Matplotlib vs JFreeChart

Struggling to choose between Matplotlib and JFreeChart? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Matplotlib is a Photos & Graphics solution with tags like plotting, graphs, charts, visualization, python.

It boasts features such as 2D plotting, Publication quality output, Support for many plot types (line, bar, scatter, histogram etc), Extensive customization options, IPython/Jupyter notebook integration, Animations and interactivity, LaTeX support for mathematical typesetting and pros including Mature and feature-rich, Large user community and extensive documentation, Highly customizable, Integrates well with NumPy, Pandas and SciPy, Output can be saved to many file formats.

On the other hand, JFreeChart is a Development product tagged with java, charts, data-visualization, open-source.

Its standout features include Wide range of 2D chart types including bar charts, pie charts, line charts, scatter plots, etc, Extensive customization options for colors, fonts, legends, axes, etc, Supports interactive charts with zooming, panning, mouseover effects, Can export charts as images or PDF documents, Includes domain-specific extensions like statistical charts, financial charts, Gantt charts, etc, Supports large datasets with fast rendering, Compatible with major Java GUI frameworks like Swing and JavaFX, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Very customizable and extensible, Large set of features and chart types, Good documentation and active community, Pure Java implementation works across platforms, Lots of third party extensions available.

Feature	Matplotlib	JFreeChart
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Photos & Graphics	Development

Product Overview

Matplotlib

Description: Matplotlib is a comprehensive 2D plotting library for Python that allows users to create a wide variety of publication-quality graphs, charts, and visualizations. It integrates well with NumPy and Pandas data structures.

JFreeChart

Description: JFreeChart is a free, open-source Java chart library that allows developers to display professional quality charts in their applications. It supports a wide range of chart types including pie charts, bar charts, line charts, scatter plots, and more.

Key Features Comparison

Matplotlib Features

• 2D plotting
• Publication quality output
• Support for many plot types (line, bar, scatter, histogram etc)
• Extensive customization options
• IPython/Jupyter notebook integration
• Animations and interactivity
• LaTeX support for mathematical typesetting

JFreeChart Features

• Wide range of 2D chart types including bar charts, pie charts, line charts, scatter plots, etc
• Extensive customization options for colors, fonts, legends, axes, etc
• Supports interactive charts with zooming, panning, mouseover effects
• Can export charts as images or PDF documents
• Includes domain-specific extensions like statistical charts, financial charts, Gantt charts, etc
• Supports large datasets with fast rendering
• Compatible with major Java GUI frameworks like Swing and JavaFX

Pros & Cons Analysis

Matplotlib

Pros

• Mature and feature-rich
• Large user community and extensive documentation
• Highly customizable
• Integrates well with NumPy, Pandas and SciPy
• Output can be saved to many file formats

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Plotting code can be verbose
• 3D plotting support is limited
• Cannot do web visualization (unlike Bokeh or Plotly)

JFreeChart

Pros

• Free and open source
• Very customizable and extensible
• Large set of features and chart types
• Good documentation and active community
• Pure Java implementation works across platforms
• Lots of third party extensions available

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Chart customization can be complex
• Not actively maintained anymore
• Limited built-in support for web deployment
• No native bindings for non-Java platforms

Pricing Comparison

Matplotlib

• Open Source

JFreeChart

• Open Source