Skip to content
TanStackCharts
Chart Guides

Polar and Radar Charts

Polar geometry is available only from @tanstack/charts/polar. The container owns responsive center, angle, and radius ranges. Its eager pie transform owns value allocation; granular D3 modules still own configured scales, curve factories, and final arc/path geometry.

ts
import {
  angleGrid,
  pie,
  polar,
  radialArc,
  radialArea,
  radialDot,
  radialGrid,
  radialLine,
  radialRule,
  radialText,
} from '@tanstack/charts/polar'

The package root stays Cartesian-sized when this subpath is not imported.

Pie and donut

Use pie to turn totals into flat source-linked angular intervals. radialArc renders the intervals. This example uses a responsive inner radius for a donut; return 0 instead for a pie.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import { pie, polar, radialArc } from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { alphabet } from './data'

const slices = pie(alphabet, { value: 'frequency' })
const letters = alphabet.map((row) => row.letter)

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      inset: 8,
      radiusRatio: 0.82,
      marks: [
        radialArc(slices, {
          innerRadius: ({ radius }) => radius * 0.58,
          cornerRadius: 4,
          color: 'letter',
          key: 'letter',
        }),
      ],
      scales: {
        angle: null,
        radius: null,
      },
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
  color: {
    domain: letters,
    range: ['#0ea5e9', '#6366f1', '#a855f7', '#ec4899', '#f97316', '#94a3b8'],
  },
})
Support files
/src/data.ts
export interface AlphabetRow {
  letter: string
  frequency: number
}

export const alphabet: readonly AlphabetRow[] = [
  { letter: 'E', frequency: 0.12702 },
  { letter: 'T', frequency: 0.09056 },
  { letter: 'A', frequency: 0.08167 },
  { letter: 'O', frequency: 0.07507 },
  { letter: 'I', frequency: 0.06966 },
  { letter: 'Other', frequency: 0.55602 },
]

The same primitives cover labels, center content, padding, rounded corners, and concentric rings. See the catalog examples for a labeled pie, center-content donut, rounded donut, and nested donut.

Radial offsets are signed pixels applied after scale mapping. They do not change the radius domain or reserve outer margin; leave space with radiusRatio, inset, or chart margins.

Source order is the default. Use orderBy and order only for an explicit angular sort. Stable arc keys must come from the original row, not the generated slice index.

Each allocated row keeps the original fields plus direct source and sourceIndexes lineage. Fixed allocation fields overwrite source fields with the same names. gapAngle materializes direct empty space; the returned padAngle: 0 prevents radialArc from padding that interval again.

Partial-circle gauge

A gauge is the same composition over a restricted pie interval. It is not a separate geometry implementation.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import { pie, polar, radialArc, radialText } from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { scaleLinear } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/linear'

const value = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, 72))
const reading = { id: 'complete', value } as const
const parts = [reading, { id: 'remaining', value: 100 - value }] as const
const slices = pie(parts, {
  value: 'value',
  startAngle: -Math.PI * 0.75,
  endAngle: Math.PI * 0.75,
})

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      radiusRatio: 0.84,
      scales: {
        angle: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, 1]) },
        radius: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, 1]) },
      },

      marks: [
        radialArc(slices, {
          innerRadius: ({ radius }) => radius * 0.72,
          cornerRadius: 999,
          color: 'id',
          key: 'id',
        }),
        radialText([reading], {
          angle: 0,
          radius: 0,
          text: (row) => `${row.value}%`,
          key: 'id',
          fill: 'currentColor',
          fontSize: 20,
          fontWeight: 700,
        }),
      ],
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
  color: {
    domain: ['complete', 'remaining'],
    range: ['#ef4444', '#e2e8f0'],
  },
})

Bound the input before layout and expose the exact value outside the arc. Arc length is useful for a compact status summary, not fine comparison. Add ticks, a needle, and a center label only when they carry meaning; see the needle gauge for that composition.

