Google Visualization API Expanding Beyond Google Spreadsheets

By Nir Bar-Lev, Product Manager

We are excited to announce that we are opening up the Google Visualization API beyond Google Spreadsheets and adding more capabilities for developers. Earlier at the Google I/O developer conference, we launched several new features of the Google Visualization API:

• A JavaScript interface to create add-hoc data tables on the client. This way, visualizations are not limited to server-side data sources living on the Google cloud. Data from any source can now be visualized using the visualizations created by Google and the community.

• The new interface allows developers to create non Gadget-ized visualizations. With this new option, developers can embed visualizations directly into a web page and have those interact with the page. Of-course, Gadgets have significant advantages related to syndication. They are also the option of choice when looking to include visualizations in popular “containers”, such as Google Spreadsheets, iGoogle, etc. The Google Visualization API will continue to support both flavors of its API going forward. Visualizations can easily be created and then be wrapped by a thin Gadget wrapper. This allows for maximal exposure and use of the visualization in as many use cases as possible.

• The AJAX API introduces another cool new capability: we are introducing a common event model to allow for visualizations to communicate with their host web-page and with other visualizations. With this event model web page authors and developers can create complex dashboards from several visualizations, all associated and context-aware.

As part of the event model, we are introducing a generic select event. Developers can introduce their own events for their visualizations. We plan on adding more generic events that the community chooses and aligns around – ultimately creating a robust event model for visualizations and dashboards.

You can read more about these cool new additions on the Visualization API website. Browse the new visualization gallery to see the visualizations we have already posted over the new JavaScript interface and and take look at code examples to get started with your own.

We would love to hear more from you on these new additions. Tell us what you think and engage with the rest of the community on the API’s community group page.