Code to reproduce the result of my post -- https://ikashnitsky.github.io/2017/ggplot2-microbenchmark/

the-speed-of-ggplot2-rendering-canvas-effect.R

################################################################################
#                                                    
# ikashnitsky.github.io 2017-07-15
# The speed of ggplot2 using canvas
# Ilya Kashnitsky, ilya.kashnitsky@gmail.com
#                                                  
################################################################################

# load required packages
library(tidyverse)      # data manipulation and viz
library(ggthemes)       # themes for ggplot2
library(viridis)        # the best color palette
library(rgdal)          # deal with shapefiles
library(microbenchmark) # measure the speed of executing
library(extrafont)      # nice font
myfont <- "Roboto Condensed"
library(RColorBrewer)


################################################################################
# simple plot

canv_mt <- ggplot(mtcars, aes(hp, mpg, color = cyl))+
        coord_cartesian()

# test speed with mocrobenchmark
test <- microbenchmark(
        without_canvas = ggplot(mtcars, aes(hp, mpg, color = cyl))+
                coord_cartesian()+
                geom_point()
        
        ,
        
        with_canvas = canv_mt+
                geom_point()
       
        ,
        
        times = 100
)

test

autoplot(test)+
        aes(fill = expr)+
        scale_fill_viridis(discrete = T)+
        theme_bw(base_size = 15, base_family = myfont)+
        theme(legend.position = "none",
              axis.text = element_text(size = 15))+
        labs(title = "The speed of creating a simple ggplot")


################################################################################
# map

# load the already prepared data
load(url("https://ikashnitsky.github.io/doc/misc/map-subplots/df-27-261-urb-rur.RData"))
load(url("https://ikashnitsky.github.io/doc/misc/map-subplots/spatial-27-261.RData"))

# fortify spatial objects
neib <- fortify(Sneighbors)
bord <- fortify(Sborders)
fort <- fortify(Sn2, region = "id")

# join spatial and statistical data
fort_map <- left_join(df, fort, "id")

# pal for the subregions
brbg3 <- brewer.pal(11,"BrBG")[c(8,2,11)]

# create a blank map
basemap <- ggplot()+
        geom_polygon(data = neib,
                     aes(x = long, y = lat, group = group),
                     fill = "grey90",color = "grey90")+
        coord_equal(ylim = c(1350000,5450000), 
                    xlim = c(2500000, 6600000), 
                    expand = c(0,0))+
        theme_map(base_family = myfont)+
        theme(panel.border = element_rect(color = "black",size = .5,fill = NA),
              legend.position = c(1, 1),
              legend.justification = c(1, 1),
              legend.background = element_rect(colour = NA, fill = NA),
              legend.title = element_text(size = 15),
              legend.text = element_text(size = 15))+
        labs(x = NULL, y = NULL)


# test speed with mocrobenchmark
test_map <- microbenchmark(
        without_canvas = 
                ggplot()+
                geom_polygon(data = neib,
                             aes(x = long, y = lat, group = group),
                             fill = "grey90",color = "grey90")+
                coord_equal(ylim = c(1350000,5450000), 
                            xlim = c(2500000, 6600000), 
                            expand = c(0,0))+
                theme_map(base_family = myfont)+
                theme(panel.border = element_rect(color = "black",
                                                  size = .5,fill = NA),
                      legend.position = c(1, 1),
                      legend.justification = c(1, 1),
                      legend.background = element_rect(colour = NA, fill = NA),
                      legend.title = element_text(size = 15),
                      legend.text = element_text(size = 15))+
                labs(x = NULL, y = NULL) +
                geom_polygon(data = fort_map, 
                             aes(x = long, y = lat, group = group, 
                                 fill = subregion), color = NA)+
                scale_fill_manual(values = rev(brbg3)) +
                theme(legend.position = "none")
        
        ,
        
        with_canvas = 
                basemap +
                geom_polygon(data = fort_map, 
                             aes(x = long, y = lat, group = group, 
                                 fill = subregion), color = NA)+
                scale_fill_manual(values = rev(brbg3)) +
                theme(legend.position = "none")
        
        ,
        
        times = 100
)
      

autoplot(test_map)+
        aes(fill = expr)+
        scale_fill_viridis(discrete = T)+
        theme_bw(base_size = 15, base_family = myfont)+
        theme(legend.position = "none",
              axis.text = element_text(size = 15))+
        labs(title = "The speed of creating a map with ggplot2")