Basic Span Plot (Highlighted Region) in Python, R, Julia and JavaScript

Source code in 15 libraries — Python: Altair, Bokeh, lets-plot, Matplotlib, Plotly, plotnine, Pygal, Seaborn; R: ggplot2; Julia: Makie.jl; JavaScript: Chart.js, D3.js, Apache ECharts, Highcharts, MUI X Charts.

A span plot highlights a specific region of interest on a chart using a shaded rectangular area that spans the full height or width of the plot. Vertical spans mark ranges along the x-axis (e.g., time periods), while horizontal spans mark ranges along the y-axis (e.g., value thresholds). The semi-transparent fill allows underlying data to remain visible while drawing attention to the highlighted region.

Basic Span Plot (Highlighted Region)

Renders

Preview render from the Bokeh implementation.

Implementations