plotext
plotext plots directly on terminal
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. plotext is well-maintained, has no required dependencies, carries permissive MIT licensing, and fills a genuine niche for terminal-based visualization. It's particularly valuable for remote work, automation, and environments where graphical output is impractical. The author's note about ongoing development is worth monitoring, but current releases are stable and actively used.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies (optional dependencies only for image/video features).
- Active maintenance with recent commits; author notes ongoing work on a new version.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2024-09-24 (689 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-13 · 2,178 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,336,246 downloads/mo, #4,033 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install plotext
import plotext as plt
plt.scatter([1, 2, 3], [2, 4])
plt.show()- Whether the new version mentioned in the description will introduce breaking changes or new dependencies.
- Performance characteristics when rendering large datasets or complex plots in the terminal.
- Specific Python version requirements beyond the stated minimum of 3.5.
What it is and what it does
plotext is a Python library that renders data visualizations directly in the terminal as text and colored output. It eliminates the need for graphical windows or external rendering tools, making it useful for remote environments, CI/CD pipelines, and quick data exploration in the shell. The library supports a wide range of plot types—from basic scatter and line plots to specialized ones like candlestick charts and confusion matrices—and can also display images and stream video with audio.
The package has no required runtime dependencies, keeping installation lightweight. Optional dependencies are available only if you want image or video features. It includes a command-line tool for direct plotting and can save plots as text or colored HTML. The library is actively maintained and has accumulated a substantial user base, though the author is currently working on a new version.
Use it for
- Visualize data in SSH sessions or remote servers where graphical displays are unavailable.
- Generate plots in CI/CD pipelines or automated scripts to inspect results without external tools.
- Quick exploratory data analysis in the terminal during development or debugging.
- Display real-time metrics or monitoring data as live terminal charts.
- Create terminal-based dashboards or status displays for command-line applications.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
plotext is well-maintained, has no required dependencies, carries permissive MIT licensing, and fills a genuine niche for terminal-based visualization. It's particularly valuable for remote work, automation, and environments where graphical output is impractical. The author's note about ongoing development is worth monitoring, but current releases are stable and actively used.
Install
plotext on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies (optional dependencies only for image/video features). Active maintenance with recent commits; author notes ongoing work on a new version.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install plotext
import plotext as plt
plt.scatter([1, 2, 3], [2, 4])
plt.show()Verify before relying
- Whether the new version mentioned in the description will introduce breaking changes or new dependencies.
- Performance characteristics when rendering large datasets or complex plots in the terminal.
- Specific Python version requirements beyond the stated minimum of 3.5.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.5 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 689 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,336,246 / month, #4,033 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
Evidence: plotext-5.3.2-py3-none-any.whl
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