Chart.js v4 general launch

[igorlukanin]

Two weeks ago, Chart.js v4 was released 🎉

According to npm statistics, currently Chart.js v4 accounts for just 3% of overall downloads (~2,260,000 weekly). I suggest conducting the Chart.js v4 launch campaign to bring new audience to Chart.js (measured by overall downloads and GitHub stars increase) and boost migrations from v3 (measured by the share of v4 downloads).

We can also use the launch as an opportunity to gather opinions for the roadmap and announce the first Chart.js online meetup (discussed in a separate thread).

Statistics.

Date	Downloads on npm, all versions	Downloads on npm, v4	JSDelivr downloads, v4	GitHub stars
Nov 30	2,260,000	? (~3 %)	?	?
Dec 14	2,468,180	119,897 (4,8%)	35,691,288	58,994
Dec 20	2,401,354	134,453 (5,6%)	35,995,962	59,223

Launch date

One of the following days: December 13, 14, or 15.

Pre-launch plan

1. Update https://www.chartjs.org:

• add sections for Chart.js v4-specific features
  • Update to v4, add v4 blocks www.chartjs.org#16
• maybe, make it even more visually appealing (add an animated chart or charts telling a story about Chart.js?)

2. Update awesome Chart.js:

• ask maintainers of all items to update them to Chart.js v4
  • Awesome libraries update to Chart.js v4 #10953
• specifically, make sure all framework integrations are updated (currently, Vue and Angular are work-in-progress) ✅
• add badges to mark Chart.js v4 compatibility (currently, there are badges for Chart.js v2 and v3 only)
  • Update to Chart.js v4, add version badges awesome#53

3. Fix Chart.js Slack registration page

• replace with the shared invitation link
  • docs: Update Slack link #10976

Launch plan

4. Create a GitHub discussion with the launch announcement and relevant links:

• to the getting started docs
• to the step-by-step guide in docs
• to the Product Hunt launch page (example)
• to the meetup announcement
• to the roadmap discussion
• Chart.js 4.0 release celebration 🥳👏🎉 #10977

5. Post messages about the announcements in Chart.js-owned channels:

• https://chartjs.org (small banner)
  • we already have the meetup banner there
• https://twitter.com/chartjs
  • https://twitter.com/chartjs/status/1603302828633739264
  • https://twitter.com/chartjs/status/1603326942538768387 (mention React)
  • https://twitter.com/chartjs/status/1603328089383133185 (mention Vue)
  • https://twitter.com/chartjs/status/1603328351242010624 (mention Svelte)
  • https://twitter.com/chartjs/status/1603328674945695747 (mention Angular)
• Chart.js Slack
  • https://chartjs.slack.com/archives/C0390G3UE/p1671092468990099
• Chart.js repo README (small message)
  • chore: Add Product Hunt button (temporarily) #10980

6. Share links on external websites and channels:

• Hacker News
• Reddit
  • r/programming
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/zmg3rv/chartjs_40_new_release_of_the_popular_open_source/
  • r/javascript
  • r/webdev
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/webdev/comments/zmgvzr/chartjs_40_new_release_of_the_popular_open_source/
  • r/opensource
  • r/frontend
  • r/datavisualization
  • r/reactjs
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/reactjs/comments/zmh08k/chartjs_40_and_updated_react_integration_popular/
  • r/vuejs
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/vuejs/comments/zmh0rb/chartjs_40_and_updated_vue_integration_popular/
  • r/Angular2 and similar
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/Angular2/comments/zmh28p/chartjs_40_and_updated_angular_integration/
  • r/sveltejs
    • https://www.reddit.com/r/sveltejs/comments/zmh1lz/chartjs_40_and_updated_svelte_integration_popular/
• https://dev.to (short announcement post)
• Other websites:
  • https://echojs.com
    • https://echojs.com/news/41331
  • https://js.libhunt.com
    • submitted
• Slack/Discourse communities:
  • https://slack.cube.dev (~2,500 members in #dataviz channel)
    • https://cube-js.slack.com/archives/C01BQQMFBJR/p1671093378751109
  • https://frontenddevelopers.org (?)
    • https://discord.com/channels/247708578071183372/546756906388291600/1052872405464395837

8. Ask previous contributors/maintainers and loyal folks with substantial presence on social media to spread the word

• obviously, Evert, Ben, Tanner, Nick, Akihiko, William
  • https://chartjs.slack.com/archives/C0N98KP1N/p1671091715456729
• authors/maintainers of all items in awesome Chart.js
  • Awesome libraries update to Chart.js v4 #10953 (comment)

Questions

• WDYT in general?
• What else can we do as a part of pre-launch activities to prepare?
• Does anyone in the community have a good profile on Hacker News? (Mine is barely active.)
• Does anyone in the community have a good profile on Reddit? (Mine is OK but we need multiple ones.)
• What are other external websites and channels where we can spread the word? Slack/Discord communities, etc.
• Who can be loyal/sympathetic to Chart.js so we can ask to help spread the word?

Tagging @etimberg @kurkle @LeeLenaleee @dangreen @benmccann @stockiNail for visibility.

[etimberg]

I'm happy to post on hackernews. I've got an active profile there and have answered chart.js questions before.

I do agree that the site needs updates. Perhaps we can make a short list of features we'd want to advertise on the home page?

[LeeLenaleee]

From V4 the only feature that is worth noticing at the home page in my eyes is the fixed treeshaking, all the other features are nice to have but not major selling points

[etimberg]

For dates, those work for me provided we get stuff done before the last minute. My day job will be busy that week

[igorlukanin]

Sounds good! We have a full week to prepare in advance.

[LeeLenaleee]

There is already a issue open for this, so please don't ask things like this on random threads that have nothing to do with your problem since it only clutters the thread

#10951

[igorlukanin]

A few data points to conclude the launch. Cc @etimberg @kurkle @LeeLenaleee @dangreen @Arantiryo

• We've got a substantial bump in GitHub stars (new people discovering Chart.js)

• We've got some kind of a visible bump in v4 downloads

Date	Downloads on npm, all versions	Downloads on npm, v4	JSDelivr downloads, v4	GitHub stars
Nov 30	2,260,000	? (~3 %)	?	?
Dec 14	2,468,180	119,897 (4,8%)	35,691,288	58,994
Dec 20	2,401,354	134,453 (5,6%)	35,995,962	59,223

• There have been some interesting discussions on Reddit:

  • A controversial and funny Chart.js vs ECharts thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/zmg3rv/comment/j0b2vil/
  • An insightful yet painful thread on accesibility: https://www.reddit.com/r/webdev/comments/zmgvzr/comment/j0bkxjn/

• The meetup announcement has generated only a dozen registrations to this point. I think it would be great to add a link to that somewhere else to boost registrations

I'd like to know if you have any feedback or comments on this!