Compares groups of numbers as box plots on one shared horizontal axis: per group a box from the lower to the upper quartile, a line at the median, whiskers to the furthest numbers within 1.5 times the box length, and dots for the outliers beyond. The quartiles come from d3-array quantileSorted and the axis from d3 nice() and ticks(), computed on the server, so there is no script. A hidden table gives each group's count, minimum, quartiles, median, maximum and outlier count. Motion-ready: each group fades in through --k from --p (build progress 0 to 1, default 1); the standalone render is the finished picture and reduced motion shows the end state.
| Surface | Note |
|---|---|
| Prints the finished picture; no motion |
| Field | Type | Required |
|---|---|---|
| title | string (optional, max 80). | optional |
| groups | array (required, 1 to 12) of {label (string, max 30, default "Group n"), values (array, 5 to 2000, of numbers), stats? (object {q1, median, q3, lo?, hi?, min?, max?, mean?, n?}, a precomputed summary drawn instead of values; q1 <= median <= q3)}. Entries that are not finite numbers or whose size is above 1e12 are skipped and counted in a note; a group with fewer than 5 usable numbers, or an entry that is not a group, is left out with a note. Groups beyond the first 12 are noted and not drawn. | required |
| x_label | string (optional, max 40). Names the values on the axis. | optional |
| unit | string (optional, max 12). Appended to the axis caption and to every value in the label and hidden table. | optional |
| quartile_method | string (optional, "linear", "exclusive" or "inclusive", default "linear" = R-7). Exclusive and inclusive take the median of the lower and upper half (an odd sample's middle value left out, or kept in both). Any option below switches to a static box plot without show_points dots; a note says so if show_points is also given. | optional |
| show_mean | boolean (optional, default false). Only true marks each group's mean with a diamond and adds a Mean column to the table. The mean only; Plotly's boxmean "sd" (mean plus standard deviation) is not drawn. | optional |
| orientation | string (optional, "h" or "v", default "h"). "v" draws vertical boxes on a vertical axis; in a narrow container the group names are replaced by numbers with a key underneath. | optional |
| notches | boolean (optional, default false). Only true draws the median notch, median +/- 1.57 * IQR / sqrt(n), cut at the quartiles. The notch interval is also listed in the table (Notch from, Notch to). (with a note); needs n (the values, or stats.n). | optional |
| shape | string (optional, "box" or "violin", default "box"). "violin" draws a Gaussian kernel density outline (every violin scaled to the same width) with a narrow box inside; it needs values, not stats. | optional |
| bandwidth | number (optional, above 0). The violin kernel bandwidth; default 0.9 * min(sd, IQR / 1.34) * n^-0.2. This is a Silverman-style rule, not the one Plotly uses, so a violin differs slightly from Plotly's. A bandwidth below 1e-6 of the data range is raised to that, with a note. | optional |
| show_points | boolean (optional, default false). Only true switches it on. Draws every usable number of each group as a small dot along its row, at exactly its place on the axis, stacked vertically only as far as needed so no two dots touch (a deterministic dodge beeswarm, no script), behind the box, whiskers and median. Rows are taller. At most 300 dots per chart, shared across the groups in proportion to their sizes and evenly spaced through each group's sorted numbers; a note says so, and the table counts them all. A dot that cannot be placed without touching another stays on the edge of its row; a note counts these. | optional |
| version | integer (optional, default 1). The box_plot contract the payload was written for. Only version 1 exists; a higher whole number is drawn as version 1 with a note. | optional |
{
"type": "box_plot"
}{
"identifier": "urn:air:a2uicatalog.ai:atom:box_plot",
"displayName": "Box Plot",
"type": "application/vnd.a2ui.atom+json",
"url": "https://a2uicatalog.ai/atoms/box_plot",
"capabilities": [
"web",
"google-apps-script-web",
"mcp-apps",
"android"
],
"description": "Compares groups of numbers as box plots on one shared horizontal axis: per group a box from the lower to the upper quartile, a line at the median, whiskers to the furthest numbers within 1.5 times the box length, and dots for the outliers beyond. The quartiles come from d3-array quantileSorted and the axis from d3 nice() and ticks(), computed on the server, so there is no script. A hidden table gives each group's count, minimum, quartiles, median, maximum and outlier count. Motion-ready: each group fades in through --k from --p (build progress 0 to 1, default 1); the standalone render is the finished picture and reduced motion shows the end state.",
"representativeQueries": [
"show a box_plot: compare groups of numbers by median and spread",
"compares groups of numbers as box plots on one shared horizontal axis: per group a box from the lowe",
"render a box plot"
]
}The renderer is an open-source Google Apps Script web app. Deploy your own instance in 4 commands — you own the URL, no dependency on the demo endpoint.
git clone https://github.com/a2uicatalog/a2ui
cd a2ui/apps-script-surface/gas-wired-renderer
clasp push && clasp deploy