# Plotting with Julia using Java Plots

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920>\
**Category:** Visualization\
**Created:** [September 16, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920 "2017-09-16T14:32:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sterg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sterg](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sterg)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920/1 "2017-09-16T14:32:06Z")

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Hi all!

I started to learn Julia, and yes, it is a superb language!!

However, plotting seems difficult,

thus I started a project aimed to connect Java platform independent  
graphics, with Julia,

tis nis project can be found in:

[https://github.com/sterglee/JuliaPlottingWithJava](https://github.com/sterglee/JuliaPlottingWithJava)

Can be interested?

Best Regards

Stergios

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**Author:** ![mkborregaard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/mkborregaard/32/556_2.png) [@mkborregaard](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkborregaard)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920/2 "2017-09-16T14:50:22Z")

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Can I ask you to expand on why you think the plotting facilities of Julia are difficult to use?

There are existing interfaces to matplotlib (PyPlot), the GR framework, PlotlyJS, Bokeh, PGFPlots, Vega, ECharts and others, along with the Plots metalibrary which offers a Julian interface to many of these based on types and dispatch, as well as Gadfly, a pure-julia library using the Grammar of Graphics. I personally much prefer the plotting abilities of Julia to say, e.g. R.

Can you say something about how this package improves on this situation?

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**Author:** ![juliohm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/juliohm/32/215266_2.png) [@juliohm](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/juliohm)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 3:38pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920/3 "2017-09-16T15:38:24Z")

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> [@sterg](#):
>
> However, plotting seems difficult,

WHAT?

Julia is superb when it comes to plotting. All the generic infrastructure that is being developed around Plots.jl beats anything I’ve seen in any language. Please don’t jump in the forum saying random things without at least googling the minimum amount of information first.

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**Author:** ![NickNack](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/nicknack/32/1792_2.png) [@NickNack](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/NickNack)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920/4 "2017-09-16T19:35:30Z")

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> [@juliohm](#):
>
> > [@sterg](#):
> >
> > However, plotting seems difficult,
> 
> WHAT?
> 
> Julia is superb when it comes to plotting. All the generic infrastructure that is being developed around Plots.jl beats anything I’ve seen in any language. Please don’t jump in the forum saying random things without at least googling the minimum amount of information first.

I think that was a bit harsh considering that the OP was contributing a package to fix a perceived problem in the Julia ecosystem. That said, I agree with you 100% in that Plots.jl provides a truly brilliant solution to the plotting standardization issue. You have to admit the situation WAS pretty bad before Plots.jl came along. If OP wasn’t aware of Plots then I fully understand his motivation.

So thank you for the contribution @sterg! If the Java graphics provide added value over the other plotting packages out there I’m sure your package will get its own Plots.jl interface.

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**Author:** ![sterg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sterg](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sterg)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/plotting-with-julia-using-java-plots/5920/5 "2017-09-17T15:18:46Z")

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I installed the current Julia0.6.0 today, and I’m happy that now it provides integrated plotting,  
i.t. with  
using Plots;  
you can directly plot your data, without searching for external packages.

A great scientific programming language, as Julia is ( I admit that Julia is the most  
sophisticated and elegant), should provide easy to use and nice plots.

My package is based on the jMathPlot Java package,  
the produced plots are nice, but the interfacing with Java  
is complicated,  
clearly I prefer a pure Julia approach.