# How-to

These how-to guides are practical, problem-oriented recipes for accomplishing specific tasks with hvPlot. They assume you are already familiar with the basics. There is no order to the guides, jump to the topic that is relevant to you now.

## Display and save plots

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:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`plug;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Load and switch plotting extensions
:link: load_switch_plotting_extensions
:link-type: doc

How to load the Bokeh, Matplotlib or Plotly extension and switch between them.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`browser;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Display plots
:link: display_plots
:link-type: doc

How to display plots in notebooks, scripts and other environments.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`question;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Choose a backend for saving plots
:link: choose_backend_for_saving_plots
:link-type: doc

How to pick the backend that best fits the output format you want to save.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`download;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Save Bokeh plots
:link: save_bokeh_plots
:link-type: doc

How to save Bokeh plots as HTML, PNG or SVG files.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`download;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Save Matplotlib plots
:link: save_matplotlib_plots
:link-type: doc

How to save Matplotlib plots as image files.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`image;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Save plots as animated GIFs
:link: save_plots_as_gif
:link-type: doc

How to export animated plots as GIF files.
:::

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## Style plots

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:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`paintbrush;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Style plots by backend
:link: style_plots_by_backend
:link-type: doc

How to apply backend-specific styling options to your plots.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`tools;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Customize the underlying figure
:link: customize_underlying_figure
:link-type: doc

How to edit the Bokeh, Matplotlib or Plotly figure with that library's own API.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`pencil;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Plot lines with markers
:link: plot_lines_with_markers
:link-type: doc

How to draw lines with markers at each data point.
:::

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## Combine and arrange plots

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:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`stack;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Overlay plots
:link: overlay_plots
:link-type: doc

How to draw several plots on top of each other in the same axes.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`columns;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Lay out plots
:link: layout_plots
:link-type: doc

How to place plots side by side or in columns.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`rows;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Split a plot into subplots
:link: split_into_subplots
:link-type: doc

How to split a single plot into several subplots.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`apps;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Facet plots into a grid
:link: facet_into_grid
:link-type: doc

How to arrange subplots into a grid of facets.
:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`project;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Build custom plot layouts
:link: build_custom_layouts
:link-type: doc

How to build custom layouts of plots with Panel.
:::

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## Explore data interactively

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:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`sliders;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Explore multidimensional datasets with widgets
:link: explore_with_widgets
:link-type: doc

How to explore multidimensional data with automatically generated widgets.
:::

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## Work with AI assistants

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:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`hubot;2.5em;sd-mr-1` Use hvPlot with an AI assistant
:link: use_ai_assistant
:link-type: doc

How to give AI coding assistants current hvPlot guidance with HoloViz skills and llms.txt.
:::

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```{toctree}
:titlesonly:
:hidden:
:maxdepth: 2

Display and save plots <display_and_save_plots>
Style plots <style_plots>
Combine and arrange plots <combine_and_arrange_plots>
Explore multidimensional datasets <explore_with_widgets>
Use hvPlot with an AI assistant <use_ai_assistant>
```