# Dash vs Matplotlib

## Key differences

- Dash and Matplotlib have a similar number of GitHub stars (24.4K vs 23.3K).
- Matplotlib had more development activity over the last 12 months: 2,023 commits vs 1,348.
- Matplotlib is downloaded 23× as often on PyPI (39.5M vs 1.7M per week).
- Dash is licensed under MIT; Matplotlib under PSF-2.0.
- Matplotlib is the older project: its repository was created in 2011, Dash's in 2015.

| | Dash | Matplotlib |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Framework for building data apps and dashboards in Python, built on Plotly.js and React. | 2D plotting library. |
| GitHub stars | 24,441 | 23,323 |
| Commits (12 months) | 1,348 | 2,023 |
| Contributors | 196 | 438 |
| License | MIT | PSF-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Install | `pip install dash` | `pip install matplotlib` |

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