CartoDB's goal is to be the "Instagram service for maps". They make it easy to make attractive maps, even without knowledge of sql and css. However, to take advantage of its full power sql and css are invaluable.
Pros: Default maps are beautiful, very powerful
Cons: Free maps must be public, more limited free storage, mostly relies on a basic knowledge of sql and css
The CartoDB website has some great tutorials for familiarizing yourself with the software. Try starting with "Creating a simple points". From there, you can look for the tutorials that fit your specific needs. Note: After each tutorial, you may need to delete the map you've created before making a new one. CartoDB severely limits your storage space.
For more tutorials, you can try github.
Reminder: Tableau Public is available for Windows only. If you have a Mac, CartoDB or Google Fusion Tables are good alternatives to Tableau Public. Also, since Tableau Public requires an install, you may not be able to use it on computers in labs or libraries.
Go to the Tableau Public home page and click DOWNLOAD in the upper-right. Follow the steps to download and install Tableau Public.
We also need to create an account. While installing, go back to the Tableau Public home page and click Login, which is the upper right corner of the screen. Follow the instructions to create a new account.
Once installed, open Tableau Public. You're now ready to begin the tutorials below.
To show off what CartoDB can do, we're going to make a map of the world's countries and their populations.
1. First, download the data set from here.
2. CartoDB makes it easy to upload your data. On your dashboard, click Create Table. Drag and drop the file you downloaded into the space provided.
3. It may take a few minutes to upload. Once it has, you should be presented with table of countries with geographic locations and population numbers. To see it as a map, click Map View. You should see an orange map of the world.
4. Since we have the data to do so, it'd be nice to see the populations of the countries, so let's make an intensity map. Click Wizards on the sidebar, and then select Choropleth.
You should see a warning that there are no numeric columns in your table. Right now, CartoDB sees your population column as a list of letters, instead of as actual numbers. Let's change that. Going back to the table view, locate the "pop2005 column". Using the drop down menu, change the data type to "number".
5. Go back the Map View, and the Wizards, and try again to change the map type to Choropleth.
Done! You should see a map like the one above. Now that you've familiarized yourself with CartoDB, try some of the tutorials below, or mess around with some data of your own.
