Is Matplotlib Nonetheless the Finest Python Library for Static Plots? | by Mike Clayton

Is Matplotlib Nonetheless the Finest Python Library for Static Plots? | by Mike Clayton | Jan, 2024

Visualisation

Is the ever-present unique nonetheless the grasp?

A scatter plot with colours and point sizes depending on the input data — A Matplotlib scatter plot — Picture by Writer

Matplotlib might be the primary plotting library that each information scientist, or information analyst, comes throughout in the event that they work within the Python programming language. It seems for use in all places.

…so, is it so ubiquitous as a result of it’s the finest obtainable? Or has it simply been round within the business a very long time? What alternate options are there, and the way do they measure up?

You could word within the title of the article that I’ve particularly talked about static plots.

Static vs Dynamic

Though dashboards, and interactive plots, are an especially vital side in exploring and presenting information, there’ll at all times be a requirement for static plots.

Studies, technical papers, articles, and something in print are at all times going to require static plots. Having the ability to shortly and simply produce clear, logical and exquisite static plots due to this fact stays completely important. With that in thoughts, this text will primarily give attention to static plots.

Static plots pose further challenges

Static plots require all the data to be displayed successfully in a single view. There are not any dynamic overlays, or zooming and panning, to assist acquire additional data on the fly such as you would possibly see in a dashboard or interactive plot.

Because the previous saying goes “an image can convey a thousand phrases”…however the CAN in that assertion is essential!

Because the previous saying goes “an image can convey a thousand phrases”. Nevertheless, the CAN in that assertion is essential! If the plot is poorly constructed, the message positively won’t be conveyed successfully.

Consumer vs Library

Producing a nicely thought out plot, to some extent, comes right down to the ability of the practitioner, nevertheless it additionally depends on the usability and extensibility of the plotting library in query.