Data visualization

tools and
packages

2
 Learning Outline

01 Identify Data visualization tools in Python

02 Explain Data visualization packages in Python

What are data visualization tools?
Data visualization tools in Python enhance
workflow efficiency and empower users to
create impactful visuals by offering
interactive environments, debugging
capabilities, and seamless integration with
data sources
Data Visualization tools

Jupyter Notebook Plotly Dash

Jupyter Lab Tableau

Spyder

Power BI

Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Google Colab

Excel
Jupyter Notebook

Jupyter Notebook is an open-source

interactive computing environment that
allows users to write and execute Python
code in cells. It supports Markdown, inline
visualizations, and multimedia.
2. Jupyter Lab

An upgraded version of Jupyter Notebook, Jupyter Lab offers

a more organized interface with multi-tab functionality.

Use Case:
➢ Best for multitasking workflows such as combining code,
Markdown, and output in a single workspace.
Efficiency:
➢ More organized than Jupyter Notebook for advanced
tasks.
Example:
➢ Similar to Jupyter Notebook but allows multiple
notebooks, terminals, and file viewers to run side-by-side.
Pros:
➢ Flexible, modular design supports advanced workflows.
➢ Can handle large-scale projects efficiently.
Cons:
➢ Requires more resources than Jupyter Notebook.
3. Visual Studio Code (VS Code)
A powerful and lightweight IDE with Python support through
extensions.

Use Case:
➢ Best for managing large, multi-file projects and collaborative
development.
Efficiency:
➢ Highly efficient for debugging, version control, and extensibility.
Example:
➢ Use VS Code to create complex scripts or integrate tools like
pytest for testing Python code.
Pros:
➢ Supports a wide range of extensions like Jupyter and Python
debuggers.
➢ Great for both individual and team projects.
Cons:
➢ Slight learning curve for beginners unfamiliar with extensions.
4. Spyder
A Python IDE designed specifically for data analysis and
machine learning tasks.

Use Case:
➢ Ideal for debugging and variable exploration in data
analysis.
Efficiency:
➢ User-friendly for beginner to intermediate data
analysts.
Example:
➢ Use the variable explorer to analyze datasets while
writing scripts.
Pros:
➢ Built-in support for Matplotlib and Pandas.
➢ Simple debugging tools tailored for Python data
tasks.
Cons:
➢ Limited customization compared to VS Code.
5. Excel
A spreadsheet software often used for basic data analysis
and visualization tasks.

Use Case:
➢ Best for creating quick charts and lightweight reports
without extensive coding.
Efficiency:
➢ Ideal for lightweight, non-technical data visualization
tasks.
Example:
➢ Generate a bar chart to visualize sales data directly in
Excel.
Pros:
➢Extremely user-friendly.
➢Widely used in business settings.
Cons:
➢Limited capabilities for handling large datasets.
6. Power BI
A Microsoft tool designed for creating interactive
dashboards and data visualizations.

Use Case:
➢ Ideal for stakeholder presentations and KPI tracking.
Efficiency:
➢ Excellent for interactive dashboards and business
intelligence.
Example:
➢ Use Power BI to connect directly to a database and
create live-updating sales dashboards.
Pros:
➢ Seamless integration with Microsoft products.
➢ Great for handling large datasets.
Cons:
➢ Requires a license for advanced features.
7. Google Colab

A cloud-based Jupyter Notebook environment provided by

Google, with free access to GPUs and TPUs.

Use Case:
➢ Best for collaborative, cloud-based coding and EDA.
Efficiency:
➢ No setup required; supports GPUs/TPUs for large datasets.
Pros:
➢ No installation or configuration required.
➢ Collaborative features for team coding.
Cons:
➢ Dependency on internet connectivity.
8. Tableau
A leading platform for creating drag-and-drop
dashboards and visualizations.

Use Case:
➢ Best for creating interactive dashboards for large
datasets.
Efficiency:
➢ Handles large datasets efficiently.
Example:
➢ Drag-and-drop functionality to visualize sales data
trends over time.
Pros:
➢ User-friendly interface.
➢ Supports integration with Python.
Cons:
➢ Requires a paid license for advanced features.
9. Plotly

A Python framework for building web-based,

interactive dashboards.

Use Case:
➢ Best for creating dynamic, interactive web
visualizations.
Efficiency:
➢ Highly efficient for web-based applications.
Pros:
➢ Fully interactive and customizable.
➢ Integrates with web frameworks like Flask.
Cons:
➢ Requires programming skills for setup.
Data visualization
tools and
packages
Data visualization packages in Python
provide powerful tools to create a wide
variety of visualizations, from basic plots
to complex interactive dashboards.

