How to Make a Violin Plot on Mac & Windows

A violin plot is a box plot with the full shape drawn in. Here's how to make one on Mac & Windows and read the curves.

A violin plot compares groups like a box plot, but instead of just the quartiles it draws a smoothed density on each side — so you see where the data concentrates, not only its summary.

Make it

Open your dataset and choose the Violin chart.
Pick a numeric variable and a grouping column.
Read the curves — wide where values pile up, narrow where they're sparse.

A violin plot comparing groups by distribution shape in Stratum — Each violin is a smoothed density — width shows where data concentrates.

Read the shape

A single fat bulge is a unimodal group; two bulges mean the group is really two clusters in disguise — the thing a box plot can't show. A long thin tail signals skew. You can keep the quartile box drawn inside each violin to get the summary and the shape together.

When to choose a violin over a box plot. Reach for a violin when the shape matters — when you suspect bimodality or want to show the full distribution. Stick with a box plot when you just need clean summaries across many groups. We compare them in Violin vs Box Plot.

Export it

One click to PNG or PDF. For jitter, bandwidth, and styling, see Lesson 6.

Download Stratum

Frequently asked questions

What is a violin plot?

A chart that compares groups by drawing a smoothed density of each group's distribution, often with the quartile box inside. It shows shape — including multiple peaks — not just summary statistics.

When should I use a violin plot instead of a box plot?

When the distribution's shape matters — especially if a group might be bimodal (two clusters). A box plot would hide that; a violin reveals it.

What does the width of a violin mean?

Width shows how many values fall at that level — wide where the data concentrates, narrow in the tails. It's a smoothed density, mirrored on both sides.

Can a violin plot show quartiles too?

Yes — Stratum can draw the box-plot quartiles inside each violin, so you get the five-number summary and the full shape at once.