Multiple Axes in R

How to make a graph with multiple axes (dual y-axis plots, plots with secondary axes) in R.

Plotly Studio: Transform any dataset into an interactive data application in minutes with AI. Sign up for early access now.

Multiple Y Axes and Plotly

Two Y Axes

library(plotly)

fig <- plot_ly()
# Add traces
fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~1:3, y = ~10*(4:6), name = "yaxis data", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

ay <- list(
  tickfont = list(color = "red"),
  overlaying = "y",
  side = "right",
  title = "<b>secondary</b> yaxis title")

fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~2:4, y = ~4:6, name = "yaxis 2 data", yaxis = "y2", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

# Set figure title, x and y-axes titles
fig <- fig %>% layout(
  title = "Double Y Axis Example", yaxis2 = ay,
  xaxis = list(title="xaxis title "),
  yaxis = list(title="<b>primary</b> yaxis title")
)%>%
  layout(plot_bgcolor='#e5ecf6',
          xaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff'),
          yaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff')
          )

fig
 Click to copy

Multiple axes in Dash

Dash for R is an open-source framework for building analytical applications, with no Javascript required, and it is tightly integrated with the Plotly graphing library.

Learn about how to install Dash for R at https://dashr.plot.ly/installation.

Everywhere in this page that you see fig, you can display the same figure in a Dash for R application by passing it to the figure argument.

library(dash)
library(dashCoreComponents)
library(dashHtmlComponents)
library(plotly)

app <- Dash$new()

app$layout(
  htmlDiv(
    list(
      dccGraph(id = 'graph'),
      htmlLabel("Red line's axis:"),
      dccRadioItems(
        id='radio',
        options = list(list(label = "Primary", value = "Primary"),
                       list(label = "Secondary", value = "Secondary")),
        value = 'Secondary'
      )
    )
  )
)
app$callback(
  output(id = 'graph', property='figure'),
  params=list(input(id='radio', property='value')),
  function(value) {
    if(value == 'Primary'){
      fig <- plot_ly()
      fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~1:3, y = ~10*(4:6), name = "yaxis data", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")
      fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~2:4, y = ~4:6, name = "yaxis 2 data", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")
      fig <- fig %>% layout(
        title = "Double Y Axis Example",
        xaxis = list(title="xaxis title"),
        yaxis = list(title="<b>primary</b> yaxis title")
      )%>%
        layout(plot_bgcolor='#e5ecf6',
          xaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff'),
          yaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff')
          )
      return(fig)
    }
    else{
      fig <- plot_ly()
      fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~1:3, y = ~10*(4:6), name = "yaxis data", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

      ay <- list(
        overlaying = "y",
        side = "right",
        title = "<b>secondary</b> yaxis title")

      fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~2:4, y = ~4:6, name = "yaxis 2 data", yaxis = "y2", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

      fig <- fig %>% layout(
        title = "Double Y Axis Example", yaxis2 = ay,
        xaxis = list(title="xaxis title"),
        yaxis = list(title="<b>primary</b> yaxis title")
      )%>%
        layout(plot_bgcolor='#e5ecf6',
          xaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff'),
          yaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff')
          )
      return(fig)
    }
  })
#app$run_server()
 Click to copy

Use app$run_server() to run the dash file.