15
Data visualization Packages

Matplotlib

Seaborn

Plotly

Bokeh

Altair

Geopandas

16
 1. Matplotlib
Matplotlib is the foundational library for Use Cases:
data visualization in Python, often referred ➢ Best for creating static, publication-quality
to as the "grandfather" of plotting libraries. charts.
It offers detailed control over every aspect ➢ Suitable for embedding visualizations into
of a figure, making it suitable for static and reports or scientific papers.
highly customized plots. Efficiency:
➢ Highly efficient for creating basic plots but
Features:
can become verbose for more complex
❖ Wide variety of plots: line plots, bar charts,
visualizations.
scatter plots, histograms, etc.
Pros:
❖ Low-level control over plot elements (e.g., ➢ Comprehensive and versatile.
axes, labels, grids). ➢ Large community and extensive
documentation.
❖ Customizable layouts, colors, fonts, and styles. Cons:
➢ Syntax can be verbose.
❖ Ability to export visualizations to various ➢ Limited interactivity compared to newer
formats (PNG, PDF, SVG). libraries.
 2. Seaborn
Seaborn is a high-level library built on top Use Cases:
of Matplotlib, specifically designed for ➢ Best for creating data exploration plots during
statistical data visualization. It simplifies analysis.
complex plots and provides aesthetically ➢ Visualizing relationships between variables in
pleasing defaults. datasets.

Features: Efficiency:
❖ Pre-defined themes for styling (e.g., ➢ More efficient than Matplotlib for creating
darkgrid, whitegrid). statistical plots and handling grouped data.

❖ High-level functions for statistical Pros:

plots like boxplots, violin plots, and pair ➢ Simplifies complex plots with minimal code.
plots. ➢ Integrates seamlessly with Pandas.

❖ Works seamlessly with Pandas Cons:

DataFrames for quick plotting. ➢ Less flexibility for low-level customizations.
 3. Plotly
Plotly is a library designed for Use Cases:
creating interactive and web-based ➢ Ideal for web-based interactive visualizations.
visualizations. Its output is dynamic ➢ Suitable for presentations and dashboards.
and can include tooltips, zooming,
and panning. Efficiency:
➢ High efficiency for interactive and dynamic
Features: visualizations.
❖ Supports a variety of plots:
scatter, heatmaps, 3D plots, Pros:
choropleth maps. ➢ Interactive charts with minimal effort.
➢ Supports exporting charts as HTML for easy
sharing.
❖ Interactive visualizations by
default.
Cons:
➢ Steeper learning curve for advanced
❖ Integration with Dash for building customizations.
interactive dashboards. ➢ May require an internet connection for some
functionalities.
4. Bokeh
Use Cases:
Bokeh specializes in creating
➢ Best for creating web-ready visualizations.
interactive visualizations that can be
➢ Suitable for interactive dashboards.
easily integrated into web
applications. It is particularly useful
Efficiency:
for building dashboards.
➢ Efficient for interactive data visualization
but requires some setup.
Features:
❖ Interactive tools like zooming,
Pros
panning, and tooltips.
➢ Interactivity and browser integration.
➢ Good for handling real-time data.
❖ Ability to handle streaming data.
Cons:
❖ Supports linking multiple plots and
Limited support for statistical plots.
widgets.
5. Altair
Altair is a declarative statistical Use Cases:
visualization library that makes ➢ Best for rapid prototyping and exploratory
creating clean and simple charts data analysis.
effortless.
Efficiency:
Features: ➢ Highly efficient for quick visualization but
lacks flexibility for complex charts.
❖ Focus on simplicity and clean
syntax. Pros:
➢ Intuitive syntax for quick exploration.
❖ Built-in interactivity with ➢ Interactive by default.
minimal code.
Cons:
❖ Works well with Pandas-like ➢ Less control over plot details.
datasets.
6. Geopandas
Use Cases:
Geopandas extends Pandas by enabling ➢ Best for visualizing spatial data, such as
spatial data manipulation and choropleth maps.
visualization, making it a go-to library for
mapping data. Efficiency:
Features: ➢ Highly efficient for geospatial data analysis
• Supports spatial data formats like but limited for advanced visualizations.
Shapefiles and GeoJSON.
• Easy plotting of geographical data. Pros:
• Less control over plot details. ➢ Seamless integration with Pandas.
➢ Great for mapping spatial data.

Cons:
➢ Requires additional geospatial libraries for
advanced plotting.
 Comparison of Data Visualization Tools: Features, Use Cases, and Efficiency

Tool Best For Efficiency

Jupyter Notebook Interactive coding and EDA Excellent for small-scale, iterative projects.

Jupyter Lab Multitasking workflows More organized than Jupyter Notebook for advanced tasks.

VS Code Managing large, multi-file projects Highly efficient for debugging and collaborative development.

Spyder Debugging and variable exploration User-friendly for beginner to intermediate data analysts.

Excel Quick charts and business reports Ideal for lightweight, non-technical data visualization tasks.

Interactive dashboards for business

Power BI Excellent for stakeholder presentations and KPI tracking.
intelligence

Google Colab Cloud-based, collaborative coding No setup required; supports GPUs/TPUs for large datasets.

Handles large datasets efficiently but requires a license for

Tableau Drag-and-drop dashboard creation
usage.

Plotly Dash Interactive, web-based dashboards Perfect for creating dynamic web visualization.
Assignment
✓ List and explain five tools commonly used for data visualization in
Python. Discuss the unique features and advantages of each tool.
How do they contribute to the visualization process?

✓ List and explain three data visualization packages in Python. For each
package, discuss its main features, use cases, and the types of
visualizations it excels at creating.