In [1]:

# Should pop up a GUI window
%matplotlib
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.plot([1,2,3])

Using matplotlib backend: MacOSX

Out[1]:

[<matplotlib.lines.Line2D at 0x10ce05350>]

In [2]:

# Should make an inline figure
%matplotlib inline
plt.plot([1,2,3])

Out[2]:

[<matplotlib.lines.Line2D at 0x10cd5dfd0>]

In [3]:

# New GUI window--should *NOT* have the visual settings of inline
%matplotlib qt
plt.plot([1,2,3])

Out[3]:

[<matplotlib.lines.Line2D at 0x10cd9cb10>]