How to Use Matplotlib in Jupyter Notebooks: Simple Guide

To use matplotlib in Jupyter notebooks, first import it with import matplotlib.pyplot as plt. Then, use %matplotlib inline to display plots inside the notebook cells automatically.

Syntax

Here is the basic syntax to use matplotlib in Jupyter notebooks:

• %matplotlib inline: This magic command makes plots appear inside the notebook.
• import matplotlib.pyplot as plt: Imports the plotting module with a short name.
• plt.plot(): Creates a plot with your data.
• plt.show(): Displays the plot (optional in Jupyter with inline magic).

python

%matplotlib inline
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])
plt.show()

Example

This example shows how to plot a simple line graph inside a Jupyter notebook using matplotlib.

python

%matplotlib inline
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

x = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
y = [0, 1, 4, 9, 16]

plt.plot(x, y, marker='o', linestyle='-', color='blue')
plt.title('Simple Line Plot')
plt.xlabel('X axis')
plt.ylabel('Y axis')
plt.show()

Output

A blue line plot with points marked by circles, titled 'Simple Line Plot', with labeled X and Y axes.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using matplotlib in Jupyter include:

• Not running %matplotlib inline, so plots do not display automatically.
• Forgetting to import matplotlib.pyplot as plt.
• Calling plt.show() outside Jupyter or forgetting it in other environments.
• Using outdated magic commands like %pylab inline which is discouraged.

python

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Wrong: No magic command, plot may not show automatically
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])

# Right: Use magic command to show plots inline
%matplotlib inline
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])
plt.show()

Quick Reference

Here is a quick cheat sheet for using matplotlib in Jupyter:

Command	Purpose
%matplotlib inline	Show plots inside notebook cells
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt	Import plotting functions
plt.plot(x, y)	Create a line plot
plt.title('Title')	Add a title to the plot
plt.xlabel('X label')	Label the X axis
plt.ylabel('Y label')	Label the Y axis
plt.show()	Display the plot explicitly

Key Takeaways

Always run %matplotlib inline in Jupyter to display plots inside cells.

Import matplotlib.pyplot as plt to access plotting functions easily.

Use plt.plot() to create plots and plt.show() to display them if needed.

Label your plots with titles and axis labels for clarity.

Avoid outdated magic commands and remember to import before plotting.