What is PGFPlots?
PGFPlots is a powerful LaTeX package for creating high-quality scientific plots and data visualizations.
PGFPlots: Scientific Plotting for LaTeX
PGFPlots is a LaTeX package built on TikZ that provides a high-level interface for creating plots. It handles all the complex positioning, scaling, and rendering, letting you focus on your data and presentation.
Whether you need simple line plots, complex 3D surfaces, or publication-ready statistical charts, PGFPlots provides the tools to create them directly in your LaTeX documents.
Why Use PGFPlots?
- Publication Quality: Produces vector graphics that look perfect at any scale, ideal for journals and papers.
- LaTeX Integration: Use LaTeX math and formatting directly in labels, titles, and legends.
- Consistent Typography: Plots use the same fonts as your document for a professional, unified look.
- Reproducibility: Plots are defined in code, making them easy to version control and regenerate.
- Extensive Features: Support for 2D/3D plots, error bars, legends, multiple axes, and more.
- Data Import: Read data directly from CSV files and tables.
What Can You Create?
PGFPlots supports a wide variety of plot types:
- Line plots and function graphs
- Scatter plots and point clouds
- Bar charts (vertical and horizontal)
- Histograms and box plots
- Area and stacked area plots
- Error bar plots
- Polar plots
- 3D surface plots and mesh plots
- Contour plots
- Logarithmic and semi-log plots
Basic Example
Here's a simple PGFPlots example:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=1.18}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[
xlabel={$x$},
ylabel={$f(x)$},
title={Simple Plot}
]
\addplot[blue, thick] {x^2};
\addlegend{$x^2$}
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}PGFPlots vs Other Solutions
How does PGFPlots compare to other plotting options?
- vs Matplotlib/Python: PGFPlots integrates directly with LaTeX, eliminating font mismatches and export issues.
- vs Excel/Spreadsheets: PGFPlots produces vector graphics with consistent scientific styling.
- vs gnuplot: PGFPlots has native LaTeX support and doesn't require external software.
- vs Asymptote: PGFPlots is easier to learn and more focused on data plotting.
Getting Started
Ready to create beautiful plots? Continue with our tutorials:
- PGFPlots for Beginners - Step-by-step introduction
- Basic Setup - Configure your document
- Line Plots - Create your first plot
What is PGFPlots?
PGFPlots is a powerful LaTeX package for creating high-quality scientific plots and data visualizations.
PGFPlots: Scientific Plotting for LaTeX
PGFPlots is a LaTeX package built on TikZ that provides a high-level interface for creating plots. It handles all the complex positioning, scaling, and rendering, letting you focus on your data and presentation.
Whether you need simple line plots, complex 3D surfaces, or publication-ready statistical charts, PGFPlots provides the tools to create them directly in your LaTeX documents.
Why Use PGFPlots?
- Publication Quality: Produces vector graphics that look perfect at any scale, ideal for journals and papers.
- LaTeX Integration: Use LaTeX math and formatting directly in labels, titles, and legends.
- Consistent Typography: Plots use the same fonts as your document for a professional, unified look.
- Reproducibility: Plots are defined in code, making them easy to version control and regenerate.
- Extensive Features: Support for 2D/3D plots, error bars, legends, multiple axes, and more.
- Data Import: Read data directly from CSV files and tables.
What Can You Create?
PGFPlots supports a wide variety of plot types:
- Line plots and function graphs
- Scatter plots and point clouds
- Bar charts (vertical and horizontal)
- Histograms and box plots
- Area and stacked area plots
- Error bar plots
- Polar plots
- 3D surface plots and mesh plots
- Contour plots
- Logarithmic and semi-log plots
Basic Example
Here's a simple PGFPlots example:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=1.18}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[
xlabel={$x$},
ylabel={$f(x)$},
title={Simple Plot}
]
\addplot[blue, thick] {x^2};
\addlegend{$x^2$}
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}PGFPlots vs Other Solutions
How does PGFPlots compare to other plotting options?
- vs Matplotlib/Python: PGFPlots integrates directly with LaTeX, eliminating font mismatches and export issues.
- vs Excel/Spreadsheets: PGFPlots produces vector graphics with consistent scientific styling.
- vs gnuplot: PGFPlots has native LaTeX support and doesn't require external software.
- vs Asymptote: PGFPlots is easier to learn and more focused on data plotting.
Getting Started
Ready to create beautiful plots? Continue with our tutorials:
- PGFPlots for Beginners - Step-by-step introduction
- Basic Setup - Configure your document
- Line Plots - Create your first plot