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Customizing Grid

Another important part of the customization is grid customization. pyplot module has a grid() function for this purpose.

Visibility and Axes

Its first parameter visible specifies whether to show the grid lines (by default, they are not shown).

The axis parameter in grid customization allows you to control the direction in which grid lines appear on a plot:

'x' — displays vertical grid lines aligned with the x-axis;
'y' — displays horizontal grid lines aligned with the y-axis;
'both' — displays grid lines in both directions (this is the default behavior).

This parameter is useful when you want to emphasize data alignment along a specific axis or reduce visual clutter by limiting grid lines to one direction.


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import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

data_linear = np.arange(0, 11)
data_squared = data_linear ** 2

plt.plot(data_linear, label='linear function', color='red', alpha=0.5)
plt.plot(data_squared, '-o', label='quadratic function', color='blue')

plt.xticks(data_linear)
plt.xlabel('x', loc='right')
plt.ylabel('y', loc='top', rotation=0)

# Setting the horizontal grid lines to be visible
plt.grid(True, axis='x')

plt.legend()
plt.show()

In this example, visible=True and axis='x' were set to enable only the vertical grid lines. This enhances the plot by adding useful reference lines while avoiding unnecessary horizontal elements.

Color and Transparency

It is also possible to change the color of the grid lines using the color parameter and their transparency using the alpha parameter.


              123456789101112131415161718
            
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

data_linear = np.arange(0, 11)
data_squared = data_linear ** 2

plt.plot(data_linear, label='linear function', color='red', alpha=0.5)
plt.plot(data_squared, '-o', label='quadratic function', color='blue')

plt.xticks(data_linear)
plt.xlabel('x', loc='right')
plt.ylabel('y', loc='top', rotation=0)

# Customizing the horizontal grid lines
plt.grid(True, axis='x', alpha=0.2, color='black')

plt.legend()
plt.show()

Now our grid lines are black (color='black') and are more transparent (alpha=0.2) which makes the plot look even better.

Study More

There are still more possible parameters for the grid() functions (they are not used so often), so here is its grid() documentation in case you want to explore more.

Task

Swipe to start coding

Customize the grid lines on the plot by completing the function call:

Use the correct function to configure grid lines.
Make the grid visible by setting the first argument appropriately.
Restrict the grid to lines parallel to the x-axis by setting the axis parameter.
Set the grid line color to 'slategrey' using the color parameter.
Adjust the transparency of the grid lines to 0.5 using the alpha parameter.

Solution

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Section 3. Chapter 5

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Customizing Grid

Another important part of the customization is grid customization. pyplot module has a grid() function for this purpose.

Visibility and Axes

Its first parameter visible specifies whether to show the grid lines (by default, they are not shown).

The axis parameter in grid customization allows you to control the direction in which grid lines appear on a plot:

'x' — displays vertical grid lines aligned with the x-axis;
'y' — displays horizontal grid lines aligned with the y-axis;
'both' — displays grid lines in both directions (this is the default behavior).

This parameter is useful when you want to emphasize data alignment along a specific axis or reduce visual clutter by limiting grid lines to one direction.


              123456789101112131415161718
            
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

data_linear = np.arange(0, 11)
data_squared = data_linear ** 2

plt.plot(data_linear, label='linear function', color='red', alpha=0.5)
plt.plot(data_squared, '-o', label='quadratic function', color='blue')

plt.xticks(data_linear)
plt.xlabel('x', loc='right')
plt.ylabel('y', loc='top', rotation=0)

# Setting the horizontal grid lines to be visible
plt.grid(True, axis='x')

plt.legend()
plt.show()

In this example, visible=True and axis='x' were set to enable only the vertical grid lines. This enhances the plot by adding useful reference lines while avoiding unnecessary horizontal elements.

Color and Transparency

It is also possible to change the color of the grid lines using the color parameter and their transparency using the alpha parameter.


              123456789101112131415161718
            
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

data_linear = np.arange(0, 11)
data_squared = data_linear ** 2

plt.plot(data_linear, label='linear function', color='red', alpha=0.5)
plt.plot(data_squared, '-o', label='quadratic function', color='blue')

plt.xticks(data_linear)
plt.xlabel('x', loc='right')
plt.ylabel('y', loc='top', rotation=0)

# Customizing the horizontal grid lines
plt.grid(True, axis='x', alpha=0.2, color='black')

plt.legend()
plt.show()

Now our grid lines are black (color='black') and are more transparent (alpha=0.2) which makes the plot look even better.

Study More

There are still more possible parameters for the grid() functions (they are not used so often), so here is its grid() documentation in case you want to explore more.

Task

Swipe to start coding

Customize the grid lines on the plot by completing the function call:

Use the correct function to configure grid lines.
Make the grid visible by setting the first argument appropriately.
Restrict the grid to lines parallel to the x-axis by setting the axis parameter.
Set the grid line color to 'slategrey' using the color parameter.
Adjust the transparency of the grid lines to 0.5 using the alpha parameter.

Solution

Switch to desktop for real-world practiceContinue from where you are using one of the options below

Everything was clear?

Thanks for your feedback!

Section 3. Chapter 5

Switch to desktop for real-world practiceContinue from where you are using one of the options below