Last updated - February 19, 2024
To visualize the data, you need to know the various ways of doing it and what differences they have.
You can come across a lack of information about charts and graphs, or you may not know enough about the differences between static and dynamic charts.
In this blog post, you will learn about the different charts and the difference between static and dynamic charts. Moreover, you will learn about the benefits of static charts and how to create static charts in WordPress.
The Difference between Static and Dynamic Charts
Data visualization is an important part of understanding and representing the huge amount of information gathered.
Data can be represented with the help of different charts and graphs. The purpose of data visualization is simple: representing the most important piece of information in a way that is easier to perceive and analyze.
The information can be introduced in charts and graphs that can have different forms, for instance, pie charts, donut charts, bar charts, geo charts, snippet plot charts, and so on.
Have you ever encountered the statements static chart or dynamic chart? Well, let’s explore the differences between these two kinds of charts.
As we have already explained above, charts are used for data representation, in the case of static charts the chart and data don’t change over time.
On the other hand, dynamic charts change and adapt to the data. While static charts should be edited manually, dynamic charts change every time the data is changed.
Now, that you know the difference between static and dynamic charts, it will be easier for you to choose what type of charts you want to create.
While choosing a plugin for creating a chart, you will take into consideration the availability of this feature. In other words, you will know what to look for in chart plugins.
The Benefits of Creating Static Charts
Having established the concepts of static and dynamic charts, and having mentioned their differences, before starting to create your static chart in WordPress, let’s understand why one should create a static chart.
It may seem that with the availability of dynamic charts, there won’t be any need to create a static chart. But in reality, static charts can be beneficial for users in different ways.
Static charts are fixed and to make any changes to the chart itself you need to make changes to the data.
Static chats provide the representation of the data that can’t be explored deeper, while with dynamic data visualization, the users have the opportunity to interact with the data.
Let’s introduce the benefits of creating static charts.
Faster to Create
One of the main advantages of utilizing static charts is that it is faster. You don’t need too much time and effort to create astatic charts, while with dynamic charts you have to work harder to achieve the desired results.
Compared to dynamic charts, static charts are simpler and easier in terms of creation.
Concentrates on Main Information
Another benefit of creating and using static charts is that concentrate on the main message.
Static charts are fixed, so before creating one, you need to analyze the available data carefully and include the main and most important message of the information.
Nevertheless, static data visualization doesn’t require a lot of effort and a whole team to deal with.
Shareable and Applicable
As we have stated many times above, static charts are fixed and this makes them shareable and applicable for multiple media.
These charts can be saved as images and shared as images, in this way being accessible and easy to share.
The Drawback of Creating Static Charts
Alongside the advantages of static charts, they can also have drawbacks. As we have mentioned, static charts are easy to create, share, and focus on the main message, but they can’t be perfect anyway.
The major disadvantage of static charts is their characteristic of being non-editable and fixed.
The chart can’t be edited according to the changes in the data, and in some cases, this can be problematic. Thus, if you want to make changes to your chart later, you had better choose to create dynamic charts.
Thus, we have mentioned the most important advantages and disadvantages of static charts.
You now know the difference between static and dynamic charts and surely know how can you benefit from creating static charts and visualizing the data via static charts.
How to Create a Static Chart in WordPress?
Having gained enough knowledge about static charts and their benefits, it’s time to start creating one on your own.
To create your first static chart, you need a chart plugin that will meet your preferences and requirements. Using a good chart builder will simplify a lot of issues that you may face during the creation of the chart.
With the help of the WordPress chart plugin, you can create the best charts and graphs choosing among a variety of design options. The plugin makes the whole process simpler and enjoyable.
- Thus, to start creating the chart, first and foremost, you need to install and activate the chart plugin on your WordPress dashboard.
- Click on the Add New button, then choose the chart type from a variety of options, for instance, a column chart.
- On the left side, you will see the chart displayed, and on the right side, you will see the Source tab. Here you manually add the data that will be applied to the chart on the left.
- In the Settings tab, you can change and customize the chart settings. Such as font color and size, chart description, edit the horizontal and vertical axis, and so on.
- After customizing the chart the way you like, all you need to do is to save it. Copy the generated shortcode and paste it on any post or page.
Your chart is ready! Simple, isn’t it?
You can even delve into the chart creation process and try to create dynamic charts as well.
The plugin allows the users to create both static and dynamic charts with the best experience.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can say that data visualization is important and can be done in different ways and forms. The representation of data with the help of different charts and graphs makes it easier to perceive and analyze.
Hence, we have mentioned the difference between static and dynamic charts.
We have even discussed the benefits of creating static charts and introduced a step-by-step guide on how to create a static chart.
FAQs
What is the difference between static and dynamic charts?
Static charts are fixed, while dynamic charts allow the users to interact with the data. In the case of dynamic charts, the charts automatically adapt to the changes in data.
How do I add a chart title?
After installing and activating the WordPress chart plugin, you need to click on Add New > choose the type of the chart > type the Title > go to Settings tab > enable Show chart title.
Can I import data to the chart automatically?
With the help of the WordPress chart plugin besides adding data manually, you can also connect to Google Sheets, import data from a file, or connect to a database.
What is the most popular chart type?
The most popular chart type is the column chart, as it is easier with a column chart to compare the important values of different data. But still, the easiest to understand is the bar chart.
