Understand layout in matplotlib legend

If you are familiar with css flexbox model, this is similar to how legend is layout internally in matplotlib.

A matplotlib legend have at least two parts, the handle and the label.

  • handle: The graphic to represent the item in the plot.

  • label: The text for the item.

Parameters to control the layout

The units used in the layout system is the same as font size.

../_images/handle_label_illustration.png

  • handleheight: The height of the handle.

  • handlelength: The length of the handle.

  • handletextpad: The distance between the handle and the label.

../_images/layout_padding_illustration.png

  • labelspacing: This control the distance between different legend items, it also controls the distance between title and items.

  • columnspacing: The distance between multiple columns of items.

  • frameon: Toggle the on/off of the outer frame.

  • borderpad: The distance between the actual legend and the outer frame, apply for both x and y direction.

  • borderaxespad: The distance between the axes and the legend.