Radar profile

Radar combines an inferred angle factory and a fixed radius instance with polar guides and radial marks. TanStack supplies both responsive ranges. The normalization remains visible in a separate source file because it determines the meaning of every radius.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import {
  angleGrid,
  polar,
  radialArea,
  radialGrid,
  radialLine,
} from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { scaleLinear } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/linear'
import { scalePoint } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/point'
import { curveLinearClosed } from 'd3-shape'
import { events } from './data'
import { profile } from './normalize'

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      radiusRatio: 0.72,
      scales: {
        angle: { scale: scalePoint<string>().domain(events), wrap: true },
        radius: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, 1]) },
      },

      guides: [
        radialGrid({
          values: [0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1],
          shape: 'polygon',
        }),
        angleGrid({ labels: true }),
      ],
      marks: [
        radialArea(profile, {
          angle: 'event',
          radius: 'relativePerformance',
          curve: curveLinearClosed,
          fill: '#7c3aed',
          fillOpacity: 0.22,
        }),
        radialLine(profile, {
          angle: 'event',
          radius: 'relativePerformance',
          curve: curveLinearClosed,
          stroke: '#8b5cf6',
          strokeWidth: 2,
        }),
      ],
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
})
Support files
/src/data.ts
export interface DecathlonRow {
  Country: string
  '100 Meters': number
  'Long Jump': number
  'High Jump': number
  '100 Meter Hurdles': number
}

export const decathlon: readonly DecathlonRow[] = [
  {
    Country: 'United States',
    '100 Meters': 10.35,
    'Long Jump': 7.96,
    'High Jump': 2.05,
    '100 Meter Hurdles': 13.61,
  },
  {
    Country: 'Great Britain',
    '100 Meters': 10.44,
    'Long Jump': 7.74,
    'High Jump': 2.11,
    '100 Meter Hurdles': 13.75,
  },
  {
    Country: 'Germany',
    '100 Meters': 10.67,
    'Long Jump': 7.62,
    'High Jump': 2.08,
    '100 Meter Hurdles': 14.02,
  },
  {
    Country: 'France',
    '100 Meters': 10.58,
    'Long Jump': 7.81,
    'High Jump': 1.99,
    '100 Meter Hurdles': 13.88,
  },
]

export const events = [
  '100 Meters',
  'Long Jump',
  'High Jump',
  '100 Meter Hurdles',
] as const

export type RadarEvent = (typeof events)[number]
/src/normalize.ts
import { normalize, select } from '@tanstack/charts'
import { fold } from '@tanstack/charts/transform/fold'
import { decathlon, events } from './data'
import type { RadarEvent } from './data'

const timedEvents = new Set<RadarEvent>(['100 Meters', '100 Meter Hurdles'])
const folded = fold(decathlon, {
  fields: events,
  as: { key: 'event', value: 'result' },
})
const normalized = normalize(folded, {
  by: 'event',
  value: (datum) =>
    timedEvents.has(datum.event) ? -datum.result : datum.result,
  basis: 'extent',
  as: 'relativePerformance',
})

export const profile = select(normalized, {
  by: 'event',
  select: 'first',
})

Use radar for a small, fixed set of compatible dimensions. Keep every domain and direction explicit, and do not rank profiles by apparent filled area. See the comparative radar when multiple profiles are the point of the chart.

Numeric polar line

Lightweight linear scales map numeric angle and radius values without changing the mark API. Here a visible transform maps observation dates to angles while preserving the source temperature field.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import {
  angleGrid,
  polar,
  radialGrid,
  radialLine,
} from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { scaleLinear } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/linear'
import { dayOfYearAngle, seattle2012 } from './weather'

