Bokeh
What it is: Interactive visualization for modern browsers. Python library with Bokeh Server for real-time updates.
What It Does Best
Streaming data. Bokeh Server enables live, real-time dashboard updates. Data changes, charts update automatically.
Large datasets. Handles 100k+ points efficiently. Server-side downsampling for performance.
Web-native. Outputs modern HTML5/JavaScript. No plugins, works everywhere.
Key Features
Bokeh Server: Real-time streaming and interactive apps
Large data handling: Efficiently render 100k+ points
Interactive widgets: Sliders, dropdowns, buttons for dashboards
Linked interactions: Connect multiple plots, selections sync
Custom extensions: Write JavaScript for advanced features
Pricing
Free. Open source, BSD license.
When to Use It
✅ Real-time dashboards
✅ Streaming data visualization
✅ Large datasets (100k+ points)
✅ Web applications with Python backend
✅ Need custom interactive widgets and controls
When NOT to Use It
❌ Quick exploratory analysis (Plotly simpler)
❌ Static images for papers (Matplotlib better)
❌ Don't need server features (simpler tools available)
❌ Simple one-off charts (overhead too high)
❌ Mobile-first applications (performance varies)
Common Use Cases
Real-time monitoring: Live system metrics, sensor data, financial tickers
Interactive dashboards: Business intelligence with filters and controls
Large dataset exploration: Scatter plots with millions of points
Scientific visualization: Complex multi-panel interactive plots
Web applications: Embedded visualizations in Flask/Django apps
Bokeh vs Alternatives
vs Plotly: Bokeh better for streaming/server apps; Plotly simpler API, easier to start
vs Dash: Bokeh more lightweight; Dash better ecosystem, easier deployment
vs Matplotlib: Bokeh interactive and web-native; Matplotlib better static output
Unique Strengths
Bokeh Server: Built-in server for real-time Python-JavaScript communication
Performance: Optimized for large datasets with WebGL support
Flexibility: Low-level API for complete control
No JavaScript required: Build complex web apps in pure Python
Bottom line: Built for real-time web applications. If your data updates live and you need interactive dashboards, Bokeh is the answer.