Google Chart API is fantastic for simple charts

I just discovered Google Chart API.  You can create charts on-the-fly by manipulating a url. This is way easier (and prettier) than the PHP library I was going to use.

Once again I’m very impressed with Google.

(Big hat tip to Stack Overflow for already having the answer to my question about easiest way to create charts in PHP. Stack Overflow is getting more and more useful for devs. Thanks Jeff Atwood, Joel Spolsky and the entire SO team for putting the site together!)

Examples:

1. Create a “google-o-meter”.

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=gom&chd=t:93&chl=Awesome&chs=400×150

How awesome is Google Chart API?

2. Create a bar chart.

What happens when you chart the top 20 personal finance bloggers ranked by subscribers?

URL for the above chart (you can also click on it to go to the generated image):

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?
cht=bhs&
chd=t:62862,60462,33124,22527,15092,13488,11252,10526,10417,10052,
7501,7297,6177,5631,5444,5244,5186,5094,4590,4322&
chbh=a&
chs=500x400&
chds=0,75000&
chxt=x,y&
chxl=1:|Generation%20X%20Finance|The%20Digerati%20Life|All%20Financial%20Matters|
Being%20Frugal|No%20Credit%20Needed|The%20Centsible%20Sawyer|
Million%20Dollar%20Journey|Common%20Sense%20With%20Money|Frugal%20Dad|
Stop%20Buying%20Crap|Bargaineering|Five%20Cent%20Nickel|
Consumerism%20Commentary|My%20Money%20Blog|Free%20Money%20Finance|
Coupon%20Cravings|Deal%20Seeking%20Mom|Wise%20Bread|The%20Simple%20Dollar|
Get%20Rich%20Slowly|0:|0|25000|50000|75000

3. Create a pie chart.

Search share of personal finance personalities (searches per month for their name):

URL that generated this chart:

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?
cht=p3&
chd=t:368,246,125&
chs=550x150&
chl=Dave%20Ramsey%20(368,000)|Suze%20Orman%20(246,000)|Robert%20Kiyosaki%20(135,000)