help: confused about python flavors....

[amar Singh]

Hi,

I am confused between plain python, numpy, scipy, pylab, matplotlib.

I have high familiarity with matlab, but the computer I use does not
have it. So moving to python.
What should I use? and the best way to use it. I will be running
matlab-like scripts sometimes on the shell prompt and sometimes on the
command line.

Please help. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mark Lawrence]

Python is a programming language. It comes standard with many libraries
for doing basic mathematics, web access, email, etc.

Numpy is a library for doing scientific numerical maths work and fast
processing of numeric arrays.

Scipy is another library for scientific work. It is separate from, but
uses, Numpy.

Matplotlib is a project for making graphing and plotting of numeric data
easy in Python.

Pylab is a project to be Python's version of Matlab: it intends to be an
integrated bundle of Python the programming language, Numpy, Scipy, and
Matplotlib all in one easy-to-use application.



Pylab is intended to be the closest to Matlab, but I don't know how close
it is. Also, Pylab is NOT compatible with Matlab: its aim is to be an
alternative to Matlab, not to be a clone. So it cannot run Matlab scripts.

You might also like to look at Sage:

http://www.sagemath.org/

Sage is a Python project aimed to be an alternative to Mathematica.


Ultimately, you will have to look at the packages, see their features,
perhaps try them for a while (they are all free software, so the only
cost is your time), and decide for yourself which one meets your needs.
We can't answer that, because we don't know what you need.

Matplotlib is excellent, it has an extensive pile of docs and examples,
and the mailing list is extremely helpful.

 

[Dennis Lee Bieber]

Hi,

I am confused between plain python, numpy, scipy, pylab, matplotlib.

I have high familiarity with matlab, but the computer I use does not
have it. So moving to python.
What should I use? and the best way to use it. I will be running
matlab-like scripts sometimes on the shell prompt and sometimes on the
command line.

If Matlab compatibility is a high constraint, I'll speak heresy and
suggest you might look at Octave
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Octave

Python is stand-alone programming/scripting language. Numpy is an
extension package adding array/matrix math operations but the syntax
won't be a direct match to Matlab; Scipy is an extension package that,
well, extends Numpy. Matplotlib is a separate package for graphical
plotting of array data. {simplistic explanation}

 

[amar Singh]

        If Matlab compatibility is a high constraint, I'll speak heresy and
suggest you might look at Octavehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Octave

        Python is stand-alone programming/scripting language. Numpy is an
extension package adding array/matrix math operations but the syntax
won't be a direct match to Matlab; Scipy is an extension package that,
well, extends Numpy. Matplotlib is a separate package for graphical
plotting of array data. {simplistic explanation}

Thanks everyone for helping me on this.