Tufte Data Visualization

Apply Edward Tufte's principles whenever generating or reviewing code that renders data visually. This skill covers chart generation, not slide/presentation design.

Workflow

Follow these steps in order when creating any chart:

Step 1: Identify the message

Before writing code, determine:

1. The key finding or trend the chart must make visible.
2. The comparison context — a baseline, prior period, target, or peer group. A number without context is meaningless.
3. The chart type that best fits the data structure (see Chart type guidance below).

Step 2: Apply universal rules

Review the rules below. Every rule is a default — deviate only when the user explicitly requests otherwise.

Step 3: Apply library-specific config

Use the Library quick reference table to find the essential overrides for the target library. For complete code examples and helper functions, read ONE rule file from rules/ matching the library.

Step 4: Validate

Run through the validation checklist at the bottom of this file before presenting the chart.

Universal rules

Rules 1–14 cover static principles; 15–19 extend them for screens; 20–22 address content and formatting.

1. Remove top and right borders

No chart should have top or right axis lines, borders, or spines. The bottom and left axes are sufficient. Top and right lines are pure chartjunk.

2. Direct labels, not legends

Label each data series directly — at the endpoint of a line, on or beside a bar, next to a cluster. Remove the <Legend> component entirely. If there is only one series, the chart title provides that context; no label is needed.

3. No gridlines by default

The default is zero gridlines. For static charts where users need to read precise values, add horizontal-only gridlines at very low opacity (0.08–0.12). For interactive charts, prefer a contextual crosshair on hover instead (see rule 15). Never add vertical gridlines.

4. Range-frame axes

Axis lines should span only the range of the data, not from zero to some arbitrary maximum. The axis starts at (or near) the minimum data value and ends at the maximum.

5. No 3D effects

No perspective, no depth, no shadows on chart elements. Two-dimensional data gets two-dimensional representation.

6. No pie charts unless explicitly requested

Default to a horizontal bar chart sorted by value. If the user explicitly asks for a pie chart: maximum 4 slices, 2D only, start at 12 o'clock, direct percentage labels on each slice.

7. Aspect ratio ~1.5:1

Charts should be approximately 50% wider than tall. Standard sizes: 600x400, 750x500, 900x600. Exception: sparklines and small multiples may be more compact.

8. Gray first, highlight selectively

The default data series color is medium gray (#666). Use a single accent color to highlight the most important series or data point. Never use more than 4 distinct colors. Choose the right palette type: categorical (4-color muted) for unordered groups, sequential (single-hue ramp) for ordered magnitude, diverging (two-hue from center) for deviation from a midpoint. See rules/typography-and-color.md for hex values.

9. Off-white background

Light mode: #fffff8. Dark mode: #151515. Never use pure white (#ffffff) or pure black (#000000).

10. Serif fonts for data

Use serif fonts for data labels, annotations, and chart titles: "ET Book", "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, "Book Antiqua", Georgia, serif. Sans-serif (system-ui, sans-serif) is acceptable only for small axis tick labels (11-12px).

11. No dual y-axes

Two y-axes on one chart create false implied correlations. Use small multiples instead — two charts stacked vertically with shared x-axis.

12. Annotate the notable

If the data contains a peak, trough, inflection point, or event boundary, add a text annotation pointing to it directly on the chart. Place annotations in the nearest clear space — offset from the data point with a short leader line if needed. When multiple annotations compete for space, keep only the most important; move others to a footnote or tooltip.

13. Show comparison context

Include at least one reference element: a reference line (average, target, prior period), a shaded band, or a second series. A chart showing one line with no context fails the "Compared to what?" test.

14. Minimal tooltips

Tooltips should be plain text with the data value and label. No colored background, no border, no arrow pointer, no shadow.

15. Progressive disclosure over static density

Default to the Tufte-clean overview — high data-ink, minimal chrome. Layer details through hover, tap, and click (values, annotations, comparisons). Don't frontload everything onto a single static view. A contextual crosshair on hover replaces permanent gridlines.

16. Accessible by default

3:1 contrast ratio minimum for chart elements against their background; 4.5:1 for text in charts. Never use color as the sole differentiator — pair with shape, pattern, or direct label. Provide a text alternative for every chart (aria-label with key finding, or companion data table). Interactive charts must be keyboard-navigable.

17. Responsive, not just resized

Charts must have a responsive strategy — fluid (percentage width + viewBox), adaptive (breakpoint-based layout changes), or hybrid. At narrow viewports, change chart type or layout (horizontal bars for categories, reduced tick density, abbreviated labels), don't just shrink.

