
\chapter{Introduction}

This package provides tools to generate plots and labeled axes easily. It draws
normal plots, log plots and semi-log plots, in two and three dimensions. Axis
ticks, labels, legends (in case of multiple plots) can be added with key--value
options. It supports line plots, scatter plots, piecewise constant plots, bar
plots, area plots, mesh and surface plots, patch plots, contour plots, quiver
plots, histogram plots, box plots, polar axes, ternary diagrams, smith charts
and some more. It can cycle through a set of predefined line/marker/color
specifications.

In summary, its purpose is to simplify the generation of high-quality function
and/or data plots, and solving the problems of
%
\begin{itemize}
    \item consistency of document and font type and font size,
    \item direct use of \TeX{} math mode in axis descriptions,
    \item consistency of data and figures (no third party tool necessary),
    \item inter-document consistency using preamble configurations and
        styles.
\end{itemize}
%
Although not necessary, separate |.pdf| or |.eps| graphics can be generated
using the |external| library developed as part of \Tikz{}.

You are invited to use \PGFPlots{} for visualization of medium sized data sets
in two and three dimensions.

It is based on Till Tantau's package \PGF{}/\Tikz{}.
