Matplotlib: Difference between revisions

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|website = [http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/ matplotlib.sf.net]

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'''Matplotlib''' is a [[Plotter|plotting]] [[Library (computer science)|library]] for the [[Python (programming language)|Python]] whichprogramming useslanguage and its [[Syntax#SyntaxNumPy]] innumerical computermathematics science|syntax]]extension. It provides a "'''pylab'''" API similardesigned to closely resemble that of [[MATLAB]]., thereby Itmaking it easy to learn for experienced MATLAB users. Matplotlib is written and maintained primarily by John Hunter, and is distributed under a BSD-style license.

The library provides a "'''pylab'''" interface which is procedural and based on a state machine, like [[OpenGL]]. There is also an [[Object-oriented programming|OOP]] interface which has less thorough documentation and greater complexity but which allows matplotlib plots to be embedded into applications using generic GUI toolkits, like [[wxPython]], [[Qt]] or [[GTK]].

== Comparison with MATLAB ==

Using the OOP interface, matplotlib plots can be embedded in applications using generic GUI toolkits like [[wxPython]], [[Qt]] or [[GTK]].

Matplotlib has become a viable alternative for many MATLAB users, and – like MATLAB before it – it is on its way to become a commonly used teaching tool for numerical mathematics and signal processing.

Advantages of Python+NumPy+Matplotlib over MATLAB include:

* Based on Python, a full-featured modern object-oriented programming language suitable for large-scale software development

* Suitable for fast scripting, including [[Common Gateway Interface|CGI]] scripts

* Free, open source, no license servers

== Compare to ==