How to show matplotlib plots in python

In matplotlib you have two main options:

1. Create your plots and draw them at the end:

   import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
   
   plt.plot(x, y)
   plt.plot(z, t)
   plt.show()
   

2. Create your plots and draw them as soon as they are created:

   import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
   from matplotlib import interactive
   interactive(True)
   
   plt.plot(x, y)
   raw_input('press return to continue')
   
   plt.plot(z, t)
   raw_input('press return to end')
   

You must use plt.show() at the end in order to see the plot

In case anyone else ends up here using Jupyter Notebooks, you just need

%matplotlib inline

Purpose of "%matplotlib inline"