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Icicle Charts in Python

How to make Icicle Charts.

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Plotly is a free and open-source graphing library for Python. We recommend you read our Getting Started guide for the latest installation or upgrade instructions, then move on to our Plotly Fundamentals tutorials or dive straight in to some Basic Charts tutorials.

New in v5.0

Icicle charts visualize hierarchical data using rectangular sectors that cascade from root to leaves in one of four directions: up, down, left, or right. Similar to Sunburst charts and Treemaps charts, the hierarchy is defined by labels (names for px.icicle) and parents attributes. Click on one sector to zoom in/out, which also displays a pathbar on the top of your icicle. To zoom out, you can click the parent sector or click the pathbar as well.

Basic Icicle Plot with plotly.express¶

Plotly Express is the easy-to-use, high-level interface to Plotly, which operates on a variety of types of data and produces easy-to-style figures.

With px.icicle, each item in the character list is represented as a rectangular sector of the icicle.

In [1]:
import plotly.express as px
data = dict(
character=["Eve", "Cain", "Seth", "Enos", "Noam", "Abel", "Awan", "Enoch", "Azura"],
parent=["", "Eve", "Eve", "Seth", "Seth", "Eve", "Eve", "Awan", "Eve" ],
value=[10, 14, 12, 10, 2, 6, 6, 4, 4])

fig =px.icicle(
data,
names='character',
parents='parent',
values='value',
)
fig.update_traces(root_color="lightgrey")
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Icicle of a rectangular DataFrame with plotly.express¶

Hierarchical data are often stored as a rectangular dataframe, with different columns corresponding to different levels of the hierarchy. px.icicle can take a path parameter corresponding to a list of columns. Note that id and parent should not be provided if path is given.

In [2]:
import plotly.express as px
df = px.data.tips()
fig = px.icicle(df, path=[px.Constant("all"), 'day', 'time', 'sex'], values='total_bill')
fig.update_traces(root_color="lightgrey")
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Icicle of a rectangular DataFrame with continuous color argument in px.icicle¶

If a color argument is passed, the color of a node is computed as the average of the color values of its children, weighted by their values.

In [3]:
import plotly.express as px
import numpy as np
df = px.data.gapminder().query("year == 2007")
fig = px.icicle(df, path=[px.Constant("world"), 'continent', 'country'], values='pop',
color='lifeExp', hover_data=['iso_alpha'],
color_continuous_scale='RdBu',
color_continuous_midpoint=np.average(df['lifeExp'], weights=df['pop']))
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Icicle of a rectangular DataFrame with discrete color argument in px.icicle¶

When the argument of color corresponds to non-numerical data, discrete colors are used. If a sector has the same value of the color column for all its children, then the corresponding color is used, otherwise the first color of the discrete color sequence is used.

In [4]:
import plotly.express as px
df = px.data.tips()
fig = px.icicle(df, path=[px.Constant("all"), 'sex', 'day', 'time'],
values='total_bill', color='day')
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


In the example below the color of Saturday and Sunday sectors is the same as Dinner because there are only Dinner entries for Saturday and Sunday. However, for Female -> Friday there are both lunches and dinners, hence the "mixed" color (blue here) is used.

In [5]:
import plotly.express as px
df = px.data.tips()
fig = px.icicle(df, path=[px.Constant("all"), 'sex', 'day', 'time'],
values='total_bill', color='time')
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Using an explicit mapping for discrete colors¶

In [6]:
import plotly.express as px
df = px.data.tips()
fig = px.icicle(df, path=[px.Constant("all"), 'sex', 'day', 'time'],
values='total_bill', color='time',
color_discrete_map={'(?)':'lightgrey', 'Lunch':'gold', 'Dinner':'darkblue'})
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Rectangular data with missing values¶

If the dataset is not fully rectangular, missing values should be supplied as None. Note that the parents of None entries must be a leaf, i.e. it cannot have other children than None (otherwise a ValueError is raised).

