📄 d3/d3-scale/sequential

File: sequential.md | Updated: 11/15/2025

Source: https://d3js.org/d3-scale/sequential

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Sequential scales

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Sequential scales are similar to linear scales in that they map a continuous, numeric input domain to a continuous output range. Unlike linear scales, the input domain and output range of a sequential scale always have exactly two elements, and the output range is typically specified as an interpolator rather than an array of values. Sequential scales are typically used for a color encoding; see also d3-scale-chromatic . These scales do not expose invert and interpolate methods. There are also log , pow , symlog , and quantile variants of sequential scales.

scaleSequential(domain, interpolator)


Examples · Source · Constructs a new sequential scale with the specified domain and interpolator function or array.

js

const color = d3.scaleSequential([0, 100], d3.interpolateBlues);

If domain is not specified, it defaults to [0, 1].

js

const color = d3.scaleSequential(d3.interpolateBlues);

If interpolator is not specified, it defaults to the identity function.

js

const identity = d3.scaleSequential();

When the scale is applied, the interpolator will be invoked with a value typically in the range [0, 1], where 0 represents the minimum value and 1 represents the maximum value. For example, to implement the ill-advised angry rainbow scale (please use interpolateRainbow instead):

js

const rainbow = d3.scaleSequential((t) => d3.hsl(t * 360, 1, 0.5) + "");

If interpolator is an array, it represents the scale’s two-element output range and is converted to an interpolator function using interpolate .

js

const color = d3.scaleSequential(["red", "blue"]);

A sequential scale’s domain must be numeric and must contain exactly two values.

sequential.interpolator(interpolator)


If interpolator is specified, sets the scale’s interpolator to the specified function.

js

const color = d3.scaleSequential().interpolator(d3.interpolateBlues);

If interpolator is not specified, returns the scale’s current interpolator.

js

color.interpolator() // d3.interpolateBlues

sequential.range(range)


See linear.range . If range is specified, the given two-element array is converted to an interpolator function using interpolate .

js

const color = d3.scaleSequential().range(["red", "blue"]);

The above is equivalent to:

js

const color = d3.scaleSequential(d3.interpolate("red", "blue"));

sequential.rangeRound(range)


See linear.rangeRound . If range is specified, implicitly uses interpolateRound as the interpolator.

scaleSequentialLog(domain, range)


Returns a new sequential scale with a logarithmic transform, analogous to a log scale .

scaleSequentialPow(domain, range)


Returns a new sequential scale with an exponential transform, analogous to a power scale .

scaleSequentialSqrt(domain, range)


Returns a new sequential scale with a square-root transform, analogous to a sqrt scale .

scaleSequentialSymlog(domain, range)


Returns a new sequential scale with a symmetric logarithmic transform, analogous to a symlog scale .

scaleSequentialQuantile(domain, range)


Source · Returns a new sequential scale with a p-quantile transform, analogous to a quantile scale .

sequentialQuantile.quantiles(n)


Source · Returns an array of n + 1 quantiles.

js

const color = d3.scaleSequentialQuantile()
    .domain(penguins.map((d) => d.body_mass_g))
    .interpolator(d3.interpolateBlues);

color.quantiles(4); // [2700, 3550, 4050, 4750, 6300]

For example, if n = 4, returns an array of five numbers: the minimum value, the first quartile, the median, the third quartile, and the maximum.