Violin chart

Complete distribution shapes, centers, spread, skew, and multiple peaks from named samples.

Purpose: Compare distribution shape, center, spread, skew, and multiple peaks across named samples.
Use when: Use when the sample distribution itself matters, not just a summary statistic.
Avoid when: Avoid for very small samples or when a simple five-number summary answers the question.
Equivalent data: The adjacent statistical summary preserves sample count, minimum, quartiles, median, mean, and maximum without relying on shape or color.

Four 200-sample distributions; lines mark each mean and median, with quartiles in the adjacent summary.

Exact sample statistics

Distribution	Samples	Minimum	Q1	Median	Mean	Q3	Maximum
Normal	200	20.05	43.75	50.07	49.98	56.86	73.37
Additional quantiles for Normal: 25% = 43.7575% = 56.86
Right Skewed	200	30.70	34.96	39.41	46.54	50.48	268.69
Additional quantiles for Right Skewed: 25% = 34.9675% = 50.48
Bimodal	200	17.15	35.39	56.81	51.14	65.66	81.04
Additional quantiles for Bimodal: 25% = 35.3975% = 65.66
Tight	200	40.65	47.65	49.69	49.72	51.82	57.76
Additional quantiles for Tight: 25% = 47.6575% = 51.82

Usage Example

@violin.Violin(violin.Config{
  Label: "Distribution shapes from deterministic samples",
  Caption: "Four 200-sample distributions with exact adjacent statistics.",
  Title: "Distribution Shapes",
  Series: []violin.Series{
    {Name: "Normal", Samples: normalSamples, Marks: violin.MarkLines{Mean: true, Median: true}, Statistics: violin.Statistics{Quantiles: []float64{.25, .75}}},
    {Name: "Right Skewed", Samples: rightSkewedSamples, Marks: violin.MarkLines{Mean: true, Median: true}, Statistics: violin.Statistics{Quantiles: []float64{.25, .75}}},
    {Name: "Bimodal", Samples: bimodalSamples, Marks: violin.MarkLines{Mean: true, Median: true}, Statistics: violin.Statistics{Quantiles: []float64{.25, .75}}},
    {Name: "Tight", Samples: tightSamples, Marks: violin.MarkLines{Mean: true, Median: true}, Statistics: violin.Statistics{Quantiles: []float64{.25, .75}}},
  },
  Density: violin.Distribution{Points: 80},
  Padding: violin.Padding{Top: 5, Right: 5, Bottom: 50, Left: 5},
  Width: 1200, Height: 800,
})

Interpreting distributions

Width estimates density, not individual observations. Compare the summary statistics alongside the shape, especially when distributions overlap.

Go API

v0.0.1

The examples above cover behavior and composition. pkg.go.dev is the canonical reference for exported types, functions, methods, and Go documentation.

github.com/araihu/goshtoso-charts/components/violin

Enabled, disabled, hidden, and omitted wrapper behavior, controls, export, and client transitions are shared by every chart. Review chart controls, then compare static/vector and interactive capabilities.

Open v0.0.1 API