Rust plotting library using Python (Matplotlib)


Contents
Introduction
This crate implements high-level functions to generate plots and drawings. Although we use Python/Matplotlib, the goal is to provide a convenient Rust library that is different than Matplotlib. The difference happens because we want convenience for the Rust developer while getting the fantastic quality of Matplotlib 😀.
Plotpy is more verbose than Matplotlib because we aim to minimize the need to memorize the functionality by taking advantage of the intelligence of the IDE (e.g., VS Code) on auto-completing the code.
Internally, we use Matplotlib via a Python 3 script. First, we generate a python code in a directory of your choice (e.g., /tmp/plotpy
), and then we call python3 using Rust's std::process::Command
.
For more information (and examples), check out the plotpy documentation on docs.rs.
See also the examples directory with the output of the integration tests.
Installation
This code is mainly tested on Debian/Ubuntu/Linux.
This crate needs Python3 and Matplotlib, of course.
On Debian/Ubuntu/Linux, run:
sudo apt install python3-matplotlib
Important: The Rust code will call python3
via std::process::Command
. However, there is an option to call a different python executable; for instance (the code below is no tested):
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.set_python_exe("C:\Windows11\WhereIs\python.exe")
.add(...)
.save(...)?;
Setting Cargo.toml

👆 Check the crate version and update your Cargo.toml accordingly:
[dependencies]
plotpy = "*"
Use of Jupyter via evcxr
Plotpy can be used with Jupyter via evcxr. Thus, it can interactively display the plots in a Jupyter Notebook. This feature requires the installation of evcxr
. See the Jupyter/evcxr article.
The following code shows a minimal example (not tested)
// set the python path
let python = "where-is-my/python";
// set the figure path and name to be saved
let path = "my-figure.svg";
// plot and show in a Jupyter notebook
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.set_python_exe(python)
.set_label_x("x")
.set_label_y("y")
.show_in_jupyter(path)?;
Examples
Barplot
See the documentation
use plotpy::{Barplot, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Orange"];
let prices = [10.0, 20.0, 30.0];
let errors = [3.0, 2.0, 1.0];
let mut bar = Barplot::new();
bar.set_errors(&errors)
.set_horizontal(true)
.set_with_text("edge")
.draw_with_str(&fruits, &prices);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.set_inv_y()
.add(&bar)
.set_title("Fruits")
.set_label_x("price");
Ok(())
}

Boxplot
See the documentation
use plotpy::{Boxplot, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let data = vec![
vec![1, 2, 3, 4, 5], vec![2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10], vec![3, 4, 5, 6], vec![4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10], vec![5, 6, 7], ];
let n = data.len();
let ticks: Vec<_> = (1..(n + 1)).into_iter().collect();
let labels = ["A", "B", "C", "D", "E"];
let mut boxes = Boxplot::new();
boxes.draw(&data);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&boxes)
.set_title("boxplot documentation test")
.set_ticks_x_labels(&ticks, &labels);
Ok(())
}

Canvas
See the documentation
use plotpy::{Canvas, Plot, PolyCode, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let data = [
(3.0, 0.0, PolyCode::MoveTo),
(1.0, 1.5, PolyCode::Curve4),
(0.0, 4.0, PolyCode::Curve4),
(2.5, 3.9, PolyCode::Curve4),
(3.0, 3.8, PolyCode::LineTo),
(3.5, 3.9, PolyCode::LineTo),
(6.0, 4.0, PolyCode::Curve4),
(5.0, 1.5, PolyCode::Curve4),
(3.0, 0.0, PolyCode::Curve4),
];
let mut canvas = Canvas::new();
canvas.set_face_color("#f88989").set_edge_color("red");
canvas.polycurve_begin();
for (x, y, code) in data {
canvas.polycurve_add(x, y, code);
}
canvas.polycurve_end(true);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&canvas);
plot.set_range(1.0, 5.0, 0.0, 4.0)
.set_frame_borders(false)
.set_hide_axes(true)
.set_equal_axes(true)
.set_show_errors(true);
Ok(())
}

Contour
See the documentation
use plotpy::{generate3d, Contour, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let n = 21;
let (x, y, z) = generate3d(-2.0, 2.0, -2.0, 2.0, n, n, |x, y| x * x - y * y);
let mut contour = Contour::new();
contour
.set_colorbar_label("temperature")
.set_colormap_name("terrain")
.set_selected_level(0.0, true);
contour.draw(&x, &y, &z);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&contour)
.set_labels("x", "y");
Ok(())
}

