Basic Graphics and Graphs with Princeton's Java StdLib

I really like the Princeton StdLib for Java to make basic graphs with Java. The learning curve isn't steep and installation is easy. To get started either grab the Maven support files or the JAR and install in IntelliJ or your favourite IDE.

• Maven: StdLib 1.0.2 (2015) from FracPete. It's old and doesn't support all the features, but works for the basics.
• Author website: StdLib (from Authors). It's newer and supports more features. You'll have to download the JAR file there and import it.

Here's an example to draw some basic shapes on the screen.

import edu.princeton.cs.introcs.StdDraw;


public class MainClass {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        DrawSomeShapes();

    }

    public static void DrawSomeShapes(){
        // set up the background.
        StdDraw.setCanvasSize(500,500);
        StdDraw.setXscale(0,100);
        StdDraw.setYscale(0,100);

        // set up the pen
        StdDraw.setPenColor(StdDraw.PINK);
        StdDraw.setPenRadius(0.01);

        // Draw a circle
        StdDraw.filledCircle(50,3,5);

        // Draw another circle
        StdDraw.setPenColor(StdDraw.BLUE);
        StdDraw.filledCircle(50,50,20);

        StdDraw.filledRectangle(75,75,20,20);
    }

Now, you can even use it to create more complex graphs. Check out the video here:

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James Andrew Smith is a Professional Engineer and Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department of York University’s Lassonde School, with degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and McGill University.  Previously a program director in biomedical engineering, his research background spans robotics, locomotion, human birth, music and engineering education. While on sabbatical in 2018-19 with his wife and kids he lived in Strasbourg, France and he taught at the INSA Strasbourg and Hochschule Karlsruhe and wrote about his personal and professional perspectives.  James is a proponent of using social media to advocate for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion as well as evidence-based applications of research in the public sphere. You can find him on Twitter.  You can find him on BlueSky. Originally from Québec City, he now lives in Toronto, Canada.