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      scales: {
        angle: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, 360]) },
        radius: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([-10, 40]) },
      },

      guides: [
        radialGrid({ values: [0, 10, 20, 30, 40] }),
        angleGrid({ values: [0, 90, 180, 270], labels: false }),
      ],
      marks: [
        radialLine(seattle2012, {
          angle: dayOfYearAngle,
          radius: 'temp_max',
          stroke: '#0f766e',
        }),
      ],
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
})
Support files
/src/weather.ts
export interface WeatherRow {
  location: string
  date: Date
  temp_max: number
}

const weather: readonly WeatherRow[] = [
  { location: 'Seattle', date: new Date('2012-01-15'), temp_max: 8.3 },
  { location: 'Seattle', date: new Date('2012-03-15'), temp_max: 12.2 },
  { location: 'Seattle', date: new Date('2012-05-15'), temp_max: 18.9 },
  { location: 'Seattle', date: new Date('2012-07-15'), temp_max: 25.6 },
  { location: 'Seattle', date: new Date('2012-09-15'), temp_max: 21.1 },
  { location: 'Seattle', date: new Date('2012-11-15'), temp_max: 11.7 },
]

export const seattle2012 = weather.filter(
  (row) => row.location === 'Seattle' && row.date.getUTCFullYear() === 2012,
)

export function dayOfYearAngle(row: WeatherRow) {
  const year = row.date.getUTCFullYear()
  const start = Date.UTC(year, 0, 1)
  const end = Date.UTC(year + 1, 0, 1)
  return ((row.date.getTime() - start) / (end - start)) * 360
}

The full-year polar line uses the same transform with the complete weather series.

Numeric polar scatter

The same coordinate accepts independent points. Wind direction and speed stay as explicit transforms over source u and v measurements.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import { angleGrid, polar, radialDot, radialGrid } from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { scaleLinear } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/linear'
import { latitudeBand, windDirection, windSpeed } from './wind'

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      scales: {
        angle: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, 360]) },
        radius: { scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, 13]) },
      },

      guides: [
        radialGrid({ values: [3, 6, 9, 12] }),
        angleGrid({ values: [0, 90, 180, 270], labels: false }),
      ],
      marks: [
        radialDot(latitudeBand, {
          angle: windDirection,
          radius: windSpeed,
          r: 4.5,
          fill: '#e11d48',
        }),
      ],
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
})
Support files
/src/wind.ts
export interface WindRow {
  latitude: number
  u: number
  v: number
}

const wind: readonly WindRow[] = [
  { latitude: 48.125, u: 4.2, v: 1.6 },
  { latitude: 48.125, u: 2.1, v: 5.8 },
  { latitude: 48.125, u: -3.4, v: 6.2 },
  { latitude: 48.125, u: -5.1, v: -2.3 },
  { latitude: 48.125, u: 1.8, v: -4.7 },
]

export const latitudeBand = wind.filter((row) => row.latitude === 48.125)

export function windDirection(row: WindRow) {
  return (Math.atan2(row.v, row.u) * (180 / Math.PI) + 360) % 360
}

export function windSpeed(row: WindRow) {
  return Math.hypot(row.u, row.v)
}

The catalog polar scatter uses a denser sample from the same latitude band.

Radial bars

Choose the mark by the quantitative direction. A rose extends one bar through radius for each angle band. Concentric radial bars extend through angle for each radius band. Band padding controls categorical occupancy.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import { polar, radialBarRadius } from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { scaleBand } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/band'
import { scaleLinear } from '@tanstack/charts/scales/linear'
import { frequencies } from './data'

const letters = frequencies.map((row) => row.letter)
const maximum = Math.max(...frequencies.map((row) => row.frequency))

