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What Is a Line Chart?

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A line chart is a type of data visualization that displays information as a series of data points connected by straight lines. It’s commonly used to show trends over time — making it a go-to chart for time series analysis, forecasting, and performance tracking.

Line charts are simple yet powerful. By visualizing how values change across a continuous axis (usually time), they help uncover patterns, trends, and anomalies quickly and clearly.

When to Use a Line Chart

  • Time-based trends: Track performance over days, months, or years
  • Comparing multiple series: Show how two or more metrics evolve over time
  • Forecasting: Visualize future trends using projected data
  • Monitoring KPIs: Plot metric evolution to catch deviations early

Line Chart Structure

  • X-axis: Usually represents time (e.g., months, days, quarters)
  • Y-axis: Represents the variable being measured (e.g., revenue, traffic)
  • Lines: Each series is shown as a connected path of data points

Best Practices for Line Charts

  • Always use a time-based scale for the X-axis to ensure readability
  • Limit the number of lines to 4–5 for clarity
  • Use distinct colors or labels for each data series
  • Start the Y-axis at zero unless it distorts interpretation

Common Use Cases

  • Monthly revenue or expense trends
  • Website traffic growth over time
  • Sales performance by region
  • Customer churn rate evolution

Line Charts in ClicData

ClicData makes it easy to create and customize line charts directly within your dashboards:

  • Connect your time-based data from any source (Excel, SQL, APIs, etc.)
  • Drag and drop fields to define X and Y axes
  • Customize colors, labels, tooltips, and legends for clarity
  • Add dynamic filters to explore trends by product, region, or user segment

With scheduled refreshes and real-time data integration, your line charts in ClicData stay current — helping you monitor performance and respond faster.

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