Adventures in Machine Learning

Creating Impactful Visualizations with Plotly in Python

Introduction to Plotly in Python

Data visualization has become essential in today’s society since it helps us make sense of large amounts of data. Organizations rely on data analysts, data scientists, and data engineers to help them uncover new insights from these datasets.

Statistical analysis is a crucial component of data analysis, and Python libraries such as Plotly enable data analysts to create visually appealing charts and graphs for their data. In this article, we will explore the primary features of Plotly in Python, starting with an overview of its purpose and installation process.

We will then take a deep dive into basic charts such as scatter plots, line-scatter plots, and bubble scatter plots.

Getting Started with Plotly

Before you can start utilizing the power of Plotly, you must install the necessary package. The simplest way to install Plotly in Python is to use pip, a package manager for Python, by typing the following command in your terminal:

$ pip install plotly==5.3.1

Once you have installed Plotly, you can start creating charts, starting with the basic charts.

Basic Charts in Python Plotly

Scatter Plot

A scatter plot is a chart that utilizes coordinates (x, y) to represent data points in a two-dimensional space. Scatter plots are widely utilized in data analysis, and Plotly offers an intuitive and straightforward method of creating them.

import plotly.express as px

import numpy as np
x = np.random.rand(50)
y = np.random.rand(50)
fig = px.scatter(x=x, y=y)
fig.show()

In the above example, we copied the necessary package and imported the essential libraries, including numpy which we used to create two arrays, x and y. We then created a scatter plot using the plotly express module and displayed it using the fig.show() method.

Line-Scatter Plot

Sometimes, you may need to create a plot that incorporates both a line and a scatter plot. In this case, you can utilize the line-scatter plot.

The line-scatter plot is perfect for showing trends in the data while still displaying the individual data points.

import plotly.graph_objs as go

import numpy as np
x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
y = np.sin(x)
trace = go.Scatter(
    x=x,
    y=y,
    mode='lines+markers'
)
layout = go.Layout(
    title='Line-Scatter Plot'
)
fig = go.Figure(data=[trace], layout=layout)
fig.show()

We started with necessary imports, created two arrays using numpy, and then created a trace that would be used to overlay the line and scatter plot. We also created a layout to define the chart’s title and then created the figure with the data and layout, which was then shown via the fig.show() method.

Bubble Scatter Plot

Another type of scatter plot that is commonly used is the bubble scatter plot. In a bubble scatter plot, the third variable can be represented by the size of the bubble or the bubble’s color.

import plotly.express as px
df = px.data.gapminder().query("year==2007")
df = df[df["continent"].isin(["Asia", "Europe"])]
fig = px.scatter(df,
                 x="gdpPercap",
                 y="lifeExp",
                 size="pop",
                 color="continent")
fig.show()

In this example, we used a sample dataset obtained with Plotly’s built-in dataset functionality to create a bubble scatter plot. We defined the size of the bubble using the ‘pop’ column and defined the color using the ‘continent’ column.

Conclusion

Plotly is one of the most popular and effective methods available for data visualization in Python. It offers a range of features that make the creation of charts and graphs easy and intuitive.

In this article, we discussed how to create basic charts such as scatter plots, line-scatter plots, and bubble scatter plots. We hope that this article has helped you gain an understanding of Plotly’s basic features and how it can be utilized to create impactful visualizations.

Statistical Style Charts

Data visualization is an essential tool in statistical analysis. Plotly, a Python library, has become increasingly popular in data visualization due to its ease of use and versatility in creating various types of charts and graphs.

In this article, we will explore statistical style charts and their implementation using Plotly. We will discuss the Box Plot, Histogram, and DistPlots.

Box Plot

A box plot is a statistical chart that displays the distribution and range of a dataset. It is an effective tool to visualize data, especially when comparing multiple datasets.

Here is an example of how to create a box plot using Plotly:

import plotly.graph_objs as go

import numpy as np
np.random.seed(10)
y0 = np.random.randn(50) - 1
y1 = np.random.randn(50)
y2 = np.random.randn(50) + 1
y3 = np.random.randn(50) + 2
data = [go.Box(y=y0, name='Group 1'),
        go.Box(y=y1, name='Group 2'),
        go.Box(y=y2, name='Group 3'),
        go.Box(y=y3, name='Group 4')]
fig = go.Figure(data)
fig.show()

In this example, we imported necessary package, defined four groups of datasets, and created the box plot based on these datasets. The plot shows the distribution of the data with a box, whiskers, and outliers.

The box represents the interquartile range (IQR), the whiskers extend to the minimum and maximum values, and the outliers are displayed as individual points.

Histogram

A histogram is a chart that displays the frequency distribution of a dataset. It is commonly used in data analysis to visualize the range and central tendency of a dataset.

Here is an example of how to create a histogram using Plotly:

import plotly.graph_objs as go

import numpy as np
np.random.seed(10)
x = np.random.randn(500)
fig = go.Figure(data=[go.Histogram(x=x)])
fig.show()

In this example, we imported the necessary package, created a random dataset using numpy, and then created the histogram using the plotly.graph_objs module.

The histogram displays the density of the data via the height of each bin in the chart.

DistPlots

A distplot is a visualization tool that is used to show the distribution of a dataset. The distribution plot can be either a histogram or a kernel density estimate (KDE) plot, or a combination of both.

