Re: Install matplotlib in Debian 9

[Markos <markos@c2o.pro.br>]

Em 10-06-2018 21:18, Mark Fletcher escreveu:

On Fri, Jun 08, 2018 at 09:21:23PM +0200, didier gaumet wrote:

Le 08/06/2018 à 20:51, Markos a écrit :

Hi,

I'm starting my studies with Python 3 on Debian 9.

I have to install the matplotlib module, but I'm in doubt what is the
difference to install with the command:

pip3 install matplotlib

or

apt-get install python3-matplotlib

Is there any difference in the packages that are installed?

Thanks,

Markos

I suppose that this comparable to install a Firefox extension via
apt-get or from Firefox: apt-get will provide an older version
system-wide while pip3 will provide a more up-to-date version only in a
user environment?
Do not take my word for it, though: I have absolutely no competence in
Python.

Using pip is like building non-python software from source when it is 
already packaged for Debian -- possible, and occasionally necessary in 
some circumstances, but to be avoided where you can. If you use the 
Debian packaging system, Debian knows what you have installed and what 
libraries your system is dependent on, etc, and won't do anything to 
break your system for example when you upgrade. But if you install using 
pip Debian doesn't know anything about it (so won't upgrade it for you 
when you upgrade). In particular, but not limited to, upgrading a system 
that has a mix of manually-built and Debian-installed packages can be a 
pain.

I can tell you from experience the version of matplotlib in Debian 9, 
while not the latest and greatest, is plenty good enough. I use it quite 
a lot.

If this is you making a foray into data science with python, by the way, 
I also strongly recommend the pandas library (also in Debian, and again 
the version in Stretch is not latest but plenty new enough).

Mark

Hi Mark,

Many thanks for your didactic explanation.

As I prefer more stability than "updability" I will install the package:

apt-get install python3-matplotlib

Best Regards,
Markos