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Scatter Plot in HTML, CSS and JavaScript
A scatter plot is a chart that shows the relationship between two numbers. This free template draws one with plain SVG and vanilla JavaScript, no chart library. The example shows used car prices against mileage.
What is a scatter plot?
A scatter plot is a chart that shows the relationship between two numbers. Each item is a dot, placed by one value across the bottom and another up the side.
The pattern of dots tells the story. Dots that slope down from left to right mean that as one number goes up, the other goes down, like car prices falling as the miles add up. A trend line sums up that pattern in one line.
At a glance
- Best for
- Seeing if two numbers move together
- Data you need
- Two numbers for each item
- Skip it when
- Data over time. Use a line chart.
- Made with
- HTML, CSS and vanilla JavaScript. No library.
When to use a scatter plot
- Price against age, size or mileage
- Ad spend against sales
- Study hours against test scores
- Height against weight, or any two measures
When to pick another chart
- Bubble Chart: you have a third number to show as size
- Hexbin Plot: you have thousands of points that overlap
- Line Chart: one of your numbers is time
What you get in this template
- 120 dots in three colors for hatchback, sedan and SUV
- A least squares trend line worked out in plain JavaScript
- A label on the line that says what the slope means
- Hover near a dot, or use the arrow keys, to read each car
- Hide a car type from the key and the trend line updates
- A switch to show or hide the trend line
How the code works
Here is a short version of the idea behind this scatter plot. The full file adds the axis, labels, tooltips, sorting and resizing on top of it.
const cars = [[12000, 24500], [45000, 19800], [78000, 15200], [101000, 12900], [130000, 9100]];
const x = m => 40 + m / 150000 * 540, y = p => 280 - p / 35000 * 260;
cars.forEach(([miles, price]) => drawCircle(x(miles), y(price), 6, '#e4572e'));
// trend line (least squares)
const n = cars.length, mx = cars.reduce((a, c) => a + c[0], 0) / n, my = cars.reduce((a, c) => a + c[1], 0) / n;
const b = cars.reduce((a, c) => a + (c[0] - mx) * (c[1] - my), 0) / cars.reduce((a, c) => a + (c[0] - mx) ** 2, 0);
const a = my - b * mx;
drawLine(x(0), y(a), x(150000), y(a + b * 150000), '#16222e', 2, '7 5');The example uses four tiny helpers that create SVG shapes. Put them above the code and it runs as is.
const svg = document.querySelector('svg');
function make(tag, attrs) {
const n = document.createElementNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', tag);
for (const k in attrs) n.setAttribute(k, attrs[k]);
svg.appendChild(n);
return n;
}
function drawRect(x, y, width, height, fill) { return make('rect', { x, y, width, height, fill }); }
function drawCircle(cx, cy, r, fill) { return make('circle', { cx, cy, r, fill }); }
function drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, stroke, width, dash) {
return make('line', { x1, y1, x2, y2, stroke, 'stroke-width': width || 1, 'stroke-dasharray': dash || 'none' });
}
function drawText(x, y, str, anchor) {
const t = make('text', { x, y, 'text-anchor': anchor || 'start' });
t.textContent = str;
return t;
}How to add it to your website
- Download the file. Click Download HTML file above. You get one file called scatter-plot.html with everything inside.
- Change the data. Open the file in any code editor and find the DATA list near the bottom. Replace the names and numbers with your own.
- Change the colors and text. Colors are at the top of the style tag. The title, subtitle and main point are plain HTML near the top of the body.
- Put it online. Upload the file to any host, such as GitHub Pages, Netlify or your own server, or paste it into your site. There is no build step.
Questions people ask
What is a scatter plot used for?
It shows whether two numbers are related. If the dots form a clear slope, one number tends to change when the other does.
How do I add a trend line to a scatter plot?
Work out a least squares line: find the average of each number, then the slope that best fits the dots. This template shows the exact code in about five lines.
Does a scatter plot show cause and effect?
No. It shows that two numbers move together, not that one causes the other. Something else may drive both.
What if my dots overlap too much?
Make them smaller and see through, or switch to a hexbin plot, which counts dots into hexagons.
More relationships

042. Bubble Chart
Example: ad campaigns compared on cost, conversion and budget
043. Heatmap
Example: gym check-ins by day and hour
044. Correlation Matrix
Example: what drives daily sales at a cafe
045. Connected Scatter Plot
Example: monthly bike share trips against average temperature
046. Hexbin Plot
Example: distance and fare for 3,000 taxi rides
047. Contour Plot
Example: a hill walk with height lines and a trail
048. Radar Chart
Example: three laptops scored on six features
049. Parallel Coordinates Chart
Example: rental flats compared on six measures