Curve
See the documentation
use plotpy::{linspace, Curve, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let x = linspace(-1.0, 1.0, 21);
let y: Vec<_> = x.iter().map(|v| 1.0 / (1.0 + f64::exp(-5.0 * *v))).collect();
let mut curve = Curve::new();
curve
.set_label("logistic function")
.set_line_alpha(0.8)
.set_line_color("#5f9cd8")
.set_line_style("-")
.set_line_width(5.0)
.set_marker_color("#eeea83")
.set_marker_every(5)
.set_marker_line_color("#da98d1")
.set_marker_line_width(2.5)
.set_marker_size(20.0)
.set_marker_style("*");
curve.draw(&x, &y);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&curve)
.set_num_ticks_y(11)
.grid_labels_legend("x", "y");
Ok(())
}

Histogram
See the documentation
use plotpy::{Histogram, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let values = vec![
vec![1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6], vec![-1, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3], vec![5, 6, 7, 8], ];
let labels = ["first", "second", "third"];
let mut histogram = Histogram::new();
histogram.set_colors(&["#9de19a", "#e7eca3", "#98a7f2"])
.set_line_width(10.0)
.set_stacked(true)
.set_style("step");
histogram.draw(&values, &labels);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&histogram)
.set_frame_border(true, false, true, false)
.grid_labels_legend("values", "count");
Ok(())
}

Image
use plotpy::{Image, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let data = [
[0.8, 2.4, 2.5, 3.9, 0.0, 4.0, 0.0],
[2.4, 0.0, 4.0, 1.0, 2.7, 0.0, 0.0],
[1.1, 2.4, 0.8, 4.3, 1.9, 4.4, 0.0],
[0.6, 0.0, 0.3, 0.0, 3.1, 0.0, 0.0],
[0.7, 1.7, 0.6, 2.6, 2.2, 6.2, 0.0],
[1.3, 1.2, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 3.2, 5.1],
[0.1, 2.0, 0.0, 1.4, 0.0, 1.9, 6.3],
];
let mut img = Image::new();
img.set_colormap_name("hsv").draw(&data);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&img);
Ok(())
}

InsetAxes
use plotpy::{Curve, InsetAxes, Plot, StrError};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let mut curve = Curve::new();
curve.draw(&[0.0, 1.0, 2.0], &[0.0, 1.0, 4.0]);
let mut inset = InsetAxes::new();
inset
.add(&curve) .set_range(0.5, 1.5, 0.5, 1.5) .draw(0.5, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3);
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&curve)
.set_range(0.0, 5.0, 0.0, 5.0)
.add(&inset);
Ok(())
}

Surface
See the documentation
use plotpy::{Plot, StrError, Surface};
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let r = &[1.0, 1.0, 1.0];
let c = &[-1.0, -1.0, -1.0];
let k = &[0.5, 0.5, 0.5];
let mut star = Surface::new();
star.set_colormap_name("jet")
.draw_superquadric(c, r, k, -180.0, 180.0, -90.0, 90.0, 40, 20)?;
let c = &[1.0, -1.0, -1.0];
let k = &[1.0, 1.0, 1.0];
let mut pyramids = Surface::new();
pyramids
.set_colormap_name("inferno")
.draw_superquadric(c, r, k, -180.0, 180.0, -90.0, 90.0, 40, 20)?;
let c = &[-1.0, 1.0, 1.0];
let k = &[4.0, 4.0, 4.0];
let mut cube = Surface::new();
cube.set_surf_color("#ee29f2")
.draw_superquadric(c, r, k, -180.0, 180.0, -90.0, 90.0, 40, 20)?;
let c = &[0.0, 0.0, 0.0];
let k = &[2.0, 2.0, 2.0];
let mut sphere = Surface::new();
sphere
.set_colormap_name("rainbow")
.draw_superquadric(c, r, k, -180.0, 180.0, -90.0, 90.0, 40, 20)?;
let mut sphere_direct = Surface::new();
sphere_direct.draw_sphere(&[1.0, 1.0, 1.0], 1.0, 40, 20)?;
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&star)
.add(&pyramids)
.add(&cube)
.add(&sphere)
.add(&sphere_direct);
plot.set_equal_axes(true)
.set_figure_size_points(600.0, 600.0);
Ok(())
}

Text
use plotpy::{Plot, Text, StrError};
use std::path::Path;
fn main() -> Result<(), StrError> {
let mut text = Text::new();
text.set_color("purple")
.set_align_horizontal("center")
.set_align_vertical("center")
.set_fontsize(30.0)
.set_bbox(true)
.set_bbox_facecolor("pink")
.set_bbox_edgecolor("black")
.set_bbox_alpha(0.3)
.set_bbox_style("roundtooth,pad=0.3,tooth_size=0.2");
text.draw_3d(0.5, 0.5, 0.5, "Hello World!");
let mut plot = Plot::new();
plot.add(&text);
Ok(())
}
