---
url: https://chartbuddy.io/embed/docs/axes/breaks.md
---
# Axis breaks

An **axis break** skips a span on a **linear range** axis (for outliers or empty bands). Breaks live on `axes.<side>.breaks` for `primaryRange` or `secondaryRange` (not on the domain axis).

```js
axes: {
  left: {
    id: 'primaryRange',
    breaks: [
      {
        id: 'break-1',
        domainStart: 40,
        domainEnd: 180,
        gapPixels: 4,           // 3–12; default 4
        coverageMode: 'local',  // 'local' | 'fullWidth'
        // style: 'wave' | 'slashPair'  (optional)
      },
    ],
  },
}
```

| Field | Role |
|---|---|
| `id` | Stable id for update/remove |
| `domainStart` / `domainEnd` | Skipped value range (`start < end`) |
| `gapPixels` | Visual gap height/width in px (clamped ~3–12) |
| `coverageMode` | `'local'` – break marks near data; `'fullWidth'` – band across the plot. Default: `'fullWidth'` on **line**, `'local'` on bar-like types |
| `style` | Optional break stroke variant (`wave`, `slashPair`, …) |

Defaults seed `breaks: []` (no breaks).

***

## When to use

* One outlier column dwarfs the rest
* A long empty band between clusters of values
* You need readable ticks on both sides of a gap

Avoid breaks when the full magnitude matters (for example one bar is 10× the others). A break can hide that.

***

## Recipe: collapse a gap on a bar chart

```js
{
  chartType: 'clusteredBar',
  isDataTransposed: true,
  seriesData: [
    ['', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D'],
    ['Value', 12, 15, 220, 18],
  ],
  axes: {
    left: {
      breaks: [
        {
          id: 'skip-mid',
          domainStart: 40,
          domainEnd: 200,
          gapPixels: 6,
          coverageMode: 'local',
        },
      ],
      labels: { preferredTickInterval: 10 },
    },
  },
}
```

***

## Authoring tips

* Prefer building the break in the editor (drag handles), then `getChartData()` – geometry is easier to judge visually
* Keep `domainStart` / `domainEnd` **inside** the visible scale; breaks outside the domain are ignored or clamped
* Pair with a sensible `preferredTickInterval` so labels still land cleanly on both sides of the gap
* Secondary axis breaks use the same shape on the secondary side (`right` or `top`)

***

## Pitfalls

* Break that overlaps real data you still need to compare linearly
* `gapPixels` outside 3–12 (clamped)
* Expecting breaks on band/category domains – range axes only

Next: [Value axis](/axes/value-axis) · [Secondary](/axes/secondary)