Add matplotlib.backend entry point #34
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This was referenced Mar 19, 2024
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This is WIP to move IPython's backend mapping into Matplotlib and extends it to allow backends to register themselves via [entry points](https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/userguide/entry_point.html#entry-points-for-plugins). It is a coordinated effort across Matplotlib, IPython, matplotlib-inline and ipympl. Closes #14311. Most of the work is in Matplotlib (matplotlib/matplotlib#27948) but I will repeat the relevant points here. When using a Matplotlib magic command of the form `%matplotlib something` the identification of the Matplotlib backend and GUI loop are now performed in Matplotlib not IPython. This supports: 1. Matplotlib backends that IPython already supports such as `qtagg` and `tkagg`. 2. Other built-in Matplotlib backends such as `qtcairo`. 3. Backends that use `module://something` syntax such as `module://mplcairo.qt`. 4. Backends that self-register using entry points, currently `inline` and `widget`/`ipympl`. Implementation details: 1. The magic command is now explicitly `%matplotlib gui_or_backend` rather than `%matplotlib gui`. This is already effectively the case as e.g. `%matplotlib ipympl` is really a backend not GUI name. Within Matplotlib the `gui_or_backend` is checked first to see if it is a GUI name and then falls back to checking if it is a backend name. 2. If you select the `inline` backend the corresponding GUI is now `None` not `inline`. All backends which do not have a GUI loop return `None`, otherwise we have to keep explicit checks within IPython for particular backends. 3. `backends` and `backend2gui` are now deprecated but are still exposed, with a deprecation warning, if required. If using Matplotlib, ipympl, etc releases that include the corresponding changes to this PR then they are not needed as Matplotlib deals with it all. But for backward compatibility they must still be available for a while along with the remainder of the existing backend-handling code. 4. I haven't yet updated the documentation but we need to keep information about valid GUI frameworks and I propose that we should remove all lists of valid Matplotlib backends, replacing them with instructions on how to obtain the current list (pointing to the Matplotlib docs and using `%matplotlib --list`). If we keep any lists then they will inevitably become out of date. This extends to the `backend_keys` in IPython/core/shellapp.py. Because the four related projects are loosely coupled without direct dependencies on each other (except for `ipython` and `matplotlib-inline`), backward compatibility requires all possible combinations of projects before and after the new functionality (I will call these "old" and "new" from now on) to continue to work. I have tested these all locally, and the CI of this PR will test new IPython against old Matplotlib for example, but I need to add one or more new temporary CI runs to test new IPython against new Matplotlib etc. The identification of new versus old depends on version checks on the other libraries, so here is a table that I will update showing the current status of progress in the 4 projects: | Project | Relevant PRs | Possible release version | | --- | --- | --- | | matplotlib-inline | ipython/matplotlib-inline#34, ipython/matplotlib-inline#35 | 0.1.7 | | ipympl | matplotlib/ipympl#549 | 0.9.4 | | Matplotlib | matplotlib/matplotlib#27948 | 3.9.1 | | IPython | #14371 (this) | 8.24.0 | The two widget projects can be released soon, once we are happy with the entry point approach. The other two projects' PRs will have to be synchronised as each includes version checks on each other. To do - [ ] Add CI runs against the new PR branches of the other projects. - [ ] Add comments for conditions required for backward-compatibility code blocks to be removed. - [ ] Update documentation, including removal of lists of valid backends. - [ ] Update version checks before merging.
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This adds an entry point to
pyproject.tomlfor matplotlib-inline to register itself as a Matplotlib backend. It is part of the planned transition of backend mapping from IPython to Matplotlib (matplotlib/matplotlib#27663 and ipython/ipython#14311).I have bumped the package
__version__as it will be used by Matplotlib to determine if a backward-compatible shim is required for this backend.