.. _installing-faq: ************* Installation ************* .. contents:: :backlinks: none Report a compilation problem ============================ See :ref:`reporting-problems`. matplotlib compiled fine, but nothing shows up when I use it ============================================================ The first thing to try is a :ref:`clean install ` and see if that helps. If not, the best way to test your install is by running a script, rather than working interactively from a python shell or an integrated development environment such as :program:`IDLE` which add additional complexities. Open up a UNIX shell or a DOS command prompt and run, for example:: python -c "from pylab import *; plot(); show()" --verbose-helpful This will give you additional information about which backends matplotlib is loading, version information, and more. At this point you might want to make sure you understand matplotlib's :ref:`configuration ` process, governed by the :file:`matplotlibrc` configuration file which contains instructions within and the concept of the matplotlib backend. If you are still having trouble, see :ref:`reporting-problems`. .. _clean-install: How to completely remove Matplotlib =================================== Occasionally, problems with Matplotlib can be solved with a clean installation of the package. In order to fully remove an installed Matplotlib: 1. Delete the caches from your :ref:`Matplotlib configuration directory `. 2. Delete any Matplotlib directories or eggs from your :ref:`installation directory `. Linux Notes =========== To install Matplotlib at the system-level, we recommend that you use your distribution's package manager. This will guarantee that Matplotlib's dependencies will be installed as well. If, for some reason, you cannot use the package manager, you may use the wheels available on PyPI:: python -mpip install matplotlib or :ref:`build Matplotlib from source `. OSX Notes ========= .. _which-python-for-osx: Which python for OSX? --------------------- Apple ships OSX with its own Python, in ``/usr/bin/python``, and its own copy of Matplotlib. Unfortunately, the way Apple currently installs its own copies of NumPy, Scipy and Matplotlib means that these packages are difficult to upgrade (see `system python packages`_). For that reason we strongly suggest that you install a fresh version of Python and use that as the basis for installing libraries such as NumPy and Matplotlib. One convenient way to install matplotlib with other useful Python software is to use one of the excellent Python scientific software collections that are now available: .. _system python packages: https://github.com/MacPython/wiki/wiki/Which-Python#system-python-and-extra-python-packages - Anaconda_ from `Continuum Analytics`_ - Canopy_ from Enthought_ .. _Canopy: https://www.enthought.com/products/canopy/ .. _Anaconda: https://www.continuum.io/downloads .. _Enthought: https://www.enthought.com .. _Continuum Analytics: https://www.continuum.io These collections include Python itself and a wide range of libraries; if you need a library that is not available from the collection, you can install it yourself using standard methods such as *pip*. Continuum and Enthought offer their own installation support for these collections; see the Ananconda and Canopy web pages for more information. Other options for a fresh Python install are the standard installer from `python.org `_, or installing Python using a general OSX package management system such as `homebrew `_ or `macports `_. Power users on OSX will likely want one of homebrew or macports on their system to install open source software packages, but it is perfectly possible to use these systems with another source for your Python binary, such as Anaconda, Canopy or Python.org Python. .. _install_osx_binaries: Installing OSX binary wheels ---------------------------- If you are using recent Python from https://www.python.org, Macports or Homebrew, then you can use the standard pip installer to install Matplotlib binaries in the form of wheels. Python.org Python ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Install pip following the `standard pip install instructions `_. For the impatient, open a new Terminal.app window and:: curl -O https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py Then (Python 2):: python get-pip.py or (Python 3):: python3 get-pip.py You can now install matplotlib and all its dependencies with :: python -mpip install matplotlib or :: python3 -mpip install matplotlib Macports Python ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For Python 2:: sudo port install py27-pip sudo python2 -mpip install matplotlib For Python 3:: sudo port install py36-pip sudo python3.6 -mpip install matplotlib Homebrew Python ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For Python 2:: python2 -mpip install matplotlib For Python 3:: python3 -mpip install matplotlib You might also want to install IPython or the Jupyter notebook (``pythonX -mpip install ipython``, ``pythonX -mpip install notebook``, where ``pythonX`` is set as above). pip problems ^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you get errors with pip trying to run a compiler like ``gcc`` or ``clang``, then the first thing to try is to `install xcode `_ and retry the install. If that does not work, then check :ref:`reporting-problems`. Checking your installation -------------------------- The new version of Matplotlib should now be on your Python "path". Check this with one of these commands at the Terminal.app command line:: python2 -c 'import matplotlib; print matplotlib.__version__, matplotlib.__file__' (Python 2) or:: python3 -c 'import matplotlib; print(matplotlib.__version__, matplotlib.__file__)' (Python 3). You should see something like this:: 2.1.0 /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/site-packages/matplotlib/__init__.pyc where ``2.1.0`` is the Matplotlib version you just installed, and the path following depends on whether you are using Python.org Python, Homebrew or Macports. If you see another version, or you get an error like this:: Traceback (most recent call last): File "", line 1, in ImportError: No module named matplotlib then check that the Python binary is the one you expected by doing one of these commands in Terminal.app:: which python2 or:: which python3 If you get the result ``/usr/bin/python2.7``, then you are getting the Python installed with OSX, which is probably not what you want. Try closing and restarting Terminal.app before running the check again. If that doesn't fix the problem, depending on which Python you wanted to use, consider reinstalling Python.org Python, or check your homebrew or macports setup. Remember that the disk image installer only works for Python.org Python, and will not get picked up by other Pythons. If all these fail, please :ref:`let us know `. Windows Notes ============= See :ref:`installing_windows`. .. _install-from-git: Install from source =================== Clone the main source using one of:: git clone git@github.com:matplotlib/matplotlib.git or:: git clone git://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib.git and build and install as usual with:: cd matplotlib python -mpip install . .. note:: If you are on Debian/Ubuntu, you can get all the dependencies required to build Matplotlib with:: sudo apt-get build-dep python-matplotlib If you are on Fedora/RedHat, you can get all the dependencies required to build matplotlib by first installing ``yum-builddep`` and then running:: su -c 'yum-builddep python-matplotlib' This does not build Matplotlib, but it does get all of the build dependencies, which will make building from source easier. If you want to be able to follow the development branch as it changes just replace the last step with:: python -mpip install -e . This creates links and installs the command line script in the appropriate places. .. note:: OSX users please see the :ref:`build_osx` guide. Windows users please see the :ref:`build_windows` guide. Then, if you want to update your matplotlib at any time, just do:: git pull When you run ``git pull``, if the output shows that only Python files have been updated, you are all set. If C files have changed, you need to run ``pip install -e .`` again to compile them. There is more information on :ref:`using git ` in the developer docs.