Python Data Visualization: Bokeh Cheat Sheet

In no time, this Bokeh cheat sheet will make you familiar with how you can prepare your data, create a new plot, add renderers for your data with custom visualizations, output your plot and save or show it. And the creation of basic statistical charts will hold no secrets for you any longer. 

Boost your Python data visualizations now with the help of Bokeh! :)

PS. Check out our Interactive Data Visualization with Bokeh course or visit the Bokeh documentation website. Also, don't miss our Pandas cheat sheet or the Python cheat sheet for data science. 

Plotting With Bokeh

The Python interactive visualization library Bokeh enables high-performance visual presentation of large datasets in modern web browsers.

Bokeh's mid-level general-purpose bokeh. plotting interface is centered around two main components: data and glyphs.

The basic steps to creating plots with the bokeh. plotting interface are:

1. Prepare some data (Python lists, NumPy arrays, Pandas DataFrames and other sequences of values)
2. Create a new plot
3. Add renderers for your data, with visual customizations
4. Specify where to generate the output
5. Show or save the results

>>> from bokeh.plotting import figure
>>> from bokeh.io import output_file, show
>>> x = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] #Step 1
>>> y = [6, 7, 2, 4, 5]
>>> p = figure(title="simple line example", #Step 2
x_axis_label='x',
y_axis_label='y')
>>> p.line(x, y, legend="Temp.", line_width=2) #Step 3
>>> output_file("lines.html") #Step 4
>>> show(p) #Step 5

1. Data 

Under the hood, your data is converted to Column Data Sources. You can also do this manually:

>>> import numpy as np
>>> import pandas as pd
>>> df = pd.OataFrame(np.array([[33.9,4,65, 'US'], [32.4, 4, 66, 'Asia'], [21.4, 4, 109, 'Europe']]),
                     columns= ['mpg', 'cyl',   'hp',   'origin'],
                      index=['Toyota', 'Fiat', 'Volvo'])


>>> from bokeh.models import ColumnOataSource
>>> cds_df = ColumnOataSource(df)

2. Plotting 

>>> from bokeh.plotting import figure
>>>p1= figure(plot_width=300, tools='pan,box_zoom')
>>> p2 = figure(plot_width=300, plot_height=300,
x_range=(0, 8), y_range=(0, 8))
>>> p3 = figure()

3. Renderers & Visual Customizations 

Glyphs 

Scatter Markers 

>>> p1.circle(np.array([1,2,3]), np.array([3,2,1]), fill_color='white')
>>> p2.square(np.array([1.5,3.5,5.5]), [1,4,3],
color='blue', size=1)

Line Glyphs 

>>> pl.line([1,2,3,4], [3,4,5,6], line_width=2)
>>> p2.multi_line(pd.DataFrame([[1,2,3],[5,6,7]]),
pd.DataFrame([[3,4,5],[3,2,1]]),
color="blue")

Customized Glyphs

Selection and Non-Selection Glyphs 

>>> p = figure(tools='box_select')
>>> p. circle ('mpg', 'cyl', source=cds_df,
selection_color='red',
nonselection_alpha=0.1)

Hover Glyphs

>>> from bokeh.models import HoverTool
>>>hover= HoverTool(tooltips=None, mode='vline')
>>> p3.add_tools(hover)

Color Mapping 

>>> from bokeh.models import CategoricalColorMapper
>>> color_mapper = CategoricalColorMapper(
             factors= ['US', 'Asia', 'Europe'],
             palette= ['blue', 'red', 'green'])
>>>  p3. circle ('mpg', 'cyl', source=cds_df,
            color=dict(field='origin',
                 transform=color_mapper), legend='Origin')

4. Output & Export 

Notebook

>>> from bokeh.io import output_notebook, show
>>> output_notebook()

HTML 

Standalone HTML 

>>> from bokeh.embed import file_html
>>> from bokeh.resources import CON
>>> html = file_html(p, CON, "my_plot")

>>> from  bokeh.io  import  output_file,  show
>>> output_file('my_bar_chart.html',  mode='cdn')

Components

>>> from bokeh.embed import components
>>> script, div= components(p)

PNG

>>> from bokeh.io import export_png
>>> export_png(p, filename="plot.png")

SVG 

>>> from bokeh.io import export_svgs
>>> p. output_backend = "svg"
>>> export_svgs(p,filename="plot.svg")

Legend Location 

Inside Plot Area 

>>> p.legend.location = 'bottom left'

Outside Plot Area 

>>> from bokeh.models import Legend
>>> r1 = p2.asterisk(np.array([1,2,3]), np.array([3,2,1])
>>> r2 = p2.line([1,2,3,4], [3,4,5,6])
>>> legend = Legend(items=[("One" ,[p1, r1]),("Two",[r2])], location=(0, -30))
>>> p.add_layout(legend, 'right')

Legend Background & Border 

>>> p.legend. border_line_color = "navy"
>>> p.legend.background_fill_color = "white"

Legend Orientation 

>>> p.legend.orientation = "horizontal"
>>> p.legend.orientation = "vertical"

Rows & Columns Layout

Rows

>>> from bokeh.layouts import row
>>>layout= row(p1,p2,p3)

Columns

>>> from bokeh.layouts import columns
>>>layout= column(p1,p2,p3)

Nesting Rows & Columns 

>>>layout= row(column(p1,p2), p3)

Grid Layout 

>>> from bokeh.layouts import gridplot
>>> rowl = [p1,p2]
>>> row2 = [p3]
>>> layout = gridplot([[p1, p2],[p3]])

Tabbed Layout 

>>> from bokeh.models.widgets import Panel, Tabs
>>> tab1 = Panel(child=p1, title="tab1")
>>> tab2 = Panel(child=p2, title="tab2")
>>> layout = Tabs(tabs=[tab1, tab2])

Linked Plots

Linked Axes 

Linked Axes
>>> p2.x_range = p1.x_range
>>> p2.y_range = p1.y_range

Linked Brushing 

>>> p4 = figure(plot_width = 100, tools='box_select,lasso_select')
>>> p4.circle('mpg', 'cyl' , source=cds_df)
>>> p5 = figure(plot_width = 200, tools='box_select,lasso_select')
>>> p5.circle('mpg', 'hp', source=cds df)
>>>layout= row(p4,p5)

5. Show or Save Your Plots  

>>> show(p1)
>>> show(layout)
>>> save(p1)

If you are interested in learning more, check out DataCamp’s Interactive Data Visualization with Bokeh course!