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`!Matplotlib`! (portmanteau of `F33f`_`[MATLAB`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=MATLAB]`_`f, plot, and library`:cite-ref-3[`F5bf`_`[3`#cite-note-3]`_`f]) is a `F33f`_`[plotting`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Plotter]`_`f `F33f`_`[library`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Library_(computer_science)]`_`f for the `F33f`_`[Python`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Python_(programming_language)]`_`f `F33f`_`[programming language`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Programming_language]`_`f and its `F33f`_`[numerical mathematics`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Numerical_analysis]`_`f extension `F33f`_`[NumPy`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=NumPy]`_`f. It provides an `F33f`_`[object-oriented`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Object-oriented_programming]`_`f `F33f`_`[API`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=API]`_`f for embedding plots into applications using general-purpose `F33f`_`[GUI toolkits`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GUI_toolkit]`_`f like `F33f`_`[Tkinter`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Tkinter]`_`f, `F33f`_`[wxPython`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=WxPython]`_`f, `F33f`_`[Qt`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Qt_(software)]`_`f, or `F33f`_`[GTK`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GTK]`_`f. There is also a `F33f`_`[procedural`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Procedural_programming]`_`f "pylab" interface based on a `F33f`_`[state machine`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=State_machine]`_`f (like `F33f`_`[OpenGL`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=OpenGL]`_`f), designed to closely resemble that of `F33f`_`[MATLAB`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=MATLAB]`_`f, though its use is discouraged.`:cite-ref-4[`F5bf`_`[4`#cite-note-4]`_`f] `F33f`_`[SciPy`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=SciPy]`_`f makes use of Matplotlib.

Matplotlib was originally written by `F33f`_`[John D. Hunter`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=John_D._Hunter]`_`f. Since then it has had an active development community`:cite-ref-5[`F5bf`_`[5`#cite-note-5]`_`f] and is distributed under a `F33f`_`[BSD-style license`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=BSD_licenses]`_`f. Michael Droettboom was nominated as matplotlib's lead developer shortly before John Hunter's death in August 2012`:cite-ref-6[`F5bf`_`[6`#cite-note-6]`_`f] and was further joined by Thomas Caswell.`:cite-ref-7[`F5bf`_`[7`#cite-note-7]`_`f]`:cite-ref-8[`F5bf`_`[8`#cite-note-8]`_`f] Matplotlib is a NumFOCUS fiscally sponsored project.`:cite-ref-9[`F5bf`_`[9`#cite-note-9]`_`f]

>>Contents

• `F0af`_`[Usage`#usage]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Related projects`#related-projects]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[External links`#external-links]`_`f

-─

>>Usage

Matplotlib is used in scientific research as a tool for data visualization. For example, the `F33f`_`[Event Horizon Telescope`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Event_Horizon_Telescope]`_`f collaboration used Matplotlib to produce visualizations during the effort to create the first image of a black hole.`:cite-ref-numpyblackhole-10-0[`F5bf`_`[10`#cite-note-numpyblackhole-10]`_`f] Matplotlib also underpins the plotting functionality of many scientific `F33f`_`[Python`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Python_(programming_language)]`_`f libraries (for instance, `F33f`_`[pandas`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Pandas_(software)]`_`f uses Matplotlib as its default backend for plotting). Its importance to the scientific community has been acknowledged by institutions such as `F33f`_`[NASA`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=NASA]`_`f, which in 2024 awarded a grant to support Matplotlib’s continued development as part of an initiative to fund widely used open-source scientific software.`:cite-ref-nasaopensource-11-0[`F5bf`_`[11`#cite-note-nasaopensource-11]`_`f]

In education and data science, Matplotlib is frequently used to teach programming and data visualization. It integrates with `F33f`_`[Jupyter Notebook`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Jupyter_Notebook]`_`f, allowing students and instructors to generate inline plots and interactively explore data within a notebook environment.`:cite-ref-jupyternature-12-0[`F5bf`_`[12`#cite-note-jupyternature-12]`_`f] Many educational institutions incorporate Matplotlib into their curricula for teaching STEM concepts,`:cite-ref-matplotlibtutorial-13-0[`F5bf`_`[13`#cite-note-matplotlibtutorial-13]`_`f] and it is widely featured in tutorials, workshops, and open online courses as a primary plotting library.

>>Related projects

• `F33f`_`[DISLIN`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=DISLIN]`_`f

• `F33f`_`[GNU Octave`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GNU_Octave]`_`f

• `F33f`_`[Plotly`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Plotly]`_`f – for interactive, online Matplotlib and Python graphs

• `F33f`_`[PLplot`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=PLplot]`_`f – Python bindings available

• `F33f`_`[SageMath`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=SageMath]`_`f – uses `B100`F9d9Matplotlib`f`b to draw plots

>>References

`:cite-note-1`!1.`! "Copyright Policy".

`:cite-note-wikidata-c529586cf2472d9f0a75e6cbe1f73166e039146f-v20-2`!2.`! "Release 3.10.3". 9 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.

`:cite-note-3`!3.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-3]`_`f "History — Matplotlib 3.9.2 documentation".

`:cite-note-4`!4.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-4]`_`f "API Overview". matplotlib.org.

`:cite-note-5`!5.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-5]`_`f "Matplotlib github stats". matplotlib.org.

`:cite-note-6`!6.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-6]`_`f "Announcing Michael Droettboom as the lead Matplotlib developer". matplotlib.org. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2013-04-24.

`:cite-note-7`!7.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-7]`_`f "Matplotlib Lead Developer Explains Why He Can't Fix the Docs—But You Can – NumFOCUS". `*NumFOCUS`*. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2018-04-11.

`:cite-note-8`!8.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-8]`_`f "Credits – Matplotlib 2.2.2 documentation". `*matplotlib.org`*. Retrieved 2018-04-11.

`:cite-note-9`!9.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-9]`_`f "NumFOCUS Sponsored Projects". NumFOCUS. Retrieved 2021-10-25.

`:cite-note-numpyblackhole-10`!10.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-numpyblackhole-10-0]`_`f "Case Study: First Image of a Black Hole". `*NumPy`*. Retrieved 22 April 2025.

`:cite-note-nasaopensource-11`!11.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-nasaopensource-11-0]`_`f "NASA Funds Open-Source Software Underpinning Scientific Innovation". `*NASA`*. Retrieved 22 April 2025.

`:cite-note-jupyternature-12`!12.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-jupyternature-12-0]`_`f "Interactive notebooks: Sharing the code". `*Nature`*. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2025.

`:cite-note-matplotlibtutorial-13`!13.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-matplotlibtutorial-13-0]`_`f "Pyplot tutorial". `*Matplotlib`*. Retrieved 22 April 2025.

>>External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to

Matplotlib

• Official website

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