Feature Request: Native Support for Grouped Categories in Heatmap Headers

[efreesen]

Description of the feature

I would like to request the inclusion of grouped categories on heatmap headers as a core functionality in Highcharts. This feature is already available through an external plugin (https://github.com/blacklabel/grouped_categories) and has proven to be very useful in organizing and displaying data with hierarchical categories. Given that some other Highcharts charts, like bar charts and column charts, already support grouped categories natively, incorporating this feature into heatmaps would create a more consistent and seamless user experience across the library. This would particularly benefit users who need to represent complex, hierarchical data in a heatmap format.

Typical use-cases:

• Displaying data with multiple levels of categories in a heatmap, making it easier to understand and analyze the data.
• Aligning heatmap functionality with other chart types that already support grouped categories, providing consistency across the library.
• Reducing the need for external plugins, leading to better integration and support within the core Highcharts library.

Library related to the feature

Highcharts

Proof of Concept/Live example for the feature

A proof of concept for this feature can be seen in the external plugin: blacklabel/grouped_categories. This plugin effectively demonstrates how grouped categories can be implemented on heatmaps, and similar functionality could be incorporated into Highcharts' core library.

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[hubertkozik]

Hi @efreesen! Thank you for sharing the Feature Request. As you mentioned, for now, you can use the Grouped Categories plugin.

[efreesen]

Hi @hubertkozik,

Thank you for your prompt response.

Our primary concern is the potential risk of the application breaking with future updates, especially since this library is not part of the Core lib. Additionally, there's a possibility that the library might be discontinued.

Would it be possible to incorporate the functionality of this library directly into the Core lib? If that's not feasible, could you confirm whether we can rely on this library remaining stable and compatible with upcoming updates of Highcharts over the next few months (Is the code on Highcharts altered by the lib considered more stable in this regard)?

Thank you.