How to Create a Venn Diagram in R (8 Examples)

This article illustrates how to draw venn diagrams in the R programming language. Venn diagrams are also referred to as primary diagram, set diagram, or logic diagram.

Table of contents:

Let’s do this:

Setting Up VennDiagram Package

In the examples of this R tutorial, we’ll use functions provided by the VennDiagram add-on package for the R programming language. In order to use the functions of VennDiagram, we need to install and load the package first:

install.packages("VennDiagram")                       # Install VennDiagram package
library("VennDiagram")                                # Load VennDiagram package

I recommend to have a look at the help documentation of the VennDiagram package. However, in the following examples you’ll learn how to apply the main functions of the VennDiagram package.

Example 1: Single Venn Diagram in R

Example 1 shows how to draw a single venn diagram, i.e. only one circle. Have a look at the following R code:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.single.venn(area = 10)                           # Create single venn diagram

Venn Diagram Example 1

Figure 1: Single Venn Diagram in R.

Figure 1 is visualizing the output of the previous R syntax. Note that the previous code contains two steps.

First, we are creating a new plotting page with the grid.newpage function. We should usually do this step before the creation of each venn diagram, because otherwise the venn diagram is just overlaying previously created plots.

Second, we are producing our single venn diagram with the draw.single.venn function. All we are specifying within the function is the size of our area (i.e. 10).

Example 2: Pairwise Venn Diagram

The VennDiagram package provides functions for the production of venn diagrams of basically every number of sets (i.e. circles). The draw.pairwise.venn is used to draw pairwise venn diagrams.

If we want to apply the draw.pairwise.venn command, we need to specify the sizes of the areas of both sets as well as the intersection of the two sets:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.pairwise.venn(area1 = 10,                        # Create pairwise venn diagram
                   area2 = 20,
                   cross.area = 2)

Venn Diagram Example 2

Figure 2: Pairwise Venn Diagram.

Figure 2 is showing the output of our previous R code. As you can see, the size of the areas are reflected in the visualization of the pairwise venn diagram.

Example 3: Venn Diagram with Three Sets

Similar to the R programming code of Example 2, we can use the draw.triple.venn function to create a venn diagram with three sets. Note that this time we need to specify three different area values as well as the pairwise intersections and the intersection area of all sets:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.triple.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Create venn diagram with three sets
                 area2 = 20,
                 area3 = 15,
                 n12 = 2,
                 n23 = 3,
                 n13 = 7,
                 n123 = 2)

Venn Diagram Example 3

Figure 3: Triple Venn Diagram.

Note that the VennDiagram package provides further functions for more complex venn diagrams with multiple sets, i.e. draw.quad.venn, draw.quintuple.venn, or the more general function venn.diagram, which is taking a list and creates a TIFF-file in publication-quality.

However, for simplicity we’ll stick to the triple venn diagram in the remaining examples of this R tutorial.

Example 4: Change Color of Venn Diagram

In Example 4, I’ll show you how to make a venn diagram with colored lines around the circles and a filling color of the circles. The following R code is the same as in Example 3, but in addition we are specifying the line color to be red and the filling color to be blue (with the HEX-code #1b98e0). Have a look at the output:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.triple.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Change color of venn diagram
                 area2 = 20,
                 area3 = 15,
                 n12 = 2,
                 n23 = 3,
                 n13 = 7,
                 n123 = 2,
                 col = "red",
                 fill = "#1b98e0")

Venn Diagram Example 4

Figure 4: Venn Diagram with Color.

Example 5: Specify Different Color for Each Set

We can also specify a different color for each of the sets of our venn diagram. For this task, we need to set the fill argument to be equal to a vector of colors. Each element of this vector is defining the color of one of the circles:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.triple.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Different color for each set
                 area2 = 20,
                 area3 = 15,
                 n12 = 2,
                 n23 = 3,
                 n13 = 7,
                 n123 = 2,
                 col = "red",
                 fill = c("pink", "green", "orange"))

Venn Diagram Example 5

Figure 5: Different Color for Each Circle.

Example 6: Disable Transparency of Venn Diagram

You may have noticed that the previous venn diagrams are transparent, i.e. showing the intersections in a mixed and overlapping color. If we want to reduce or even disable this transparency, we can use the alpha argument of the VennDiagram functions. An alpha of 1, as shown below, is disabling the transparency completely:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.triple.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Disable transparency of venn diagram
                 area2 = 20,
                 area3 = 15,
                 n12 = 2,
                 n23 = 3,
                 n13 = 7,
                 n123 = 2,
                 col = "red",
                 fill = c("pink", "green", "orange"),
                 alpha = 1)

Venn Diagram Example 6

Figure 6: No Transparency in Venn Diagram.

Example 7: Remove Lines from Venn Diagram

The VennDiagram functions provide the possibility to remove the lines around the circles by specifying the lty argument to be equal to blank. Let’s do this in practice:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.triple.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Remove lines from venn diagram
                 area2 = 20,
                 area3 = 15,
                 n12 = 2,
                 n23 = 3,
                 n13 = 7,
                 n123 = 2,
                 fill = c("pink", "green", "orange"),
                 lty = "blank")

Venn Diagram Example 7

Figure 7: Venn Diagram without Lines.

