Swift Charts

Swift Charts

Build data visualizations with Swift Charts targeting iOS 26+. Compose marks inside Chart or Chart3D, configure axes and scales with view modifiers, and use vectorized plots or 3D plots when the data calls for them.

See references/charts-patterns.md for extended patterns, 3D charts, accessibility, and theming guidance.

Contents

• Workflow
• Chart Container
• Mark Types
• Axis Customization
• Scale Configuration
• Foreground Style and Encoding
• Selection (iOS 17+)
• Scrollable Charts (iOS 17+)
• Annotations
• Legend
• Vectorized Plots (iOS 18+)
• 3D Charts (iOS 26+)
• Common Mistakes
• Review Checklist
• References

Workflow

1. Build a new chart

1. Define data as an Identifiable struct or use id: key path.
2. Choose mark type(s): BarMark, LineMark, PointMark, AreaMark, RuleMark, RectangleMark, SectorMark, or SurfacePlot.
3. Wrap 2D marks in Chart; use Chart3D only for real spatial or surface data.
4. Encode visual channels: .foregroundStyle(by:), .symbol(by:), .lineStyle(by:).
5. Configure axes with .chartXAxis / .chartYAxis.
6. Set scale domains with .chartXScale(domain:) / .chartYScale(domain:).
7. Add selection, scrolling, or annotations as needed.
8. For 1000+ 2D data points, use vectorized plots (BarPlot, LinePlot, etc.).
9. Render representative empty, typical, dense, large-text, high-contrast, and VoiceOver states; exercise selection and scrolling when present.
10. If an encoding, axis, selection, or accessibility check fails, restore the data fixture, fix one layer, and rerun the same matrix before adding decoration.

2. Review existing chart code

Identify the data semantics before judging mark choice. Then trace every value through mark, scale, axis, style, selection, and accessibility output; run the same validation matrix used for new charts.

Chart Container

Chart(sales) { item in
    BarMark(x: .value("Month", item.month), y: .value("Revenue", item.revenue))
}

Use the data-driven initializer for a single collection. Use the content closure for mixed marks or multiple series, and pass id: when elements are not Identifiable. Load references/charts-patterns.md for complete mixed-series, theming, accessibility, and 3D recipes.

Mark Types

BarMark (iOS 16+)

// Vertical bar
BarMark(x: .value("Month", item.month), y: .value("Sales", item.sales))

// Stacked by category (automatic when same x maps to multiple bars)
BarMark(x: .value("Month", item.month), y: .value("Sales", item.sales))
    .foregroundStyle(by: .value("Product", item.product))

// Horizontal bar
BarMark(x: .value("Sales", item.sales), y: .value("Month", item.month))

// Interval bar (Gantt chart)
BarMark(
    xStart: .value("Start", item.start),
    xEnd: .value("End", item.end),
    y: .value("Task", item.task)
)

LineMark (iOS 16+)

// Single line
LineMark(x: .value("Date", item.date), y: .value("Price", item.price))

// Multi-series via foregroundStyle encoding
LineMark(x: .value("Date", item.date), y: .value("Temp", item.temp))
    .foregroundStyle(by: .value("City", item.city))
    .interpolationMethod(.catmullRom)

// Multi-series with explicit series parameter
LineMark(
    x: .value("Date", item.date),
    y: .value("Price", item.price),
    series: .value("Ticker", item.ticker)
)

PointMark (iOS 16+)

PointMark(x: .value("Height", item.height), y: .value("Weight", item.weight))
    .foregroundStyle(by: .value("Species", item.species))
    .symbol(by: .value("Species", item.species))
    .symbolSize(100)

AreaMark (iOS 16+)

// Stacked area
AreaMark(x: .value("Date", item.date), y: .value("Sales", item.sales))
    .foregroundStyle(by: .value("Category", item.category))

// Range band
AreaMark(
    x: .value("Date", item.date),
    yStart: .value("Min", item.min),
    yEnd: .value("Max", item.max)
)
.opacity(0.3)

