---
id: cmocean
version: "4.0.3"
license: unclear
license_treatment: unclear
maintenance: dormant
---

# cmocean — Colormaps for Oceanography

License: unclear · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 152.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

cmocean is a library of colormaps specifically designed for oceanographic visualization. It provides color schemes that work with matplotlib, allowing scientists and data analysts to create plots of ocean data. The package is grounded in research on color perception for oceanographic applications.

The package depends on matplotlib, numpy, and packaging, making it a lightweight addition to standard scientific Python workflows. It integrates directly into matplotlib's colormap system, so you can use cmocean colormaps anywhere you would use a standard matplotlib colormap. An optional plots submodule is available if you install with extras, which adds viscm and colorspacious for advanced color analysis.

Use it for:

- Visualizing oceanographic measurements in plots alongside matplotlib.
- Creating consistent color schemes across multiple scientific figures.
- Generating heatmaps and contour plots of ocean data.
- Using colormaps in other tools via the cmocean ecosystem across MATLAB, R, Julia, and other platforms.
- Applying research-backed color selection for oceanographic applications.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Provides perceptually uniform colormaps designed for oceanographic data visualization, integrating with matplotlib for scientific plots.

Yes, if you work with oceanographic data or need colormaps for scientific visualization. The package is lightweight, has no known vulnerabilities, and integrates cleanly with matplotlib. The dormant maintenance status is not a blocker—the colormaps themselves are stable research artifacts. However, verify the license terms before use, as the license is currently unclear in the metadata.

## Install

pip install cmocean
uv add cmocean
poetry add cmocean

## Installing cmocean

Before you install: Low install friction with three common dependencies (matplotlib, numpy, packaging). Dormant maintenance status—last release was 860 days ago, though the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2024-11-18.

License in practice: License status is unclear; no SPDX identifier or raw license text is available in the metadata. Verify the actual license terms before use in proprietary or restricted contexts.

Quickstart:

pip install cmocean

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import cmocean.cm as cm

plt.scatter([2, 3], [2, 3], c=[2, 3], cmap=cm.thermal)

Requires Python >=3.8.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package is actively maintained or in long-term stable state despite dormant status.
- Actual license terms, given the unclear license_treatment in metadata.
- Whether colormaps are suitable for color vision deficiency accessibility.

## Package facts

- License: not declared (unclear)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 152.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

oceanography colormaps, matplotlib colormaps, perceptually uniform colors, scientific visualization colormaps, ocean data visualization, colormap library, data visualization colors, oceanography, visualization, colormaps

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/cmocean) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/cmocean/)