In [7]:
import plotly.express as px
import pandas as pd
vendors = ["A", "B", "C", "D", None, "E", "F", "G", "H", None]
sectors = ["Tech", "Tech", "Finance", "Finance", "Other",
"Tech", "Tech", "Finance", "Finance", "Other"]
regions = ["North", "North", "North", "North", "North",
"South", "South", "South", "South", "South"]
sales = [1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 2, 2, 1, 4, 1]
df = pd.DataFrame(
dict(vendors=vendors, sectors=sectors, regions=regions, sales=sales)
)
df["all"] = "all" # in order to have a single root node
print(df)
fig = px.icicle(df, path=['all', 'regions', 'sectors', 'vendors'], values='sales')
fig.update_traces(root_color='lightgrey')
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()

  vendors  sectors regions  sales  all
0       A     Tech   North      1  all
1       B     Tech   North      3  all
2       C  Finance   North      2  all
3       D  Finance   North      4  all
4    None    Other   North      1  all
5       E     Tech   South      2  all
6       F     Tech   South      2  all
7       G  Finance   South      1  all
8       H  Finance   South      4  all
9    None    Other   South      1  all


Basic Icicle Plot with go.Icicle¶

If Plotly Express does not provide a good starting point, it is also possible to use the more generic go.Icicle class from plotly.graph_objects.

Main arguments:

1. labels (names in px.icicle since labels is reserved for overriding columns names): sets the labels of icicle sectors.
2. parents: sets the parent sectors of icicle sectors. An empty string '' is used for the root node in the hierarchy. In this example, the root is "Eve".
3. values: sets the values associated with icicle sectors, determining their width (See the branchvalues section below for different modes for setting the width).
In [8]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

fig =go.Figure(go.Icicle(
labels=["Eve", "Cain", "Seth", "Enos", "Noam", "Abel", "Awan", "Enoch", "Azura"],
parents=["", "Eve", "Eve", "Seth", "Seth", "Eve", "Eve", "Awan", "Eve" ],
values=[10, 14, 12, 10, 2, 6, 6, 4, 4],
root_color="lightgrey"
))

fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Icicle with Repeated Labels¶

In [9]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

fig =go.Figure(go.Icicle(
ids=["Sports",
"North America", "Europe", "Australia", "North America - Football", "Soccer",
"North America - Rugby", "Europe - Football", "Rugby",
"Europe - American Football","Australia - Football", "Association",
"Australian Rules", "Autstralia - American Football", "Australia - Rugby",
"Rugby League", "Rugby Union"
],
labels= ["Sports",
"North<br>America", "Europe", "Australia", "Football", "Soccer", "Rugby",
"Football", "Rugby", "American<br>Football", "Football", "Association",
"Australian<br>Rules", "American<br>Football", "Rugby", "Rugby<br>League",
"Rugby<br>Union"
],
parents=["",
"Sports", "Sports", "Sports", "North America", "North America", "North America", "Europe",
"Europe", "Europe","Australia", "Australia - Football", "Australia - Football",
"Australia - Football", "Australia - Football", "Australia - Rugby",
"Australia - Rugby"
],
root_color="lightgrey"
))
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))

fig.show()


Branchvalues¶

With branchvalues "total", the value of the parent represents the height/width of its slice. In the example below, "Enoch" is 4 and "Awan" is 6 and so Enoch's height is 4/6ths of Awans. With branchvalues "remainder", the parent's width is determined by its own value plus those of its children. So, Enoch's height is 4/10ths of Awan's (4 / (6 + 4)).

Note that this means that the sum of the values of the children cannot exceed the value of their parent when branchvalues is set to "total". When branchvalues is set to "remainder" (the default), children will not take up all of the space below their parent (unless the parent is the root and it has a value of 0).