18. Animate to explain, not to decorate

Transitions for data changes (sorting, filtering, time progression) are good — they help the viewer track transformations. Gratuitous entrance animations, bouncing, and decorative motion are chartjunk. Duration: 200–500ms, ease-out. Always respect prefers-reduced-motion.

19. Dark mode as first-class citizen

Design both light and dark palettes intentionally. Never invert colors. Reduce saturation in dark mode (bright colors "vibrate" on dark backgrounds). Respect prefers-color-scheme. Use semantic color tokens (--tufte-bg, --tufte-text, --tufte-series-default) so charts adapt automatically.

20. Titles assert findings

The chart title states the key insight, not the axis description. "Revenue Surged 23% in Q3" not "Revenue by Quarter, 2024". The subtitle can provide context ("vs. prior year, USD millions"). If the data has no clear finding, the chart may not be needed (see rule 22).

21. Format numbers for humans

Abbreviate large numbers: $1.2M not $1,200,000. Use thousand separators for mid-range numbers (12,450 not 12450). Match decimal precision to significance (don't show $4.2391M when $4.2M suffices). Right-align numbers in tables. Use consistent units and state them once (in the axis label or title), not on every data point.

22. Don't chart what a sentence can say

If the data is 1–2 numbers, write a sentence with inline context ("Revenue was $4.2M, up 23% from Q2"). If the data is a simple ranking of 3–5 items, consider a table. Charts earn their space by revealing patterns, trends, or distributions that text and tables cannot. A chart of two bars is almost always worse than a sentence.

Library quick reference

The universal rules above are sufficient for most charts. For complete code examples and library-specific helpers, read the appropriate rule file from the rules/ directory in this skill's folder. Only read ONE rule file per task.

Chart type guidance

For small multiples, sparklines, and slopegraph implementation patterns, see rules/small-multiples-sparklines.md.

Color quick reference

Categorical (max 4): #4e79a7 steel blue · #f28e2b tangerine · #e15759 coral · #76b7b2 sage

Font stacks in rule 10. For full palettes (sequential, diverging), font loading, and old-style figures, see rules/typography-and-color.md.

Anti-pattern detection

When reviewing existing chart code, check for: legends (→ direct labels), pie charts (→ horizontal bars), 3D effects (→ flat 2D), dual y-axes (→ small multiples), heavy gridlines (→ remove or 0.1 opacity), rainbow palettes (→ gray + accent), gauge widgets (→ number + sparkline), gradient fills (→ solid color), rotated labels (→ flip axes or abbreviate), pure white/black backgrounds (→ #fffff8/#151515), hover-only information (→ tap/focus fallback), missing text alternatives (→ aria-label), color-only encoding (→ add shape/pattern).

For the full table with per-library detection patterns and one-liner fixes, see rules/anti-patterns.md.

Validation checklist

Before presenting any chart, verify:

• No top or right borders/spines
• No Legend component — series labeled directly on the chart
• Gridlines removed or horizontal-only at opacity <= 0.12
• Aspect ratio approximately 1.5:1
• Background is #fffff8 (light) or #151515 (dark), not pure white/black
• Serif font for data labels and titles
• Default series color is gray (#666); color used only for emphasis
• No 3D effects, no pie chart (unless explicitly requested)
• Axis lines span only the data range (range-frame)
• Notable data features annotated directly on chart
• Comparison context present (reference line, band, or second series)
• Tooltips are plain text with no decorative styling
• Interactive elements have tap/click/focus alternatives (no hover-only)
• Contrast ratios meet 3:1 (elements) / 4.5:1 (text) minimums
• Chart has a text alternative (aria-label, description, or data table)
• Animations respect prefers-reduced-motion
• Charts render usably at 320px and 1440px+ widths
• Title states the finding, not the axis description
• Numbers are formatted for readability (abbreviations, separators, consistent precision)
• A chart is warranted — the data couldn't be communicated as a sentence or table

Additional resources

Library rules (read ONE per task): rules/recharts.md, rules/echarts.md, rules/chartjs.md, rules/matplotlib.md, rules/plotly.md, rules/svg-html.md — complete code examples, helpers, and theme registrations.

Cross-cutting (read when specifically needed):

• rules/interactive-and-accessible.md — progressive disclosure, WCAG, responsive, animation, dark mode
• rules/typography-and-color.md — font loading, full palette tables, old-style figures
• rules/anti-patterns.md — per-library detection heuristics and fixes
• rules/small-multiples-sparklines.md — layout patterns for small multiples, sparklines, slopegraphs

Working examples in examples/ — one per library, plus an inline SVG sparkline.