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      radiusRatio: 0.8,
      scales: {
        angle: { scale: () => scaleBand<string>().padding(0.12) },
        radius: {
          scale: scaleLinear().domain([0, maximum]),
          range: [({ radius }) => radius * 0.3, ({ radius }) => radius],
        },
      },

      marks: [
        radialBarRadius(frequencies, {
          angle: 'letter',
          radius: 'frequency',
          color: 'letter',
          key: 'letter',
        }),
      ],
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
  color: {
    domain: letters,
    range: ['#2563eb', '#7c3aed', '#db2777', '#ea580c', '#16a34a'],
  },
})
Support files
/src/data.ts
export interface FrequencyRow {
  letter: string
  frequency: number
}

export const frequencies: readonly FrequencyRow[] = [
  { letter: 'E', frequency: 0.12702 },
  { letter: 'T', frequency: 0.09056 },
  { letter: 'A', frequency: 0.08167 },
  { letter: 'O', frequency: 0.07507 },
  { letter: 'I', frequency: 0.06966 },
]

An omitted radius baseline in radialBarRadius starts at the physical center; the responsive radius range controls the quantitative endpoints. Supply radius1 when both endpoints are semantic values. Signed radius data should use radius1: 0 so semantic zero maps through the scale.

Use radialBarAngle when values should extend around the circle instead. See the concentric radial-bar example.

Polar hierarchy

The optional sunburst mark accepts flat hierarchy rows and owns value aggregation, partitioning, responsive rings, and sector geometry.

/src/chart.ts
import { defineChart } from '@tanstack/charts'
import { sunburst } from '@tanstack/charts/hierarchy/sunburst'
import { polar } from '@tanstack/charts/polar'
import { rows } from './data'

export default defineChart({
  marks: [
    polar({
      radiusRatio: 0.88,
      startAngle: Math.PI / 2,
      endAngle: Math.PI / 2 - Math.PI * 2,
      marks: [
        sunburst(rows, {
          path: 'name',
          delimiter: '.',
          value: 'size',
          innerRadius: ({ radius }) => radius * 0.14,
          ringPadding: 2,
          color: 'branchId',
          stroke: '#fff',
        }),
      ],
      scales: {
        angle: null,
        radius: null,
      },
    }),
  ],
  scales: {
    x: null,
    y: null,
  },
  color: { range: ['#7c3aed', '#0ea5e9', '#14b8a6'] },
})
Support files
/src/data.ts
export interface PackageRow {
  name: string
  size: number | null
}

export const rows: readonly PackageRow[] = [
  { name: 'app', size: null },
  { name: 'app.ui', size: null },
  { name: 'app.ui.button', size: 8 },
  { name: 'app.ui.dialog', size: 5 },
  { name: 'app.data', size: null },
  { name: 'app.data.cache', size: 6 },
  { name: 'app.data.client', size: 11 },
]

Use nodeId and parentId for explicit parent-reference rows. Responsive innerRadius and outerRadius callbacks receive the final polar radius; ringPadding remains a fixed pixel gap. Every SunburstNode retains its direct row and source index, while branchId gives descendants the color of their first ancestor below the root. See the Sunburst Mark reference and the full Flare hierarchy.

Coordinate and bundle boundary

polar() is a positionless container mark. It resolves one center and radius, copies configured angle/radius scales, paints guide backgrounds, child marks, then guide foreground labels, and emits ordinary scene nodes and focus points. The outer chart therefore omits both Cartesian axes.

The polar entry uses D3 arc and radial path generators internally. Application source can use compact angle and radius scales or upgrade either one to d3-scale; curve factories and application-owned pie layout can come directly from d3-shape. See Polar Marks for the complete API and Bundle Size and Performance for the isolated consumer budgets.

radialArc also accepts existing D3 pie DTOs as interoperability input; native pie is preferred when flat fields, transform lineage, and direct gap semantics are wanted.

Production checks

  • Keep angle for cyclic order or part-to-whole intervals.
  • Use native pie output rather than reimplementing angle accumulation.
  • Let marks infer identity from source IDs or unique positions; supply a key when neither is available.
  • Preserve original values for tooltips and accessible summaries.
  • Keep radar dimension domains, directions, and units explicit.
  • Verify labels around the full circumference at narrow widths.
  • Prefer aligned bars or dots when precise comparison is the primary task.
Edit on GitHub
Maps and Spatial Charts
Annotations and Overlays