In [10]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

fig =go.Figure(go.Icicle(
labels=[ "Eve", "Cain", "Seth", "Enos", "Noam", "Abel", "Awan", "Enoch", "Azura"],
parents=["",    "Eve",  "Eve",  "Seth", "Seth", "Eve",  "Eve",  "Awan",  "Eve" ],
values=[  65,    14,     12,     10,     2,      6,      6,      4,       4],
branchvalues="total",
root_color="lightgrey"
))
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))

fig.show()


Large Number of Slices¶

This example uses a plotly grid attribute for the suplots. Reference the row and column destination using the domain attribute.

In [11]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

import pandas as pd

fig = go.Figure()

ids=df.ids,
labels=df.labels,
parents=df.parents,
root_color="lightgrey"
))

fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))

fig.show()


Controlling text fontsize with uniformtext¶

If you want all the text labels to have the same size, you can use the uniformtext layout parameter. The minsize attribute sets the font size, and the mode attribute sets what happens for labels which cannot fit with the desired fontsize: either hide them or show them with overflow.

Note: animated transitions are currently not implemented when uniformtext is used.

In [12]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go
import pandas as pd

fig = go.Figure(go.Icicle(
ids = df.ids,
labels = df.labels,
parents = df.parents,
root_color="lightgrey"
))
fig.update_layout(
uniformtext=dict(minsize=10, mode='hide'),
margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25)
)
fig.show()


Icicle chart with a continuous colorscale¶

The example below visualizes a breakdown of sales (corresponding to sector width) and call success rate (corresponding to sector color) by region, county and salesperson level. For example, when exploring the data you can see that although the East region is behaving poorly, the Tyler county is still above average -- however, its performance is reduced by the poor success rate of salesperson GT.

In the right subplot which has a maxdepth of two levels, click on a slice to see its breakdown to lower levels.

In [13]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go
from plotly.subplots import make_subplots
import pandas as pd

levels = ['salesperson', 'county', 'region'] # levels used for the hierarchical chart
color_columns = ['sales', 'calls']
value_column = 'calls'

def build_hierarchical_dataframe(df, levels, value_column, color_columns=None):
"""
Build a hierarchy of levels for Icicle charts.

Levels are given starting from the bottom to the top of the hierarchy,
ie the last level corresponds to the root.
"""
df_all_trees = pd.DataFrame(columns=['id', 'parent', 'value', 'color'])
for i, level in enumerate(levels):
df_tree = pd.DataFrame(columns=['id', 'parent', 'value', 'color'])
dfg = df.groupby(levels[i:]).sum()
dfg = dfg.reset_index()
df_tree['id'] = dfg[level].copy()
if i < len(levels) - 1:
df_tree['parent'] = dfg[levels[i+1]].copy()
else:
df_tree['parent'] = 'total'
df_tree['value'] = dfg[value_column]
df_tree['color'] = dfg[color_columns[0]] / dfg[color_columns[1]]
df_all_trees = df_all_trees.append(df_tree, ignore_index=True)
total = pd.Series(dict(id='total', parent='',
value=df[value_column].sum(),
color=df[color_columns[0]].sum() / df[color_columns[1]].sum()))
df_all_trees = df_all_trees.append(total, ignore_index=True)
return df_all_trees

df_all_trees = build_hierarchical_dataframe(df, levels, value_column, color_columns)
average_score = df['sales'].sum() / df['calls'].sum()

fig = make_subplots(1, 2, specs=[[{"type": "domain"}, {"type": "domain"}]],)

labels=df_all_trees['id'],
parents=df_all_trees['parent'],
values=df_all_trees['value'],
branchvalues='total',
marker=dict(
colors=df_all_trees['color'],
colorscale='RdBu',
cmid=average_score),
hovertemplate='<b>%{label} </b> <br> Sales: %{value}<br> Success rate: %{color:.2f}',
name=''
), 1, 1)

labels=df_all_trees['id'],
parents=df_all_trees['parent'],
values=df_all_trees['value'],
branchvalues='total',
marker=dict(
colors=df_all_trees['color'],
colorscale='RdBu',
cmid=average_score),
hovertemplate='<b>%{label} </b> <br> Sales: %{value}<br> Success rate: %{color:.2f}',
maxdepth=2
), 1, 2)

fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()

