The Frustrating Case of the Vanishing Plotly Chart: A Step-by-Step Guide to Displaying Your Chart in Jupyter Notebook

Are you tired of staring at a blank Jupyter Notebook cell, wondering why your beautifully crafted Plotly chart refuses to appear? You’re not alone! The “Plotly chart not displayed in Jupyter Notebook” conundrum has plagued many a data enthusiast. Fear not, dear reader, for we’re about to embark on a troubleshooting adventure to get your chart shining bright in no time.

Verify the Obvious (But Often Overlooked)

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s make sure we’ve covered the basics:

• Have you installed the Plotly library? Run !pip install plotly in a new cell to ensure it’s properly installed.
• Have you imported Plotly correctly? Use import plotly.graph_objects as go or import plotly.express as px depending on the type of chart you’re creating.
• Is your Jupyter Notebook running in a supported environment? Plotly supports Python 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, and 3.9. Check your environment by running !python --version in a new cell.

The Plotly Display Configuration

Plotly provides several display settings to accommodate different environments. Let’s explore these options:

Inline Display

The default display mode is set to inline, which embeds the chart directly in the Jupyter Notebook cell. Try adding the following code at the top of your notebook:

import plotly.io as pio
pio_INLINE

If your chart still doesn’t appear, move on to the next option.

Local Display

Switching to local display mode can help resolve issues related to inline rendering. Add the following code:

import plotly.io as pio
pio.renderers.default = 'notebook'

This will render your chart in a separate browser tab. If your chart appears here but not inline, there might be an issue with your Jupyter Notebook configuration.

Disable Sanitizers

Sanitizers can sometimes interfere with Plotly’s rendering. Add the following code to disable sanitizers:

import plotly.io as pio
pio.renderers.default = 'notebook'
pio.renderers.notebook.sanitize_html = False

If your chart still doesn’t appear, we need to dig deeper.

Jupyter Notebook Configuration

Let’s investigate potential issues with your Jupyter Notebook setup:

Jupyter Notebook Version

Ensure you’re running a compatible version of Jupyter Notebook. Plotly supports Jupyter Notebook 5.0 and later. Check your version by running !jupyter notebook --version in a new cell.

Jupyter Notebook Config File

The Jupyter Notebook config file might be overriding Plotly’s settings. Check your config file by running !jupyter notebook --generate-config. This will create a new config file if one doesn’t exist. Look for any Plotly-related settings and adjust them accordingly.

IPython Config

IPython’s config file might be causing issues. Create a new IPython config file by running !ipython profile create. Then, add the following code to your newly created config file:

c.InlineBackend.print_figure_kwargs = {'bbox_inches': 'tight'}

This will ensure that IPython uses the correct figure size for your Plotly chart.

Browser Compatibility Issues

Browser compatibility can sometimes be the culprit. Try the following:

Update Your Browser

Ensure you’re running the latest version of your browser. Outdated browsers can cause rendering issues with Plotly charts.

Try a Different Browser

Switch to a different browser to isolate the issue. If your chart appears in another browser, the problem lies with your primary browser.

Disable Browser Extensions

Browser extensions can interfere with Plotly’s rendering. Try disabling all extensions and reload your Jupyter Notebook.

Troubleshooting Checklist

Before we conclude, let’s recap the troubleshooting steps:

1. Verify Plotly installation and import
2. Check Jupyter Notebook environment and version
3. Toggle inline and local display modes
4. Disable sanitizers
5. Check Jupyter Notebook config file
6. Check IPython config file
7. Update browser and try a different one
8. Disable browser extensions

The Grand Finale: Displaying Your Plotly Chart

By now, your Plotly chart should be proudly displayed in your Jupyter Notebook cell. If not, you can try:

• Rerunning your code
• Restarting your Jupyter Notebook kernel
• Seeking help from the Plotly community or Jupyter Notebook forums

Remember, perseverance is key when troubleshooting. Don’t be discouraged if your chart takes a few attempts to appear. With patience and persistence, you’ll be creating stunning Plotly charts in Jupyter Notebook in no time!

Troubleshooting Step	Possible Solution
Plotly installation and import	!pip install plotly and import plotly.graph_objects as go
Jupyter Notebook environment and version	Check !python --version and ensure Jupyter Notebook 5.0 or later
Inline and local display modes	Toggle between pio_INLINE and pio.renderers.default = 'notebook'
Sanitizers	pio.renderers.notebook.sanitize_html = False
Jupyter Notebook config file and IPython config	Check and adjust config files accordingly
Update browser, try a different browser, and disable browser extensions

Happy charting, and may the Plotly force be with you!

Here is the HTML code for the 5 Questions and Answers about “Plotly chart not displayed in Jupyter Notebook”:

Frequently Asked Question

Having trouble getting your Plotly charts to display in Jupyter Notebook? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Here are some common issues and their solutions to get you back to visualizing in no time.