Gantt Chart Maker
Plan and track a project on a visual timeline. A Gantt chart lays out tasks as horizontal bars against a calendar, showing durations, dependencies and milestones, so the whole schedule and its progress are clear at a glance.
Create Gantt Chart →What is a Gantt Chart?
A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart that displays a project schedule against a calendar. Each task is a bar whose position and length show its start date, end date and duration, and the chart as a whole gives an immediate visual picture of what happens when.
Beyond simple bars, a Gantt chart captures dependencies, which tasks must finish before others start, and milestones, key dates marking phase completions or reviews. This makes it both a planning tool, for laying out the sequence and timing of work, and a tracking tool, for comparing progress against the plan.
The Gantt chart's strength is communication. Its intuitive timeline format lets stakeholders of any background grasp the schedule, see how tasks overlap, and understand the impact of a delay, which is why it is one of the most widely used project-management visuals.
In plain terms: A Gantt chart is the classic project timeline: every task is a bar showing when it starts, how long it runs, and what it depends on. Milestones mark the big dates. It's the easiest way to see a whole schedule at once and to spot whether you're on track.
What a Gantt Chart Shows
Task Bars
Each task is a bar positioned and sized by its start date and duration, so timing and overlap are visible at a glance.
Dependencies
Links show which tasks must finish before others begin, making the sequence and knock-on effects of delay clear.
Milestones
Key dates, such as phase completions or reviews, marked as points on the timeline to anchor the schedule.
Key Formulas
Using the Chart
Read the chart left to right to follow the schedule over time, and watch where bars overlap to see concurrent work and potential resource conflicts. Dependencies reveal how a slip in one task pushes those that follow.
A Gantt chart shows the schedule but does not, on its own, identify which tasks are critical to the finish date. For that, combine it with PERT/CPM analysis, which finds the critical path and slack that the bar chart alone does not make explicit.
Assumptions & Validation
Defined Tasks & Dates
Tasks have clear start dates, durations and dependencies.
If violated: Clarify any task lacking a duration or dependency.
Realistic Durations
Estimated durations are achievable.
If violated: Revisit optimistic estimates that will not hold.
Maintained Plan
The chart is updated as work progresses.
If violated: Update actuals regularly, or the chart stops reflecting reality.
⚠️ Check assumptions first
A Gantt chart communicates a schedule but does not by itself reveal the critical path or manage resources, so treat it as a timeline view rather than a complete scheduling analysis. For large projects with many dependencies, pair it with PERT/CPM to identify which tasks control the finish date. And a Gantt chart is only useful if it is kept current; an outdated chart misleads everyone who reads it.
When NOT to Use Gantt Chart
Critical-Path Analysis
To find which tasks control the finish date and how much slack others have, use PERT/CPM.
Continuous Flow Work
For ongoing, repetitive work rather than a scheduled project, a Kanban board fits better.
High-Level Authorization
To frame and authorize the project itself, use a project charter, not a schedule.
Industry Applications
Project Planning
Lay out the tasks, durations and dependencies of a project on a clear timeline.
Progress Tracking
Compare actual progress against the planned schedule to spot slippage early.
Stakeholder Communication
Present the schedule in an intuitive format anyone can understand.
Phase & Milestone Management
Track the milestones and phase gates of an improvement or design project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Gantt chart used for?
A Gantt chart displays a project schedule as horizontal bars on a timeline, where each bar's position and length show a task's start, duration and end. It is used to plan the sequence and timing of work, track progress against the plan, and communicate the schedule to stakeholders. Its intuitive visual format makes it one of the most widely used project-management tools.
How does a Gantt chart show dependencies?
Dependencies are shown by linking tasks that must occur in sequence, indicating that one task cannot start until another finishes. These links make the logical order of work explicit and reveal how a delay in one task will push back the tasks that depend on it. Capturing dependencies is what turns a simple list of dated bars into a meaningful schedule.
What is the difference between a Gantt chart and PERT/CPM?
A Gantt chart is a visual timeline that shows when tasks happen and how they overlap. PERT/CPM is an analytical technique that models the same tasks as a network to compute the critical path, slack and expected duration. The Gantt chart communicates the schedule, while PERT/CPM identifies which tasks actually control the finish date; the two are often used together.
What is a milestone on a Gantt chart?
A milestone is a significant point in the schedule, such as the completion of a phase, a key approval or a review, marked on the timeline as a zero-duration event rather than a task bar. Milestones anchor the schedule and provide checkpoints for tracking progress. In improvement and design projects, they often correspond to phase gates or charter-defined review dates.
Does a Gantt chart identify the critical path?
Not on its own. A Gantt chart shows the schedule and dependencies but does not automatically highlight which sequence of tasks determines the shortest possible completion time. To find the critical path and the slack available on non-critical tasks, the schedule needs critical-path analysis such as CPM. Many tools combine the two, using the analysis to inform and sometimes highlight the Gantt view.
How often should a Gantt chart be updated?
A Gantt chart should be updated regularly, as tasks start, progress and finish, so it continues to reflect the real state of the project. An outdated chart gives a false picture of the schedule and undermines the decisions based on it. Keeping actual progress current against the plan is what allows the chart to reveal slippage early enough to act on.
Plan and Track on a Visual Timeline
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