How to make IPython notebook matplotlib plot inline

Question

I am trying to use IPython notebook on MacOS X with Python 2.7.2 and IPython 1.1.0.

I cannot get matplotlib graphics to show up inline.

import matplotlib
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
%matplotlib inline  

I have also tried %pylab inline and the ipython command line arguments --pylab=inline but this makes no difference.

x = np.linspace(0, 3*np.pi, 500)
plt.plot(x, np.sin(x**2))
plt.title('A simple chirp')
plt.show()

Instead of inline graphics, I get this:

<matplotlib.figure.Figure at 0x110b9c450>

And matplotlib.get_backend() shows that I have the 'module://IPython.kernel.zmq.pylab.backend_inline' backend.

Solution 1

I used %matplotlib inline in the first cell of the notebook and it works. I think you should try:

%matplotlib inline

import matplotlib
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

You can also always start all your IPython kernels in inline mode by default by setting the following config options in your config files:

c.IPKernelApp.matplotlib=<CaselessStrEnum>
  Default: None
  Choices: ['auto', 'gtk', 'gtk3', 'inline', 'nbagg', 'notebook', 'osx', 'qt', 'qt4', 'qt5', 'tk', 'wx']
  Configure matplotlib for interactive use with the default matplotlib backend.

Solution 2

If your matplotlib version is above 1.4, it is also possible to use

IPython 3.x and above

%matplotlib notebook

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

older versions

%matplotlib nbagg

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

Both will activate the nbagg backend, which enables interactivity.

Solution 3

Ctrl + Enter

%matplotlib inline

Magic Line :D

See: Plotting with Matplotlib.

Solution 4

Use the %pylab inline magic command.

Solution 5

To make matplotlib inline by default in Jupyter (IPython 3):

1. Edit file ~/.ipython/profile_default/ipython_config.py

2. Add line c.InteractiveShellApp.matplotlib = 'inline'

Please note that adding this line to ipython_notebook_config.py would not work. Otherwise it works well with Jupyter and IPython 3.1.0

View more solutions

Comments

[mpavlov]

I would mark this as the right answer. The alternative --pylab inline works, but greets you with the following warning: Starting all kernels in pylab mode is not recommended, and will be disabled in a future release. Please use the %matplotlib magic to enable matplotlib instead. pylab implies many imports, which can have confusing side effects and harm the reproducibility of your notebooks.

[TSGM]

@eNord9 @mightwolf: I'm learning to using iPython (and Python programming instead of Matlab); what does import matplotlib' do versus import matplotlib as [name]'? Forgive for simplistic comment

[TSGM]

@eNord9 @mightwolf: and also how does this compare to `from matplotlib import mpl'.

[mpavlov]

@TSGM The best explanation I've seen for your question is: effbot.org/zone/import-confusion.htm

[Ian Fiske]

Thanks @eNord9. I just tested your commands since it's been a while with updates and all. Now everything works fine on Python 2.7.9 and IPython 3.1.0.

[Dave X]

No longer: "ipython notebook --pylab inline [E 15:01:18.182 NotebookApp] Support for specifying --pylab on the command line has been removed. [E 15:01:18.182 NotebookApp] Please use %pylab inline or %matplotlib inline in the notebook itself."

[Dave X]

I needed to put the "%matplotlib inline" first in the cell of the block that had "import matplotlib" in it. If I put it in a separate first cell, it did not seem to apply to the import. Thanks.

[William Stein]

Relevant thread: mail.scipy.org/pipermail/ipython-dev/2015-July/016631.html

[CodeFarmer]

@BradleyKreider Not dead yet. Alternatively, you can visit ipython repo on github, go into 'example' folder, find ' Plotting with Matplotlib' notebook.

[WindChimes]

For the record, to undo this and switch back to the pop-up, you need to restart the notebook (and comment out the line in your code).

[orome]

This doesn't seem to work with %config InlineBackend.figure_format='retina'. Any idea how to get interactive Retina figures?

[Løiten]

Hmm...I don't really have too much expertise with retina figures. The only thing I stumbled upon was this link, but it may be deprecated. If more people are wondering about the same, I link your SO question here, and wish you good luck with the answers there. Best

[Hieu]

This answer is underrated. %matplotlib notebook provides the better visualization than %matplotlib inline.

[Ami]

Actually, you may wish to edit this to say %matplotlib notebook

[michael]

using %matplotlib notebook does not work (kind of shows something, then blank) on jupyter notebook 4.1.1 / ubuntu 16.04 / chrome, %matplotlib inline does show images, but they come after the markdown text, not literally "inline".

[Løiten]

Strange, did you experience the same in jupyter notebook 4.3.0? I just checked, and it works good with notebook 4.3.0/ mint 18/chrome (Python 3.5.2, IPython 5.1.0).

[Kyle Strand]

This isn't a syntax error--without the () to invoke kde, iPython is telling you what kde is, namely, a bound method. So in fact from iPython's perspective, this is not an "error" at all, hence why there is no stack trace.

[Blake M]

@KyleStrand Thanks. After re-reading my post what I should have said is: "I thought I had the problem of not getting my plots to show inline using the %matplotlib inline command. Really I just forgot to put () on the end of the plot type. So if everything else fails, look at your parentheses for a mistake."

[Ben]

With notebook backend: JavaScript output is disabled in JupyterLab , have to launch Classic Notebook

[tony_tiger]

Plots with %matplotlib notebook can have axes or legends cut off: github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/issues/9163

[Czechnology]

If you tried %matplotlib inline first and then switch to %matplotlib notebook, you might get empty result. Restart the kernel and run again.