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What is plotly.py?

plotly/plotly.py — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-21

★ 18,523PythonAudience · dataComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

In one sentence

A Python library for making interactive charts and graphs that run in the browser, hover, zoom, and filter data without writing any JavaScript.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((plotly.py))
    What it does
      Interactive charts
      30 plus chart types
      Browser-based output
    Tech stack
      Python library
      plotly.js engine
      Dash integration
    Use cases
      Jupyter notebooks
      Standalone HTML
      Data dashboards
    Audience
      Data analysts
      Scientists
      PMs and founders
    License
      MIT
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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Create an interactive line chart or scatter plot in a Jupyter notebook that lets you hover to see exact values

USE CASE 2

Build a standalone HTML file with a 3D surface plot to share with stakeholders who don't code

USE CASE 3

Embed an interactive financial candlestick chart inside a Dash web dashboard

USE CASE 4

Save a geographic map visualization as a static PNG for a report using the kaleido package

What is it built with?

Pythonplotly.jsJupyterDash

How does it compare?

plotly/plotly.pyagentskills/agentskillshummingbot/hummingbot
Stars18,52318,53718,541
LanguagePythonPythonPython
Setup difficultyeasymoderatemoderate
Complexity2/53/54/5
Audiencedatadeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Static image export requires the separate kaleido package, Jupyter widget mode needs anywidget too.

Free to use for any purpose, including commercial projects, as long as you keep the MIT copyright notice.

So what is it?

plotly.py is a Python library for creating interactive charts and graphs that run in a web browser. Rather than producing static image files, the charts respond to mouse interactions, you can hover to see values, zoom in, pan, and toggle data series on and off. The library is built on top of plotly.js and provides a high-level, declarative interface, meaning you describe what you want the chart to look like rather than writing low-level drawing code. It comes with over 30 chart types including scientific plots, 3D graphs, statistical charts, geographic maps, financial charts, and more. Charts can be displayed inside Jupyter notebooks (interactive coding environments), saved as standalone HTML files, or embedded inside Dash applications (a framework for building data dashboards in Python). Installation is straightforward: pip install plotly. For use as a Jupyter widget, the anywidget package is also needed. For saving charts as static image files (PNG, SVG, etc.) rather than interactive HTML, the kaleido package provides that capability. Extended geographic features like county-level map overlays require a separate plotly-geo package. The library is MIT-licensed and maintained by Plotly, Inc.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Using plotly.py, write Python code to create an interactive bar chart from a pandas DataFrame showing monthly sales by region, with hover labels showing the exact values
Prompt 2
How do I create a 3D surface plot in plotly.py and save it as a standalone HTML file I can email to someone?
Prompt 3
Show me how to build a scatter plot matrix in plotly.py that lets users toggle data series on and off by clicking the legend
Prompt 4
I want to display a real-time updating line chart in a Jupyter notebook using plotly.py. How do I update it as new data arrives?
Prompt 5
How do I use plotly.py to create a choropleth map showing data by US state and export it as a PNG image?

Frequently asked questions

What is plotly.py?

A Python library for making interactive charts and graphs that run in the browser, hover, zoom, and filter data without writing any JavaScript.

What language is plotly.py written in?

Mainly Python. The stack also includes Python, plotly.js, Jupyter.

What license does plotly.py use?

Free to use for any purpose, including commercial projects, as long as you keep the MIT copyright notice.

How hard is plotly.py to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is plotly.py for?

Mainly data.

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