   Unnamed: 0 region   county salesperson  calls  sales
0           0  North   Dallam          JE     35     23
1           1  North   Dallam          ZQ     49     13
2           2  North   Dallam          IJ     20      6
3           3  North  Hartley          WE     39     37
4           4  North  Hartley          PL     42     37


Set Color of Icicle Sectors¶

In [14]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

labels = ["container", "A1", "A2", "A3", "A4", "A5", "B1", "B2"]
parents = ["", "container", "A1", "A2", "A3", "A4", "container", "B1"]

fig = go.Figure(go.Icicle(
labels = labels,
parents = parents,
marker_colors = ["pink", "royalblue", "lightgray", "purple",
"cyan", "lightgray", "lightblue", "lightgreen"]))

fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


This example uses iciclecolorway attribute, which should be set in layout.

In [15]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

values = [0, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 30]
labels = ["container", "A1", "A2", "A3", "A4", "A5", "B1", "B2"]
parents = ["", "container", "A1", "A2", "A3", "A4", "container", "B1"]

fig = go.Figure(go.Icicle(
labels = labels,
parents = parents,
values=values,
root_color="lightblue"
))

fig.update_layout(
iciclecolorway = ["pink", "lightgray"],
margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25)
)
fig.show()

In [16]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go

values = [0, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 30]
labels = ["container", "A1", "A2", "A3", "A4", "A5", "B1", "B2"]
parents = ["", "container", "A1", "A2", "A3", "A4", "container", "B1"]

fig = go.Figure(go.Icicle(
labels = labels,
values = values,
parents = parents,
marker_colorscale = 'Blues'))
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))

fig.show()


Set the Direction of Icicle charts¶

As mentioned above, Icicle charts can grow in one of four directions. Icicle charts have a tiling attribute and this has two attributes: orientation and flip. orientation takes either h (horiztonal) or v (vertical) and flip takes either x or y. You can use these two attributes in combination to create each of the four cardinal directions: left, right, top, bottom.

Up Direction (Flame Chart)

In [17]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go
import pandas as pd

fig = go.Figure(
go.Icicle(
ids = df.ids,
labels = df.labels,
parents = df.parents,
root_color="lightgrey",
tiling = dict(
orientation='v',
flip='y'
)
)
)
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Down Direction (Icicle)

In [18]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go
import pandas as pd

fig = go.Figure(
go.Icicle(
ids = df.ids,
labels = df.labels,
parents = df.parents,
root_color="lightgrey",
tiling = dict(
orientation='v'
)
)
)
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Right Direction

In [19]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go
import pandas as pd

fig = go.Figure(
go.Icicle(
ids = df.ids,
labels = df.labels,
parents = df.parents,
root_color="lightgrey",
tiling = dict(
orientation='h'
)
)
)
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Left Direction

In [20]:
import plotly.graph_objects as go
import pandas as pd

fig = go.Figure(
go.Icicle(
ids = df.ids,
labels = df.labels,
parents = df.parents,
root_color="lightgrey",
tiling = dict(
orientation='h',
flip='x'
)
)
)
fig.update_layout(margin = dict(t=50, l=25, r=25, b=25))
fig.show()


Reference¶

See function reference for px.icicle() or https://plotly.com/python/reference/icicle/ for more information and chart attribute options!

Dash is an open-source framework for building analytical applications, with no Javascript required, and it is tightly integrated with the Plotly graphing library.

Learn about how to install Dash at https://dash.plot.ly/installation.

Everywhere in this page that you see fig.show(), you can display the same figure in a Dash application by passing it to the figure argument of the Graph component from the built-in dash_core_components package like this:

import plotly.graph_objects as go # or plotly.express as px
fig = go.Figure() # or any Plotly Express function e.g. px.bar(...)
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