Word cloud

Visualize word frequencies in text

Updated 2 years ago to v1.3.2 by Flourish team

How to use this template

Word cloud template

A fun way to visualize the most common words in a piece of text.

Data requirements

You can supply your data either as raw text, or as a CSV or Excel spreadsheet of word frequencies.

To use raw text, just copy and paste your text into the Text setting.

To use a CSV or Excel spreadsheet of word frequencies, switch the Text input setting to Data sheet, and then upload your spreadsheet. It should have a column for words, and a column for their frequency.

Exclude common words

By default, the word cloud will not show the 100 most common words in English, like "the" and "if". If you do want to show these words, you can change this in the settings. You can also specify other words to exclude.

Credits

Layout algorithm by Jonathan Feinberg, implemented by Jason Davies.

This section documents API usage specific to this template, so for an introduction we suggest you refer to the generic API documentation instead.

template: @flourish/word-cloud

version: 1

Template data

There are three different formats in which you can supply data to this template. The most convenient for you to use likely depends on the source of your data, as described below.

1. Array of arrays, and a bindings object

You can supply arrays of arrays to opts.data, which might look like:

{
    data: {
        words: [
            [ "WordsColumn1Value1", "WordsColumn2Value1",
            [ "WordsColumn1Value2", "WordsColumn2Value2",
            [ "WordsColumn1Value3", "WordsColumn2Value3",
            ...
        ]
    }
}

where each array of arrays represents the rows in a data sheet.

To tell the API how the values from each column should be associated with the keys that the template is expecting, you must also supply an object attached to opts.bindings. (The meanings of the keys in the bindings object are documented below.) The minimal bindings you can supply for this template are as shown in this example:

{
    template: "@flourish/word-cloud",
    version: "1",
    bindings: {
        words: {
            word: 0, // index of a column in your data
        }
    },
    data: {
        words: [
            [ "WordsColumn1Value1", "WordsColumn2Value1",
            [ "WordsColumn1Value2", "WordsColumn2Value2",
            [ "WordsColumn1Value3", "WordsColumn2Value3",
            ...
        ]
    }
}

All possible bindings that you can supply are shown in this example:

{
    template: "@flourish/word-cloud",
    version: "1",
    bindings: {
        words: {
            word: 0, // index of a column in your data
            frequency: 1, // index of a column in your data
            category: 2, // index of a column in your data
        }
    },
    data: {
        words: [
            [ "WordsColumn1Value1", "WordsColumn2Value1",
            [ "WordsColumn1Value2", "WordsColumn2Value2",
            [ "WordsColumn1Value3", "WordsColumn2Value3",
            ...
        ]
    }
}

2. Array of objects with arbitrary keys, and a bindings object

This format is most likely useful when you have data from an external source, such as CSV data loaded from d3-dsv. You should supply this attached to the opts.data, which might look like:

{
        words: [
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            ...
        ]
    }

... but with the keys being the column headers from your source data instead. You must also supply an object attached to opts.bindings. The minimal bindings you can supply for this template are as shown in this example:

{
    template: "@flourish/word-cloud",
    version: "1",
    bindings: {
        words: {
            word: "WordsHeader1",
        }
    },
    data: {
        words: [
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            ...
        ]
    }
}

All possible bindings that you can supply are shown in this example:

{
    template: "@flourish/word-cloud",
    version: "1",
    bindings: {
        words: {
            word: "WordsHeader1",
            frequency: "WordsHeader2",
            category: "WordsHeader3",
        }
    },
    data: {
        words: [
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "WordsHeader1": ..., "WordsHeader2": ..., ... },
            ...
        ]
    }
}

(As before, the keys containing "Header" would be replaced by column names from your data source.)

3. Array of objects with template-defined keys

There is an alternative format you can use, which is likely to be easier to use if your data is not from a spreadsheet source. With this alternative format you supply your data to the template as an array of objects, attached to opts.data, where the keys must be those used by the template, as documented below. In this case there is no need to supply a bindings object, since the key names are already those expected by the template. The required properties in the data object are as follows (scroll down for a description of what each property is):

{
    template: "@flourish/word-cloud",
    version: "1",
    data: {
    words: [
        {
            word: ...
        },
        ...
    ]
},
    ...
}

And the full list of all possible properties is as follows:

{
    template: "@flourish/word-cloud",
    version: "1",
    data: {
    words: [
        {
            word: ...,
            frequency: ...,
            category: ...
        },
        ...
    ]
},
    ...
}

Meanings of the template data keys:

  • words.word: word
  • words.frequency: frequency
  • words.category: category

Template settings

Options for opts.state.