The distplot is a useful tool to visualize the data distribution and identify potential outliers. Here is an example of how to create a distplot in Plotly:

import plotly.figure_factory as ff

import numpy as np
np.random.seed(10)
x = np.random.randn(500)
fig = ff.create_distplot([x], ['distplot'])
fig.show()

In this example, we imported the necessary package, created a random dataset using numpy, and then created the distplot using the plotly.figure_factory module. The plot displays both the histogram and KDE plot.

Scientific Charts

Counter Plots

A counter plot is a graphical representation of three-dimensional data. It is a useful tool in scientific visualization because it provides a visual representation of a dataset’s properties.

A counter plot is a contour plot that represents the number of times a data point appears.

import plotly.graph_objs as go

import numpy as np
np.random.seed(10)
def z_function(x, y):
    return np.sin(np.sqrt(x ** 2 + y ** 2)) ** 2
x, y = np.meshgrid(np.linspace(-10, 10, 150), np.linspace(-10, 10, 150))
z = z_function(x, y)
fig = go.Figure(data=[go.Contour(z=z, colorscale='Viridis')])
fig.show()

In this example, we imported the necessary package, created a function to generate the data, and used the plotly.graph_objs module to create the contour plot.

Heatmaps in Plotly

A heatmap is a graphical representation of data using colors to represent different values. Heatmaps can be used for various purposes, such as representing temperature data, geographical data, and more.

Here is an example of how to create a heatmap in Plotly:

import plotly.graph_objs as go

import numpy as np
np.random.seed(10)
data = np.random.randn(10,10)
fig = go.Figure(data=go.Heatmap(
                   z=data,
                   x=[0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9],
                   y=[0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]))
fig.show()

In this example, we imported the necessary package, created a random dataset using numpy, and then created the heatmap using the plotly.graph_objs module. The heatmap represents the values of the data with different colors, and the x and y axes represent the rows and columns of the data.

Conclusion

Plotly is an excellent Python library that can easily create statistical and scientific charts. In this article, we covered the implementation of box plots, histograms, distplots, counter plots, and heatmaps in Plotly.

Hopefully, this in-depth look at Plotly’s various functions has given you an idea of how easy it is to create these types of charts in Python.

Financial Plots

Financial data has a lot of information that can be helpful in making informed decisions. Plotly, a Python library, provides many tools to visualize financial data easily.

In this article, we will explore financial plots and their implementation using Plotly. We will discuss the Time-Series Chart, Funnel Charts, and 3-D Charts.

Time-Series Chart

A time-series chart is a graph that displays financial data over time. It is an effective way to visualize the trend of a stock or commodity price over a particular period and helps in identifying and predicting market trends.

Here is an example of how to create a Time-Series Chart in Plotly:

import pandas as pd
import plotly.graph_objs as go
df = pd.read_csv('stock_data.csv')
fig = go.Figure(data=[go.Scatter(x=df['Date'], y=df['Close'])])
fig.show()

In this example, we imported pandas to read a CSV file containing the stock data over a certain period, defined the data frame with the stock and date parameters, and then created a Time-Series Chart using the Plotly’s Scatter function. The plot displays the trend of the stock price over the period.

Funnel Charts

Funnel charts are an excellent choice for business development, particularly for products or services that are sold in phases. The chart provides an overview of the sales process with a clear picture of where the customer is in the buying funnel.

Here is an example of how to create a Funnel Chart in Plotly:

import plotly.graph_objs as go
fig = go.Figure(go.Funnel(
    y = ["Website Visits", "Downloads", "Sales Initiated", "Contact", "Sales Completed"],
    x = [39, 27.4, 20, 11.5, 2.1],
    textinfo = "value+percent initial"))
fig.show()

In this example, we imported necessary package, defined the various phases customers undergo in the sales process, entered the corresponding percentage value for each phase, and created a Funnel Chart using the Plotly’s Funnel function. The plot shows the progression of customers in the sales funnel.

3-D Charts

3-D Charts are useful in financial data visualization due to their capability to provide a more immersive and informative visual representation of the data. Plotly provides a Mesh3d function that can be used to create 3-D charts.

Here is an example of how to create a 3-D Chart in Plotly:

import plotly.graph_objs as go

import numpy as np
x, y = np.linspace(-5, 5), np.linspace(-5, 5)
x, y = np.meshgrid(x, y)
z = np.sqrt(x**2 + y**2)
fig = go.Figure(data=[go.Mesh3d(x=x.flatten(), y=y.flatten(), z=z.flatten(),
                   color=np.random.randn(900),
                   opacity=0.5)])
fig.show()

In this example, we imported the necessary package, created data using numpy, and then utilized Plotly’s Mesh3d function to create the 3-D chart. The plot displays the data represented in three-dimensions with colors indicating the value range.

Conclusion

Plotly is an excellent Python library for data visualization, including financial data.

Time-Series Charts are a great way to visualize the trend of financial data.

Funnel Charts are useful tools in business development, helping to keep track of customers’ progress through the sales funnel. Finally, 3-D charts provide a more immersive and informative visual representation of the data.

We hope this article has given you an idea of how to create financial plots using Plotly. In this article, we have explored different types of charts and graphs in Plotly for Python allowing data analysts to create visually-appealing presentations to communicate statistical and financial data.

We have discussed scatter plots, box plots, histograms, funnel charts, 3-D charts and time-series charts as some of the most commonly used charts. With Plotly, data visualization is no longer just informative; it can be immersive and aesthetically pleasing.

The ability to create complex and detailed charts will continue to be an essential tool for data analysts and anyone looking to communicate their data in a concise and clear way. The takeaway is that with Plotly, Python provides a straightforward and intuitive means to convey complex data through vivid and engaging visuals.

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