RuleMark (iOS 16+)

RuleMark(y: .value("Target", 9000))
    .foregroundStyle(.red)
    .lineStyle(StrokeStyle(dash: [5, 3]))
    .annotation(position: .top, alignment: .leading) {
        Text("Target").font(.caption).foregroundStyle(.red)
    }

RectangleMark (iOS 16+)

RectangleMark(x: .value("Hour", item.hour), y: .value("Day", item.day))
    .foregroundStyle(by: .value("Intensity", item.intensity))

SectorMark (iOS 17+)

Use SectorMark for strictly positive values; filter, aggregate, or explain zero/negative values outside the pie or donut.

// Pie chart
Chart(data, id: \.name) { item in
    SectorMark(angle: .value("Sales", item.sales))
        .foregroundStyle(by: .value("Category", item.name))
}

// Donut chart
Chart(data, id: \.name) { item in
    SectorMark(
        angle: .value("Sales", item.sales),
        innerRadius: .ratio(0.618),
        outerRadius: .inset(10),
        angularInset: 1
    )
    .cornerRadius(4)
    .foregroundStyle(by: .value("Category", item.name))
}

Axis Customization

// Hide axes
.chartXAxis(.hidden)
.chartYAxis(.hidden)

// Custom axis content
.chartXAxis {
    AxisMarks(values: .stride(by: .month)) { value in
        AxisGridLine()
        AxisTick()
        AxisValueLabel(format: .dateTime.month(.abbreviated))
    }
}

// Multiple AxisMarks compositions (different intervals for grid vs. labels)
.chartXAxis {
    AxisMarks(values: .stride(by: .day)) { _ in AxisGridLine() }
    AxisMarks(values: .stride(by: .week)) { _ in
        AxisTick()
        AxisValueLabel(format: .dateTime.week())
    }
}

// Axis labels (titles)
.chartXAxisLabel("Time", position: .bottom, alignment: .center)
.chartYAxisLabel("Revenue ($)", position: .leading, alignment: .center)

Scale Configuration

.chartYScale(domain: 0...100)                          // Explicit numeric domain
.chartYScale(domain: .automatic(includesZero: true))   // Include zero
.chartYScale(domain: 1...10000, type: .log)            // Logarithmic scale
.chartXScale(domain: ["Mon", "Tue", "Wed", "Thu"])     // Categorical ordering

Foreground Style and Encoding

BarMark(...).foregroundStyle(.blue)                                    // Static color
BarMark(...).foregroundStyle(by: .value("Category", item.category))   // Data encoding
AreaMark(...).foregroundStyle(                                         // Gradient
    .linearGradient(colors: [.blue, .cyan], startPoint: .bottom, endPoint: .top)
)

Selection (iOS 17+)

@State private var selectedDate: Date?
@State private var selectedRange: ClosedRange<Date>?
@State private var selectedAngle: Double?

// Point selection
Chart(data) { item in
    LineMark(x: .value("Date", item.date), y: .value("Value", item.value))
}
.chartXSelection(value: $selectedDate)

// Range selection
.chartXSelection(range: $selectedRange)

// Angular selection binds the plottable angle value; derive the category from ranges.
.chartAngleSelection(value: $selectedAngle)

Scrollable Charts (iOS 17+)

Chart(dailyData) { item in
    BarMark(x: .value("Date", item.date, unit: .day), y: .value("Steps", item.steps))
}
.chartScrollableAxes(.horizontal)
.chartXVisibleDomain(length: 3600 * 24 * 7) // 7 days visible
.chartScrollPosition(initialX: latestDate)
.chartScrollTargetBehavior(
    .valueAligned(matching: DateComponents(hour: 0), majorAlignment: .page)
)

Annotations

BarMark(x: .value("Month", item.month), y: .value("Sales", item.sales))
    .annotation(position: .top, alignment: .center, spacing: 4) {
        Text("\(item.sales, format: .number)").font(.caption2)