Multiple Y-Axes Subplots

library(plotly)
# Top left
p1 <- plot_ly() %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(2, 52, 62),
                              type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y", name="yaxis data") %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(40, 50, 60),
            type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y2", name="yaxis2 data") %>%
  layout(yaxis=list(side="left"),
         yaxis2=list(side="right",overlaying="y"),
         showlegend=TRUE)
# Top right
p2 <-plot_ly() %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(2, 52, 62),
                             type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y", name="yaxis3 data") %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(40, 50, 60),
            type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y2", name="yaxis4 data") %>%
  layout(yaxis=list(side="left"),
         yaxis2=list(side="right",overlaying="y3"),
         showlegend=TRUE)
# Bottom left
p3 <- plot_ly() %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(2, 52, 62),
            type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y", name="yaxis5 data") %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(40, 50, 60),
            type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y2", name="yaxis6 data") %>%
  layout(yaxis=list(side="left"),
         yaxis2=list(side="right",overlaying="y5"),
         showlegend=TRUE)
# Bottom right
p4 <-plot_ly() %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(2, 52, 62),
                             type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y", name="yaxis7 data") %>%
  add_trace(x = c(1, 2, 3), y = c(40, 50, 60),
            type="scatter",mode="lines+markers",yaxis="y2", name="yaxis8 data") %>%
  layout(yaxis=list(side="left"),
         yaxis2=list(side="right",overlaying="y7"),
         showlegend=TRUE)

p <- subplot(p1,p2,p3,p4,nrows = 2, margin = 0.05)%>%
  layout(legend = list(x = 1.05, y = 1))%>%
  layout(plot_bgcolor='#e5ecf6',
          xaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff'),
          yaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff')
          )
p
 Click to copy

Multiple Axes

Using Plotly for creating a figure with multiple axes

library(plotly)

fig <- plot_ly(width = 700)
fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~1:3, y = ~4:6, name = "yaxis1 data", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

y2 <- list(
  tickfont = list(color = "#ff7f0e"),
  titlefont = list(color = "#ff7f0e"),
  overlaying = "y",
  side = "left",
  anchor="free",
  position=0.15,
  title = "yaxis2 title")


fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~2:4, y = ~10*(4:6), name = "yaxis2 data", yaxis = "y2", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

y3 <- list(
  tickfont = list(color = "#d62728"),
  titlefont = list(color = "#d62728"),
  overlaying = "y",
  side = "right",
  title = "yaxis3 title")


fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~4:6, y = ~1000*(4:6), name = "yaxis3 data", yaxis = "y3", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

y4 <- list(
  tickfont = list(color = "#9467bd"),
  titlefont = list(color = "#9467bd"),
  overlaying = "y",
  side = "right",
  anchor="free",
  position=0.85,
  title = "yaxis4 title")


fig <- fig %>% add_trace(x = ~5:7, y = ~10000*(4:6), name = "yaxis4 data", yaxis = "y4", mode = "lines+markers", type = "scatter")

fig <- fig %>% layout(
  title = "multiple y-axes example", yaxis2 = y2, yaxis3 = y3, yaxis4 = y4,
  xaxis = list(title = '', domain = c(0.3, 0.7)),
  yaxis = list(title="yaxis title",
               tickfont = list(color = "#1f77b4"),
               titlefont = list(color = "#1f77b4")
               )
)%>%
  layout(plot_bgcolor='#e5ecf6',
          xaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff'),
          yaxis = list(
            zerolinecolor = '#ffff',
            zerolinewidth = 2,
            gridcolor = 'ffff')
          )

fig
 Click to copy

Reference

All of the y-axis properties are found here: https://plotly.com/r/reference/layout/yaxis/. For more information on creating subplots see the Subplots in R section.

What About Dash?

Dash for R is an open-source framework for building analytical applications, with no Javascript required, and it is tightly integrated with the Plotly graphing library.

Learn about how to install Dash for R at https://dashr.plot.ly/installation.

Everywhere in this page that you see fig, you can display the same figure in a Dash for R application by passing it to the figure argument of the Graph component from the built-in dashCoreComponents package like this:

library(plotly)

fig <- plot_ly() 
# fig <- fig %>% add_trace( ... )
# fig <- fig %>% layout( ... ) 

library(dash)
library(dashCoreComponents)
library(dashHtmlComponents)

app <- Dash$new()
app$layout(
    htmlDiv(
        list(
            dccGraph(figure=fig) 
        )
     )
)

app$run_server(debug=TRUE, dev_tools_hot_reload=FALSE)
 Click to copy