Storyline JS
Storyline JS is a free, open-source web tool from Northwestern University Knight Lab for making annotated line charts that explain time-series data.
What Storyline JS is
Storyline JS is a free, open-source web tool from Northwestern University Knight Lab for making annotated line charts that explain time-series data. It displays one data series at a time, and the chart’s horizontal axis accepts only dates or times. Creators add story cards to selected data points; each card has a title, text, and date. A story can have up to 12 cards, with titles limited to 54 characters and paragraphs to 200 characters. To create a chart with the authoring tool, users put their data in a Google spreadsheet and publish it to the web. Storyline works best with fewer than 800 data points. Finished charts can be embedded or shared through a direct link, and the maker says they work on any site or blog. One date-display choice has month names only in English, though most story text uses the creator’s language. Support is available through a web form and GitHub issue reporting, in English only, with no dedicated technical support staff.
Good
- Free and open source.
- Adds dated story cards to selected data points.
- Charts can be embedded or shared by link.
- Works on any site or blog, according to the maker.
Watch out
- Shows only one data series at a time.
- Works best with fewer than 800 data points.
- Stories allow no more than 12 cards.
- Technical support is English-only, with no dedicated staff.
Who it suits
Storyline JS suits people who want to explain time-series data with a single annotated line chart and can prepare data in a published Google spreadsheet. It can be shared as an embed or direct link.
Verdict
Storyline JS is a focused option for pairing time-series charts with short narrative annotations. Its single-series format, card limits, and spreadsheet publishing requirement are important constraints to consider.
Plans and prices
From Storyline JS's own pricing page, checked 3 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Storyline JS | Free | Open-source tool; no paid plans or price stated |
The facts
Each one read from Storyline JS's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Card limits
- A story supports no more than 12 cards, titles are limited to 54 characters, and paragraphs to 200 characters.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Chart type
- Storyline focuses on time-series line charts, and the x-axis accepts only time or date formats.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Data capacity
- Storyline works best with fewer than 800 data points.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Data source
- To create a Storyline with the authoring tool, users put their chart data in a Google spreadsheet and publish it to the web.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Languages
- Month names in one date-display choice are available only in English; the maker says most of the story uses language supplied by the user.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Multiple series
- The tool can visualize only one set of data at a time.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Publishing
- Users can publish a Storyline as an embed or share it through a direct link, and the tool says it works on any site or blog.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Storyline is an open-source tool for building annotated, interactive line charts that tell the story behind time-series data.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Security
- The product page does not state security certifications or compliance claims.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Story cards
- Stories use cards with a title, text, and date to explain selected points in the data.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker offers a tech support web form and GitHub issue reporting, says support is available only in English, and notes it has no dedicated tech support staff.checked 3 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2017checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- Evanston, Illinois, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
- Maker
- Storyline JS is made by Northwestern University Knight Lab, a team of technologists and journalists working on news media innovation.checked 3 Oct 2026
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