Words

using_tables boolean

Text input. Pasting in raw text is simplest but may be slow for large amounts of text.

Allowed values:

  • false (Paste in raw text)
  • true (Datasheet)

word_limit number

Word limit. Limits the number of words, in order of frequency. Leave blank to show all words in the data table.

Min: 1

raw_text text

Text. Note that the raw text will be available in the hTML of the generated page.

exclusions boolean

Exclude common words.

excluded_words text

Exclude words.

Cloud style

cloud_font font

Font.

text_color color

Text color.

word_padding number

Spacing. Spacing between the words (in arbitrary units)

random_seed number

Layout number. Change the number to try different word layouts.

angle_min number

Min angle.

Min: -180

Max: 180

angle_max number

Max angle.

Min: -180

Max: 180

angle_number number

Number of angles.

Min: 1

Max: 100

font_size_min number

Min size. In arbitrary units. Actual display size will depend in screen size and layout.

font_size_max number

Max size. In arbitrary units. Actual display size will depend in screen size and layout.

Min: 1

size_mode string

Scaling. This scale will determine the relationship in size between the biggest and the smallest word.

Allowed values:

  • linear (Linear)
  • sqrt (√)
  • log (Log)

Colors

color.scale_type string

Scale type.

Allowed values:

  • categorical (Categorical)
  • numeric (Numeric)

color.categorical_palette colors

Palette.

color.categorical_extend boolean

Extend. Automatically generate additional colours when needed to avoid the palette colours being used more than once.

color.categorical_custom_palette text

Custom overrides. Type the name of the entity whose colour you want to set, a colon and then a colour (using a name, hex-code or rgb declaration). Multiple colours can be set using multiple lines. For example:


Party 1: red
Party 2: #4455AA
Party 3: rgb(30,168,26)

color.numeric_type string

Scale type.

Allowed values:

  • sequential (Sequential)
  • diverging (Diverging)

color.binning boolean

In linear mode, the color scale will run as a smooth gradient between 2 colors. In binned mode, the gradient will be divided in smaller blocks.

Allowed values:

  • false (Linear)
  • true (Binned)

color.bin_mode string

Binning mode.

Allowed values:

  • fixed (Fixed width)
  • quantile (Quantile)
  • custom (Custom thresholds)

color.bin_count number

Number of bins.

color.bin_thresholds string

Custom thresholds. Write your custom thresholds, separated by a ";" For example 5;10;15

color.sequential_palette string

Palette.

Allowed values:

  • Oranges
  • Reds
  • Blues
  • Greens
  • Greys
  • Purples
  • Viridis
  • Inferno
  • Magma
  • Plasma
  • Warm
  • Cool
  • CubehelixDefault (Cubehelix)
  • BuGn (Blue/Green)
  • BuPu (Blue/Purple)
  • GnBu (Green/Blue)
  • OrRd (Orange/Red)
  • PuBuGn (Purple/Blue/Green)
  • PuBu (Purple/Blue)
  • PuRd (Purple/Red)
  • RdPu (Red/Purple)
  • YlGnBu (Yellow/Blue/Green)
  • YlGn (Yellow/Green)
  • YlOrBr (Yellow/Orange/Brown)
  • YlOrRd (Yellow/Orange/Red)
  • Carrots
  • Custom

color.sequential_reverse boolean

Reverse.

color.sequential_custom_min color

Minimum color.

color.sequential_custom_max color

Maximum color.

color.sequential_color_space string

Color space.

Allowed values:

  • rgb (RGB)
  • lab (LAB)
  • hcl (HCL)
  • hsl (HSL)

color.sequential_custom_domain boolean

Domain.

Allowed values:

  • false (Auto)
  • true (Custom)

color.sequential_domain_min number

Min.

color.sequential_domain_max number

Max.

color.diverging_palette string

Palette.

Allowed values:

  • RdBu (Red/Blue)
  • RdYlGn (Red/Yellow/Green)
  • PiYG (Pink/Yellow/Green)
  • BrBG (Brown/Blue/Green)
  • PRGn (Purple/Red/Green)
  • PuOr (Purple/Orange)
  • RdGy (Red/Grey)
  • RdYlBu (Red/Yellow/Blue)
  • Spectral
  • Custom

color.diverging_reverse boolean

Reverse.

color.diverging_custom_min color

Minimum color.

color.diverging_custom_mid color

Midpoint color.

color.diverging_custom_max color

Maximum color.

color.diverging_color_space string

Color space.

