G2 vs three.js
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building charts from data using a declarative, layered grammar.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for drawing and animating 3D scenes in web browsers.
The short answer
Choose G2 if you need…
- Front-end developers adding charts to a web dashboard
- Data analysts comfortable writing a little JavaScript
- Teams that want to customize chart behavior beyond preset chart types
- Projects that need interactive or animated charts
Choose three.js if you need…
- Web developers adding interactive 3D graphics to a website
- Developers building browser-based visualizations or simple 3D animations
- People who already know JavaScript and want to start with 3D on the web
Side-by-side
| G2 | three.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 12.7k | 117k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 9 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
G2
G2 is a TypeScript library for drawing charts and other data visualizations in web pages. You describe the data and how its fields map to visual properties like position and color, and G2 works out the rest. It can render with Canvas, SVG or WebGL, and supports animation and interaction. It is aimed at dashboards, data exploration and storytelling.
three.js
Three.js is a JavaScript library that lets developers create 3D scenes, cameras, and objects and display them in a web page. The README describes its aim as an easy-to-use, lightweight, cross-browser, general-purpose 3D library. It currently includes WebGL and WebGPU renderers, with SVG and CSS3D renderers available as addons.
Best for
G2
- Front-end developers adding charts to a web dashboard
- Data analysts comfortable writing a little JavaScript
- Teams that want to customize chart behavior beyond preset chart types
- Projects that need interactive or animated charts
three.js
- Web developers adding interactive 3D graphics to a website
- Developers building browser-based visualizations or simple 3D animations
- People who already know JavaScript and want to start with 3D on the web
Strengths
G2
- The README shows a short example that produces a working bar chart
- Supports Canvas, SVG and WebGL rendering
- Released under the MIT license with official documentation, examples and tutorials
three.js
- The README presents it as a general-purpose, cross-browser 3D library
- Includes a documented usage example that creates a scene, camera, mesh, and renderer
- Has extensive official resources listed, including examples, docs, and a manual
Not ideal for
G2
- People who want a chart with no coding, since G2 is a code library and needs a web page to run in
- Users who only need a few standard charts and prefer a ready-made tool, because the setup is more involved than a template
- Projects that cannot use JavaScript or TypeScript
three.js
- People who only need 2D graphics, since the library is focused on 3D scenes
- Anyone looking for a finished app rather than a code library to build with
- Beginners with no JavaScript experience, as the README code assumes familiarity with modules and the browser
Trade-offs
G2
- Its grammar-based API has a learning curve compared with simple chart presets
- The README does not detail every browser or version requirement
- Larger ecosystem extensions such as 3D are separate projects
three.js
- The full git history is about 2 GB, so a shallow clone is recommended for most users
- The README does not describe install steps beyond the import example, so setup details must come from the docs
- Working in 3D requires understanding concepts like cameras, geometry, and materials
Getting started
G2
Install with npm
npm install @antv/g2Install with Yarn
yarn add @antv/g2three.js
Shallow clone of the repository
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js.gitFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between G2 and three.js?
G2: A JavaScript library for building charts from data using a declarative, layered grammar. three.js: A JavaScript library for drawing and animating 3D scenes in web browsers. G2 suits front-end developers adding charts to a web dashboard, while three.js suits web developers adding interactive 3d graphics to a website.
Are G2 and three.js free?
G2: Free and open source. three.js: Free and open source.
Is G2 or three.js more popular?
three.js has more GitHub stars (117k) than G2 (12.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to G2 and three.js?
Other options people compare them with include Chart.js, visx, Rough.js, mo · js, Anime.js.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.