Example 8: Add Name to Each Set of Venn Diagram

Finally, I want to show you how to assign category names (or labels) to each of our sets. We can do that by assigning a vector of category names to the category option of the VennDiagram functions:

grid.newpage()                                        # Move to new plotting page
draw.triple.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Add name to each set
                 area2 = 20,
                 area3 = 15,
                 n12 = 2,
                 n23 = 3,
                 n13 = 7,
                 n123 = 2,
                 fill = c("pink", "green", "orange"),
                 lty = "blank",
                 category = c("Group 1", "Group 2", "Group 3"))

Venn Diagram Example 8

Figure 8: Adding Category Names.

Figure 8 is the same as Figure 7, but this time it is showing labels for each circle.

Video, Further Resources & Summary

If you need further info on the examples of this page, you might want to watch the following video which I have published on my YouTube channel. In the video, I illustrate the R codes of this tutorial.

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Additionally, you might read the other tutorials of my website.

In summary: In this R tutorial you learned how to generate a venn diagram in RStudio. Please tell me about it in the comments section, if you have further questions or comments. Furthermore, don’t forget to subscribe to my email newsletter in order to receive updates on the newest articles.

10 Comments. Leave new

Elisee

May 4, 2020 10:33 am

Hi Mr. As you know in Venn Diagramm we have to put some words in every venn. I would like to know how to do it with R

Joachim

May 4, 2020 2:07 pm

Hi Elisee,

That’s actually a bit tricky (as far as I know). I found this forum thread on Stack Overflow, based on which I created the following R code:

grid.newpage()                                                       # Move to new plotting page
venn.plot <- draw.pairwise.venn(area1 = 10,                          # Create pairwise venn diagram
                                area2 = 20,
                                cross.area = 2)
 
addlab <- function(lab, x, y, offset = 0) {                          # Create own function
  grid.text(lab, unit(as.numeric(x), "npc"), 
            unit(as.numeric(y) - offset, "npc"), 
            draw = FALSE)
}
 
my_labels <- c("text_1", "text_2", "text_3", "text_4", "text_5")     # Define text for each element
lbls <- gList()
text_counter <- 1
 
for(i in seq(along.with = venn.plot)) {
  if(regexpr("text", venn.plot[[i]]$name) > 0) {                     # Check if it is a grid.text object
    lbls <- gList(lbls,                                              # Write counter value below existing label
                  addlab(my_labels[text_counter],
                         venn.plot[[i]]$x,
                         venn.plot[[i]]$y,
                         0.03))
    text_counter <- text_counter + 1                                 # Increase counter
  }
}
 
grid.draw(venn.plot)                                                 # Draw venn diagram
grid.draw(lbls)                                                      # Add text

You may replace text_1… by any text you want.

I hope that helps!

Joachim

Jim Roper
June 15, 2020 9:11 pm

In the triple venn, the three ovals or circles are equal in size, rather than proportional to the dimensions that I put in. Is there a way to make them proportional?

Reply
- Joachim
  June 16, 2020 1:27 pm
  
  Hi Jim,
  
  Thanks for the question! Unfortunately, I don’t know by heart how to do this and a Google Search revealed that this is a bit tricky. I found this thread on Stack Overflow, which is discussing the topic.
  
  I hope that helps!
  
  Joachim
  
  Reply
Jim Roper
June 15, 2020 9:54 pm

Another thing, many journals want figures with sanserif fonts. Is there a way to change the font type of the numbers that are automatically displayed?

Reply
- Joachim
  June 16, 2020 1:30 pm
  
  Hi again 🙂
  
  I assume this should be possible by specifying the font options when exporting the figures (e.g. in the pdf() function). Have a look at this thread for more information.
  
  Regards,
  
  Joachim
  
  Reply
George Wasonga Alal
March 21, 2021 5:22 pm

Hello Joachim,
How do I arrange a .csv file to draw a Venn diagram with multiple variables i.e.
1. Classes of Bacteria in Tissues clone Libraries
2. Classes of Bacteria in Water Clone Libraries and
3. “Classes of bacteria shared between Tissue and water clone libraries”

Reply
- Joachim
  March 22, 2021 8:16 am
  Hi George,
  
  I would calculate the number of cases in each of your groups using logical conditions. For example:
  nrow(data[data$class == "Tissues", ])
  nrow(data[data$class == "Tissues", ])
  The resulting number of cases would then be used as area values as explained in this tutorial.
  
  I hope that helps!
  
  Joachim
  Reply
George Wasonga Alal
March 23, 2021 2:52 pm

Hello Joachim
Thanks for the help but if I have a data with many Row number but in three categories as stated above, how would you go about it? and these are in percentages

I can send the data and you let me know how you go about it with stacking pie chats as per the example shown with many pie charts stacked on each other

Reply
- Joachim
  March 23, 2021 3:49 pm
  
  Hi George,
  
  You may send me a subsample of your data so that I can have a look. You can find my email contact on the about page.
  
  Regards
  
  Joachim
  
  Reply