Allowed values:

  • rgb (RGB)
  • lab (LAB)
  • hcl (HCL)
  • hsl (HSL)

color.diverging_custom_domain boolean

Domain.

Allowed values:

  • false (Auto)
  • true (Custom)

color.diverging_domain_min number

Min.

color.diverging_domain_mid number

Mid.

color.diverging_domain_max number

Max.

Animation

animation_type string

Animation style. Controls the animation on load. “Auto” mode will use “Grow” if there are fewer than 100 words visible, “Fade” if there are fewer than 500, and “None” if there are 500 or more.

Allowed values:

  • auto (Auto)
  • fade (Fade)
  • grow (Grow)
  • none (None)

duration number

Duration. The time in seconds it takes for an individual word to move from start position to end position.

stagger number

Stagger. The time in seconds between the first and last word animations starting.

Max: 5

Layout

layout.body_font font

Main font. This font will apply to the whole graphic by default, but you can optionally change the font for the title, subtitle, footer, etc in the Header and Footer settings panels.

layout.font_color color

Text color. This color will apply to the whole graphic by default, but you can optionally change the color for individual text elements, in other settings panels.

layout.background_color_enabled boolean

Color.

Allowed values:

  • true (On)
  • false (Off)

layout.background_image_enabled boolean

Image.

Allowed values:

  • true (On)
  • false (Off)

layout.background_color color

Background color.

layout.background_image_src url

Image URL.

layout.background_image_size string

Size.

Allowed values:

  • cover (Fill)
  • contain (Fit)
  • auto (Original)
  • 100% 100% (Stretch)

layout.background_image_position string

Position.

Allowed values:

  • top left (Top left)
  • top center (Top center)
  • top right (Top right)
  • center left (Center left)
  • center center (Center)
  • center right (Center right)
  • bottom left (Bottom left)
  • bottom center (Bottom center)
  • bottom right (Bottom right)

layout.max_width_target string

Maximum width. Apply a maximum width to just the main graphic or everything (main graphic plus header, footer, etc)

Allowed values:

  • none (None)
  • wrapper (Everything)
  • primary (Main graphic)

layout.max_width number

Maximum width. Leave blank to stretch to container width

Min: 50

layout.max_width_align string

Align.

Allowed values:

  • left (fa-align-left)
  • center (fa-align-center)
  • right (fa-align-right)

layout.layout_order string

Layout order.

Allowed values:

  • stack-default (data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABYAAAAdCAYAAAHZdKxuAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAANhJREFUSA3tVNEOwiAM7Iy/p2/wkTz6g5gjOVZZEepcjMmWLBTau95ugIh6lpzzLcb4wNpFJaRk9MIahxAyXmD7mC7BC2RlFbliQjFMpJTujOdGs/ECwRoP3rlKoEzNJlz3+CwutK0NLRVt2QhjggA9n2IGEKANMxmt0VVsEfxgzfX7zL3ZiqbXLjcKc8vEORk5/75mMB/7u11uuIpdbtDCc5R3l/s+e+pmHt1foza7Nv6IXOeHiqGk9zWtSk1cN2cPrItnYjZzHZEZYtacxHTiuANSO/xN8AS4uW8Rw1Gu2AAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==)
  • stack-2 (data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABYAAAAdCAYAAAHZdKxuAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAMpJREFUSA3tVMsKwyAQNKW/l970Iz32Bw0jjKTrSLUY0oOBsO5rnOwYnTs9W0ppDyG8EcsOkw8uauu9T3jR2+75yJxBnnC4JxMxxlezg0V9VsJsIGz75TfKdlkpg3aPcT8TsPNRMJjZEIf5xaAAahUyE+RtfcZvtFLoFh95aFXxH4hCWpUoTCg7fxqUfB4yEcl/CJlNy5qbfuZA8m8CwJ77q2djSj50lnuAWbOAOQlXxCuRHxcUje2XzfgrYzBpHUXLkmxh181SpnEAB4Vg0DSGhHsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
  • stack-3 (data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABYAAAAdCAYAAAHZdKxuAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAANFJREFUSA3tVEEOwyAMo9O+193gkRz3QSZHMmNRUkGp1guVqkCIHZMAITTfVkrZU0pv+B7NQpCV1vEdxxgLfmB9jEvwBBNzkjXn/HIRDOqzJs0GwS1eEmonAn52RITJaUYScd5KLl0fTQf58HVpIFlXMDPNBVMf2TDXPq7dZM2eelrMQ6uDucG50mlWzG/ooCWDvqENXldn1pcyhpgJWjYcPe5z5ZFrAgoe2LN0f2v1ZYq5UyofuiME99hFXKtUm1c9aoBmeEeRjVIQma6XpVblAwnpZjN/VjqsAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC)
  • stack-4 (data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABYAAAAdCAYAAAHZdKxuAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAANtJREFUSA3tVNEOwjAI3Iy/p2/tR/bRH6zekmuA1glO45bYZAHKcdDCOk1izbXWC+0zlJzzDVJ5sNGW9qSUKj4QKY8yWvBDUWnoKKVcTzS2yWHiIfeMwm2yIbLbRL3DRJYubi+0bAPCkcvapO3AdFgZvuDuyJZR2i4wSpBBP9ZD7RsOLQ9gD/Y5ZmaA3EEHWY6r3SEwrzDEHLpnlvOXa4/7xttZfhNwyPdKcqLPaz6JlXpr9bNgCfbobw2ch5iY0CQzyCOPR9ya5zleBPNy3LxknAbiv1YxExxH3gEqBW7I4zw3PQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==)

