG Charts over Highcharts

I chose AG Charts because it handled data at this size smoothly and quickly, and because it could be customised far enough to fit inside chat answers.

Trade-offMoving off a library the team already knew, and learning a new API.

Build it into the live feature

I built the charts into the feature itself, connected to the real AI backend and real data. Doing it on the real feature also showed the other developers how easily AG Charts could replace Highcharts.

Trade-offIt had to work with the real backend and real data from the start.

Outcome

AG Charts, chosen for scaleThe charting library for the feature, chosen for data at a million points per series.
Built on the real featureReal questions, real backend, real data, which let the team see how easily the switch would go.

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