Multiple Subplots and Figures

So far, you’ve created one chart per figure. But what if you want to compare multiple plots side-by-side?

Matplotlib allows you to display multiple plots within the same figure using subplots. You can also manage multiple figures in one script.

Use plt.subplot(rows, cols, index) to divide the figure into a grid.

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import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

x = [1, 2, 3, 4]
y1 = [2, 4, 1, 3]
y2 = [3, 1, 5, 2]

plt.subplot(1, 2, 1)  # 1 row, 2 columns, 1st plot
plt.plot(x, y1)
plt.title("Plot A")

plt.subplot(1, 2, 2)  # 1 row, 2 columns, 2nd plot
plt.plot(x, y2)
plt.title("Plot B")

plt.tight_layout()
plt.show()

You can control how many rows and columns of plots appear, and the index selects the position.

Use plt.figure() to start a new figure. Each figure is independent.

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plt.figure(1)
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6])
plt.title("Figure 1")

plt.figure(2)
plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [6, 5, 4])
plt.title("Figure 2")

plt.show()

This is useful when generating different types of charts within the same script.

• Use subplots when comparing related data on the same page
• Use multiple figures when making different visualizations for different contexts

Next, you’ll learn how to save your plots as image files, so you can use them in reports or presentations.