layout.space_between_sections string

Space between sections.

Allowed values:

  • 0.5 (▁)
  • 1 (▃)
  • 1.5 (▄)
  • custom (...)

layout.space_between_sections_custom number

Custom.

Max: 100

layout.margin_top number

Top.

layout.margin_right number

Right.

layout.margin_bottom number

Bottom.

layout.margin_left number

Left.

layout.border.enabled boolean

Show borders around visualisation.

layout.border.top.width number

Top.

layout.border.top.style string

Style.

Allowed values:

  • solid (Solid)
  • dashed (Dashed)
  • dotted (Dotted)

layout.border.top.color color

Color.

layout.border.right.width number

Right.

layout.border.right.style string

Style.

Allowed values:

  • solid (Solid)
  • dashed (Dashed)
  • dotted (Dotted)

layout.border.right.color color

Color.

layout.border.bottom.width number

Bottom.

layout.border.bottom.style string

Style.

Allowed values:

  • solid (Solid)
  • dashed (Dashed)
  • dotted (Dotted)

layout.border.bottom.color color

Color.

layout.border.left.width number

Left.

layout.border.left.style string

Style.

Allowed values:

  • solid (Solid)
  • dashed (Dashed)
  • dotted (Dotted)

layout.border.left.color color

Color.

layout.read_direction string

Read direction. This will change the reading direction of the main text elements on the page. Its not possible to adjust this on all elements such as axes. Note that when direction is set to "right to left" any alignment icons will be reversed.

Allowed values:

  • ltr (Left to right)
  • rtl (Right to left)

layout.header_align string

Alignment.

Allowed values:

  • left (fa-align-left)
  • center (fa-align-center)
  • right (fa-align-right)

layout.title html

layout.title_styling boolean

Styling.

layout.title_font font

Title Font.

layout.title_size string

Size.

Allowed values:

  • 1.4 (ᴀ)
  • 1.6 (A)
  • 2 (fa-font)
  • custom (...)

layout.title_size_custom number

Custom. Specify a custom responsive font size. Best results will be with values between 1.2 and 3

layout.title_weight string

Weight.

Allowed values:

  • bold (Bold)
  • normal (Regular)

layout.title_color color

Color.

layout.title_line_height number

Line height.

Max: 3

layout.title_space_above string

Space above.

Allowed values:

  • 0 (▁)
  • 0.5 (▃)
  • 1 (▄)
  • custom (...)

layout.title_space_above_custom number

Custom.

Max: 100

layout.subtitle html

layout.subtitle_styling boolean

Styling.

layout.subtitle_font font

Subtitle Font.

layout.subtitle_size string

Size.

Allowed values:

  • 1.4 (ᴀ)
  • 1.6 (A)
  • 2 (fa-font)
  • custom (...)

layout.subtitle_size_custom number

Custom. Specify a custom responsive font size. Best results will be with values between 1.2 and 3

layout.subtitle_weight string

Weight.

Allowed values:

  • bold (Bold)
  • normal (Regular)

layout.subtitle_color color

Color.

layout.subtitle_line_height number

Line height.

Max: 3

layout.subtitle_space_above string

Space above.

Allowed values:

  • 0 (▁)
  • 0.5 (▃)
  • 1 (▄)
  • custom (...)

layout.subtitle_space_above_custom number

Custom.

