Difference between "axes" and "axis" in matplotlib?

Question

I'm confused about what the different between axes and axis is in matplotlib. Could someone please explain in an easy-to-understand way?

Solution 1

Axis is the axis of the plot, the thing that gets ticks and tick labels. The axes is the area your plot appears in.

Solution 2

This figure from the documentation will answer your question:

You can find this image here (in the Matplotlib 1.x docs); it's actually been replaced in the Matplotlib 2.x docs.

Solution 3

in the context of matplotlib,

axes is not the plural form of axis, it actually denotes the plotting area, including all axis.

Comments

[Apostolos]

Is one supposed to get less confused or more confused with this? You say "the axis of the plot, the thing that ..." as if there's a single axis, a single "thing"!!

[eric]

This was a horrible design decision.