---
title: Bar Chart Race — Animated Bar Chart from CSV Data
url: https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-bar
description: Create animated bar chart race visualizations from CSV data. Watch categories compete and reorder over time. Fullscreen presentation mode.
section: Developer Toolkit (https://varstatt.com/toolkit)
tags: charts
related: Bar Chart (https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-bar), Line Chart (https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-line), Area Chart (https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-area), CSV (https://varstatt.com/toolkit/csv)
---
# Bar Chart Race

Create animated bar chart race visualizations from CSV data. Watch categories compete and reorder over time. Fullscreen presentation mode.

## How It Works

1. **Load your CSV data** — Paste CSV data or upload a file. First column is the time label, remaining columns are named data series with numeric values.
2. **Play the animation** — Hit play to watch bars compete and reorder as values change over time. Adjust speed, max visible bars, and color palette.
3. **Present or export** — Use fullscreen mode for presentations with keyboard controls (Space, arrows). Export a PNG screenshot of any frame.

## FAQ

### What CSV format does it need?

First column = time labels (e.g. 2020, Q1, January). Remaining columns = named series with numeric values. Headers are required. See the pre-loaded sample for reference.

### Is my data sent to a server?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Your CSV data never leaves your machine.

### Can I use it for presentations?

Yes. Click 'Present' for fullscreen mode with a dark background. Use Space to play/pause and arrow keys to step through frames.

### How many bars can it show?

Up to 15 bars. Choose 5, 8, 10, or 15 from the settings. Bars beyond the limit are hidden.

## Usage

This tool runs entirely in the browser — visit the URL above to use it.

## Related Tools

- [Bar Chart](https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-bar)
- [Line Chart](https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-line)
- [Area Chart](https://varstatt.com/toolkit/chart-area)
- [CSV](https://varstatt.com/toolkit/csv)