# Bokeh vs Matplotlib

## Key differences

- Matplotlib and Bokeh have a similar number of GitHub stars (23.3K vs 20.5K).
- Matplotlib had more development activity over the last 12 months: 2,023 commits vs 344.
- Matplotlib is downloaded 30× as often on PyPI (39.5M vs 1.3M per week).
- Bokeh is licensed under BSD-3-Clause; Matplotlib under PSF-2.0.
- Bokeh is written primarily in TypeScript, Matplotlib in Python.
- Matplotlib is the older project: its repository was created in 2011, Bokeh's in 2012.

| | Bokeh | Matplotlib |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Interactive Web Plotting for Python. | 2D plotting library. |
| GitHub stars | 20,455 | 23,323 |
| Commits (12 months) | 344 | 2,023 |
| Contributors | 389 | 438 |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | PSF-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Install | `pip install bokeh` | `pip install matplotlib` |

Source: https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/bokeh-vs-matplotlib/ · Data updated 2026-10-04 · Content: CC BY 4.0, Awesome Dataviz (https://awesomedataviz.com).