Display Plotly plot inside VS code

Question

I'm trying to use plotly inside of vscode without a jupyter notebook.

When i use

import plotly.express as px

fig=px.line(x=[1,2,3,4],y=[1,4,9,16])
fig.show(renderer='vscode')

i only see some output in the terminal:

{'application/vnd.plotly.v1+json': {'config': {'plotlyServerURL': 'https://plot.ly'}, 'data': [{'hovertemplate': 'x=%{x}<br>y=%{y}<extra></extra>', 'legendgroup': '', 'line': {'color': '#636efa', 'dash': 'solid'}, 'mode': 'lines', 'name': '', 'orientation': 'v', 'showlegend': False, 'type': 'scatter', 'x': [1, 2, 3, 4], 'xaxis': 'x', 'y': [1, 4, 9, 16], 'yaxis': 'y'}], 'layout': {'legend': {'tracegroupgap': 0}, 'margin': {'t': 60}, 'template': {'data': {'bar': [{'error_x': {'color': '#2a3f5f'}, 'error_y': {'color': '#2a3f5f'}, 'marker': {'line': {'color': '#E5ECF6', 'width': 0.5}}, 'type': 'bar'}], 'barpolar': [{'marker': {'line': {'color': '#E5ECF6', 'width': 0.5}}, 'type': 'barpolar'}], 'carpet': [{'aaxis': {'endlinecolor': '#2a3f5f', 'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'minorgridcolor': 'white', 'startlinecolor': '#2a3f5f'}, 'baxis': {'endlinecolor': '#2a3f5f', 'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'minorgridcolor': 'white', 'startlinecolor': '#2a3f5f'}, 'type': 'carpet'}], 'choropleth': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'type': 'choropleth'}], 'contour': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'colorscale': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'type': 'contour'}], 'contourcarpet': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'type': 'contourcarpet'}], 'heatmap': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'colorscale': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'type': 'heatmap'}], 'heatmapgl': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'colorscale': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'type': 'heatmapgl'}], 'histogram': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'histogram'}], 'histogram2d': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'colorscale': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'type': 'histogram2d'}], 'histogram2dcontour': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'colorscale': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'type': 'histogram2dcontour'}], 'mesh3d': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'type': 'mesh3d'}], 'parcoords': [{'line': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'parcoords'}], 'pie': [{'automargin': True, 'type': 'pie'}], 'scatter': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scatter'}], 'scatter3d': [{'line': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scatter3d'}], 'scattercarpet': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scattercarpet'}], 'scattergeo': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scattergeo'}], 'scattergl': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scattergl'}], 'scattermapbox': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scattermapbox'}], 'scatterpolar': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scatterpolar'}], 'scatterpolargl': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scatterpolargl'}], 'scatterternary': [{'marker': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'type': 'scatterternary'}], 'surface': [{'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}, 'colorscale': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'type': 'surface'}], 'table': [{'cells': {'fill': {'color': '#EBF0F8'}, 'line': {'color': 'white'}}, 'header': {'fill': {'color': '#C8D4E3'}, 'line': {'color': 'white'}}, 'type': 'table'}]}, 'layout': {'annotationdefaults': {'arrowcolor': '#2a3f5f', 'arrowhead': 0, 'arrowwidth': 1}, 'coloraxis': {'colorbar': {'outlinewidth': 0, 'ticks': ''}}, 'colorscale': {'diverging': [[0, '#8e0152'], [0.1, '#c51b7d'], [0.2, '#de77ae'], [0.3, '#f1b6da'], [0.4, '#fde0ef'], [0.5, '#f7f7f7'], [0.6, '#e6f5d0'], [0.7, '#b8e186'], [0.8, '#7fbc41'], [0.9, '#4d9221'], [1, '#276419']], 'sequential': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']], 'sequentialminus': [[0.0, '#0d0887'], [0.1111111111111111, '#46039f'], [0.2222222222222222, '#7201a8'], [0.3333333333333333, '#9c179e'], [0.4444444444444444, '#bd3786'], [0.5555555555555556, '#d8576b'], [0.6666666666666666, '#ed7953'], [0.7777777777777778, '#fb9f3a'], [0.8888888888888888, '#fdca26'], [1.0, '#f0f921']]}, 'colorway': ['#636efa', '#EF553B', '#00cc96', '#ab63fa', '#FFA15A', '#19d3f3', '#FF6692', '#B6E880', '#FF97FF', '#FECB52'], 'font': {'color': '#2a3f5f'}, 'geo': {'bgcolor': 'white', 'lakecolor': 'white', 'landcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'showlakes': True, 'showland': True, 'subunitcolor': 'white'}, 'hoverlabel': {'align': 'left'}, 'hovermode': 'closest', 'mapbox': {'style': 'light'}, 'paper_bgcolor': 'white', 'plot_bgcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'polar': {'angularaxis': {'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': ''}, 'bgcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'radialaxis': {'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': ''}}, 'scene': {'xaxis': {'backgroundcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'gridcolor': 'white', 'gridwidth': 2, 'linecolor': 'white', 'showbackground': True, 'ticks': '', 'zerolinecolor': 'white'}, 'yaxis': {'backgroundcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'gridcolor': 'white', 'gridwidth': 2, 'linecolor': 'white', 'showbackground': True, 'ticks': '', 'zerolinecolor': 'white'}, 'zaxis': {'backgroundcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'gridcolor': 'white', 'gridwidth': 2, 'linecolor': 'white', 'showbackground': True, 'ticks': '', 'zerolinecolor': 'white'}}, 'shapedefaults': {'line': {'color': '#2a3f5f'}}, 'ternary': {'aaxis': {'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': ''}, 'baxis': {'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': ''}, 'bgcolor': '#E5ECF6', 'caxis': {'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': ''}}, 'title': {'x': 0.05}, 'xaxis': {'automargin': True, 'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': '', 'title': {'standoff': 15}, 'zerolinecolor': 'white', 'zerolinewidth': 2}, 'yaxis': {'automargin': True, 'gridcolor': 'white', 'linecolor': 'white', 'ticks': '', 'title': {'standoff': 15}, 'zerolinecolor': 'white', 'zerolinewidth': 2}}}, 'xaxis': {'anchor': 'y', 'domain': [0.0, 1.0], 'title': {'text': 'x'}}, 'yaxis': {'anchor': 'x', 'domain': [0.0, 1.0], 'title': {'text': 'y'}}}}}

When i omit the renderer argument, like

import plotly.express as px

fig=px.line(x=[1,2,3,4],y=[1,4,9,16])
fig.show()

the plot opens in my default browser, which is not what i want.

Is it either possible to show the figure directly in vscode or can it be opened in a browser tab inside of vscode so i don't have to switch windows?

Answer 1

If you want to use the built-in notebook of VS Code, another setting may be necessary to view maps:

import plotly.io as pio
pio.renderers

gives this:

Renderers configuration

Default renderer: 'vscode'
Available renderers:
    ['plotly_mimetype', 'jupyterlab', 'nteract', 'vscode',
     'notebook', 'notebook_connected', 'kaggle', 'azure', 'colab',
     'cocalc', 'databricks', 'json', 'png', 'jpeg', 'jpg', 'svg',
     'pdf', 'browser', 'firefox', 'chrome', 'chromium', 'iframe',
     'iframe_connected', 'sphinx_gallery', 'sphinx_gallery_png']

I needed to set:

pio.renderers.default = "notebook_connected"

to be able to render background maps (e.g. with px.scatter_geo() ).

All the other (non-map) visualizations worked even without this setting, though.