Max: 100

layout.header_text html

layout.header_text_styling boolean

Styling.

layout.header_text_size string

Size.

Allowed values:

  • 1.2 (ᴀ)
  • 1.4 (A)
  • 1.6 (fa-font)
  • custom (...)

layout.header_text_size_custom number

Custom. Specify a custom responsive font size. Best results will be with values between 1.2 and 3

layout.header_text_weight string

Weight.

Allowed values:

  • bold (Bold)
  • normal (Regular)

layout.header_text_color color

Color.

layout.header_text_line_height number

Line height.

Max: 3

layout.header_text_space_above string

Space above.

Allowed values:

  • 0 (▁)
  • 0.5 (▃)
  • 1 (▄)
  • custom (...)

layout.header_text_space_above_custom number

Custom.

Max: 100

layout.header_border string

Allowed values:

  • top (Top)
  • bottom (Bottom)
  • top_and_bottom (Top & bottom)
  • none (None)

layout.header_border_width number

Width.

layout.header_border_color color

Color.

layout.header_border_style string

Style.

Allowed values:

  • solid (Solid)
  • dashed (Dashed)
  • dotted (Dotted)

layout.header_border_space number

Space. Space between border and header text

layout.header_logo_enabled boolean

Allowed values:

  • true (Enabled)
  • false (Disabled)

layout.header_logo_src url

Image.

Link.

layout.header_logo_height number

Height.

layout.header_logo_align string

Align. Align logo inside either the header or the main visualisation container

Allowed values:

  • inside (Header)
  • outside (Main container)

layout.header_logo_position_inside string

Position.

Allowed values:

  • top (Top)
  • left (Left)
  • right (Right)

layout.header_logo_position_outside string

Position.

Allowed values:

  • left (Left)
  • right (Right)

layout.header_logo_margin_top number

Top.

layout.header_logo_margin_right number

Right.

layout.header_logo_margin_bottom number

Bottom.

layout.header_logo_margin_left number

Left.

layout.footer_align string

Alignment.

Allowed values:

  • left (fa-align-left)
  • center (fa-align-center)
  • right (fa-align-right)
  • justify (fa-align-justify)

layout.footer_text_size number

Size.

layout.footer_text_color color

Color.

layout.footer_styling boolean

Advanced footer styles.

layout.footer_font font

Font.

layout.footer_text_weight string

Weight.

Allowed values:

  • bold (Bold)
  • normal (Regular)

layout.source_name string

Source name.

layout.source_url string

Source url.

layout.multiple_sources boolean

Multiple sources.

layout.source_name_2 string

Source name.

layout.source_url_2 string

Source url.

layout.source_name_3 string

Source name.

layout.source_url_3 string

Source url.

layout.source_label string

Source label.

layout.footer_note string

Note.

layout.footer_note_secondary string

Note (secondary). The secondary note is placed below the source and primary note

layout.footer_logo_enabled boolean

Image.

Allowed values:

  • true (Enabled)
  • false (Disabled)

layout.footer_logo_src url

Image.

layout.footer_logo_src_light hidden

Image (light version). If provided this version will be used whenever the background colour is dark

Link.

layout.footer_logo_height number

Height.

layout.footer_logo_margin number

Margin.

layout.footer_logo_order string

Position.

Allowed values:

  • left (Left)
  • right (Right)

layout.footer_align_vertical string

V. align.

Allowed values:

  • flex-start (Top)
  • center (Center)
  • flex-end (Bottom)

layout.footer_border string

Allowed values:

  • top (Top)
  • bottom (Bottom)
  • top_and_bottom (Top & bottom)
  • none (None)

layout.footer_border_width number

Width.

layout.footer_border_color color

Color.

layout.footer_border_style string

Style.

Allowed values:

  • solid (Solid)
  • dashed (Dashed)
  • dotted (Dotted)

layout.footer_border_space number

Space. Space between border and footer text

Accessibility

layout.screenreader_hide_primary boolean

Screenreader mode for main visual container. Whether the main visual container is visible to screenreaders. (Text in the header and footer are always available to screenreaders.)

Allowed values:

  • true (Hidden)
  • false (Readable)

layout.screenreader_text_primary text

Screenreader description. A text alternative to the visual content that will only be visible to screenreaders, e.g. “The line chart shows China consistently higher than the other countries since 1990”. Do not replicate your title, since that will also be read by screenreaders.

layout.screenreader_label string

Screenreader label. A short text label given to the main Flourish embed wrapper to provide an accessible name that is only visible to screenreaders. Added in the form of an "aria-label".