Software Alternatives & Startups

Matplotlib VS Desmos

Compare Matplotlib VS Desmos and see what are their differences

Matplotlib

matplotlib is a python 2D plotting library which produces publication quality figures in a variety...

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Desmos

A beautiful, innovative, and modern online graphing calculator.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Matplotlib might be a bit more popular than Desmos. We know about 114 links to it since March 2021 and only 77 links to Desmos.

social mentions
114 vs 77
Data Science And Machine Learning popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 110

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Matplotlib
Desmos
Website matplotlib.org desmos.com
Pricing
Open source
—
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Matplotlib 6 features
Desmos 5 features
  • Versatility
    Matplotlib can generate a wide variety of plots, ranging from simple line plots to complex 3D plots. This versatility makes it a go-to library for many scientific and technical visualizations.
  • Customization
    It offers extensive customization options for virtually every element of a plot, including colors, labels, line styles, and more, allowing users to tailor plots to meet specific needs.
  • Integrations
    Matplotlib integrates well with other Python libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, and SciPy, making it easier to plot data directly from these sources.
  • Community and Documentation
    It has a large, active community and comprehensive documentation that includes tutorials, examples, and detailed references, which can help users solve problems and improve their plot-making skills.
  • Interactivity
    Matplotlib supports interactive plots, which can be embedded in Jupyter notebooks and GUIs, allowing for dynamic data exploration and presentation.
  • Publication-Quality
    The library is capable of producing high-quality, publication-ready graphics that meet the stringent requirements of academic journals and professional presentations.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complexity
    While Matplotlib offers extensive customization, it can be complex and sometimes unintuitive for beginners, requiring a steep learning curve to master all its functionality.
  • Performance
    Rendering a large number of plots or handling very large datasets can be slow, making Matplotlib less suitable for real-time data visualization.
  • Modern Aesthetics
    Out-of-the-box plots from Matplotlib can look somewhat dated compared to those from newer plotting libraries like Seaborn or Plotly, requiring additional customization to achieve a modern look.
  • 3D Plots
    Although Matplotlib supports 3D plotting, its capabilities are relatively limited and less sophisticated compared to specialized 3D plotting libraries.
  • Size and Structure
    The package is relatively large and can be slow to import. Its extensive structure can make finding specific functions and understanding the overall architecture challenging.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Desmos offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that makes it accessible for users of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced mathematicians.
  • Interactive Graphing
    The platform provides dynamic graphing capabilities that allow users to manipulate functions and see changes in real-time.
  • Educational Resources
    Desmos offers a variety of teaching resources, such as pre-made activities and lesson plans, which are beneficial for instructors in a classroom setting.
  • Accessibility
    Desmos is web-based, meaning it can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, on multiple devices, enhancing its convenience and reach.
  • Free Usage
    Desmos is available for free, making it an attractive option for students and educators who need powerful graphing tools without any cost.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While Desmos is great for general graphing needs, it may lack advanced features required by professionals for more complex mathematical modeling.
  • Dependency on Internet
    As a web-based tool, Desmos requires a stable internet connection, which can be a limitation for users with unreliable internet access.
  • Feature Overload for Beginners
    Despite its user-friendly design, beginners might find the range of features overwhelming without proper guidance.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Users might have concerns about privacy and data security, particularly when using Desmos in educational settings, although the company strives to protect user information.
  • Customization Limitations
    Users may find limitations in terms of customizability when compared to other graphing software that provides extensive options for visual adjustments.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Matplotlib
Desmos

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Matplotlib is a good library for data visualization, particularly for users who require a versatile and powerful plotting solution in Python.

Why this product is good

  • Matplotlib is highly regarded due to its extensive customization options, versatility in creating a wide range of static, animated, and interactive plots, and its large user community and support. It integrates well with other scientific libraries in Python, making it a staple for data visualization. The library is also open-source and frequently updated, ensuring it remains a reliable choice for users.

Recommended for

  • Data scientists and analysts needing to create detailed, customized visual representations of their data.
  • Researchers and engineers looking for a comprehensive plotting library that supports scientific and engineering formats.
  • Python developers who require integration with other scientific computing libraries like NumPy and Pandas.

No analysis of Desmos yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Matplotlib 1 video + Add
Desmos 3 videos + Add

Learn Matplotlib in 6 minutes | Matplotlib Python Tutorial

Desmos Review

More videos

  • - Desmos Activities Review
  • - Desmos Review: How to use Desmos classroom activity to teach Mathematics.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Matplotlib
Desmos
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Matplotlib and Desmos. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Matplotlib no reviews yet
Desmos no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Matplotlib 114 mentions
Desmos 77 mentions
  • The soul file
    In February, an AI agent named MJ Rathbun submitted a pull request to matplotlib — the Python plotting library used by half the scientific computing world. Scott Shambaugh, a volunteer maintainer, rejected it. Standard code review.... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • How to Analyze CSV Files with Python and Pandas
    Numbers are useful, but sometimes it’s easier to spot patterns when you can actually see your data. Pandas works seamlessly with Matplotlib, a popular Python library for creating visualizations. Together, they make it easy to turn raw... - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • libmalloc, jemalloc, tcmalloc, mimalloc - Exploring Different Memory Allocators
    We are storing the results in JSON files, which we combine, analyze and visualize using matplotlib in Python. Here's the structure of a benchmark result file:. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago

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  • What number raised to itself is equal to 1/2?
    Graphing x^x on desmos.com makes it look as though the value is always greater than 1/2. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Data Visualization: Sustainable Throughput Per Freight Car
    =) I've posted a link to the desmos.com page with the data that used to create the graph above in the first reply to the post. =). Source: over 3 years ago
  • How to check points of non differentiability and discontinuity of a given function in ?
    It might help to graph the function, for example using desmos.com. Source: over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to Matplotlib and Desmos

When comparing Matplotlib and Desmos, you can also consider the following products.