Learn OBSERVABLEHQ with Real Code Examples

Updated Nov 26, 2025

Introduction & Fundamentals Setup & Configuration Architecture & Deep Internals Performance & Security Development Workflow Learning & Career Growth Business & Strategy Examples

Installation Setup

No installation needed; runs in modern web browsers

Optional: sign up for an account to save and share notebooks

Supports importing data from URLs, CSVs, JSON, and APIs

Optional GitHub integration for version control

Works on desktop, tablet, or mobile browsers

Environment Setup

Open modern web browser

Create new notebook or fork existing one

Start writing code and visualization cells

Save, share, and publish notebooks online

Config Files

Notebook metadata (title, description, author)

Embedded data via URL or inline

Optional JSON configuration for Plot or D3 settings

Assets like images or icons referenced via URLs

Version history and fork metadata

Cli Commands

No CLI required; entirely web-based

Optional npm or D3 setup for local experiments

Notebook operations via GUI (save, fork, publish)

Run/Refresh controls update cells

Export cell code for external use

Internationalization

Notebook UI in English primarily

Supports Unicode in code, comments, and Markdown

Community-contributed notebooks in multiple languages

Data labels and annotations can be localized

Browser-based, so follows system language settings

Accessibility

Accessible in modern browsers

Supports screen readers and keyboard navigation

Interactive elements compatible with accessibility standards

Markdown provides text descriptions for visuals

Works across desktop and tablet devices

Ui Styling

Split view with editor and live output

Interactive sliders, buttons, and input elements

Markdown for documentation and explanation

Custom CSS via HTML cells

Clean, responsive browser-based interface

State Management

Reactive cells maintain runtime state

Updates propagate automatically across dependent cells

Mutable variables can be used for interactive inputs

Notebook state preserved across sessions when logged in

Forking creates independent copies of notebooks

Data Management

Datasets imported via CSV, JSON, or APIs

Assets referenced via URLs

Progress saved automatically in cloud account

Data changes propagate reactively in visualizations

Dependencies managed via URL imports for JS libraries