ListStepPlot [{y1,y2,…}]
plots the values y1, y2, … in steps at points 1, 2, ….
ListStepPlot [{{x1,y1},{x2,y2},…}]
plots the values y1, y2, … in steps at points x1, x2, ….
ListStepPlot [{data1,data2,…}]
plots data from all the datai.
ListStepPlot [data,step]
plots using steps specified by step.
ListStepPlot [{…,w[datai,…],…}]
plots datai with features defined by the symbolic wrapper w.
ListStepPlot
ListStepPlot [{y1,y2,…}]
plots the values y1, y2, … in steps at points 1, 2, ….
ListStepPlot [{{x1,y1},{x2,y2},…}]
plots the values y1, y2, … in steps at points x1, x2, ….
ListStepPlot [{data1,data2,…}]
plots data from all the datai.
ListStepPlot [data,step]
plots using steps specified by step.
ListStepPlot [{…,w[datai,…],…}]
plots datai with features defined by the symbolic wrapper w.
Details and Options
- ListStepPlot plots the data so that each point, including the first and last, is part of a horizontal step.
- The following step specifications can be given:
-
Right step extends to the rightLeft step extends to the leftCenter step extends to the centers between neighboring points
- Data values xi and yi can be given in the following forms:
-
xi a real-valued number
- Values xi and yi that are not of the form above are taken to be missing and give gaps in the curve.
- The datai have the following forms and interpretations:
-
<|"k1"y1,"k2"y2,…|> values {y1,y2,…}<|x1y1,x2y2,…|> key-value pairs {{x1,y1},{x2,y2},…}SparseArray values as a normal arrayQuantityArray magnitudesWeightedData unweighted values
- ListStepPlot [Tabular […]cspec] extracts and plots values from the tabular object using the column specification cspec.
- The following forms of column specifications cspec are allowed for plotting tabular data:
-
{colx,coly} plot column y against column x{{colx1,coly1},{colx2,coly2},…} plot column y1 against column x1, y2 against x2, …coly, {coly} plot column y as a sequence of values{{coly1},…,{colyi},…} plot columns y1, y2, … as sequences of values
- The colx can also be Automatic , in which case sequential values are generated using DataRange .
- The following wrappers w can be used for the datai:
-
- ListStepPlot takes the same options as Graphics , with the following additions and changes: [List of all options]
-
- Possible settings for PlotLayout that show multiple curves in a single plot panel include:
-
"Overlaid" show all the data overlapping"Stacked" accumulate the data"Percentile" accumulate and normalize the data
- The setting DataRange->{xmin,xmax} specifies other ranges of x coordinates to use, with xmax being associated with the last element in the longest of the datai.
- Possible highlighting effects for Highlighted and PlotHighlighting include:
-
style highlight the indicated curve"Ball" highlight and label the indicated point in a curve"Dropline" highlight and label the indicated point in a curve with droplines to the axes"XSlice" highlight and label all points along a vertical slice"YSlice" highlight and label all points along a horizontal slice
- Highlight position specifications pos include:
-
x, {x} effect at {x,y} with y chosen automatically{x,y} effect at {x,y}{pos1,pos2,…} multiple positions posi
- With the default setting Joined->True , the steps are joined using vertical line segments. Use Joined->False to draw only the steps.
- Use Mesh->Full to draw the points in addition to the steps.
- ColorData ["DefaultPlotColors"] gives the default sequence of colors used by PlotStyle .
- ScalingFunctions apply to the values xi and yi.
- Highlight options with settings specific to ListStepPlot
-
ImageMargins 0. the margins to leave around the graphicPlotLayout "Overlaid" how to position dataPreserveImageOptions Automatic whether to preserve image options when displaying new versions of the same graphic
List of all options
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (5)
Create a plot that stays level until the next point:
Draw the points in the middle of the steps:
Specify and coordinates:
Plot multiple curves with a legend:
Plot curves without the vertical segments:
Scope (45)
General Data (7)
Steps are drawn through the data points:
Use , pairs:
Show multiple sets of data:
Ranges where the data is nonreal are excluded:
Specify what values the data ranges over:
Use PlotRange to focus in on areas of interest:
Use ScalingFunctions to scale the axes:
Tabular Data (1)
Get tabular data for historical populations of several countries:
Plot the population of France from 1940 to 2020:
Plot the populations of France, Germany and Australia:
Include legends for the plot, using the column names:
Special Data (6)
Use Quantity to include units with the data:
Include different units for the and coordinates:
Plot data in a QuantityArray :
Specify the units used with TargetUnits :
Numeric values in an Association are used as the coordinates:
Numeric keys and values in an Association are used as the and coordinates:
Plot TimeSeries directly:
Plot data in a SparseArray :
The weights in WeightedData are ignored:
Data Wrappers (8)
Use wrappers on datasets or collections of datasets:
Wrappers can be nested:
Use the value of each point as a tooltip:
Use a specific label for all the points:
Use PopupWindow to provide additional drilldown information:
Button can be used to trigger any action:
Use Annotation for dynamic action when the mouse enters the plot:
Use Hyperlink to jump to the specified link when clicked:
Use StatusArea to display a string in the status area of the current notebook:
Labeling and Legending (13)
Label data with Labeled :
Label data with PlotLabels :
Place the label near the points at an value:
Use a scaled position:
Specify the text position relative to the point:
Label points with automatically positioned text:
Place the labels relative to the points:
Specify the maximum size of labels:
Use the full label:
For dense sets of points, some labels may be turned into tooltips by default:
Increasing the size of the plot will show more labels:
Include legends for each curve:
Use Legended to provide a legend for a specific dataset:
Use Placed to change the legend location:
Use association keys as labels:
Plots usually have interactive callouts showing the coordinates when you mouse over them:
Including specific wrappers or interactions, such as tooltips, turns off the interactive features:
Choose from multiple interactive highlighting effects:
Use Highlighted to emphasize specific points in a plot:
Highlight multiple points:
Presentation (10)
Multiple curves are automatically colored to be distinct:
Provide explicit styling to different curves:
Include legends for each curve:
Use Legended to provide a legend for a specific dataset:
Add labels:
Provide an interactive Tooltip for the data:
Create filled plots:
Use shapes to distinguish different datasets:
Use a theme with a dark background and vibrant colors:
Plot the data in a stacked layout:
Options (86)
ClippingStyle (3)
Omit clipped regions of the plot:
Show clipped regions as red at the bottom and the top:
Show clipped regions as red at the bottom and dashed at the top:
ColorFunction (4)
Color with a named color scheme:
Color by scaled and coordinates:
Fill with the color used for the curve:
ColorFunction has higher priority than PlotStyle for coloring the curve:
ColorFunctionScaling (2)
Color the line based on scaled value:
Color the line based on unscaled value:
DataRange (5)
Lists of height values are displayed against the number of elements:
Rescale to the sampling space:
DataRange refers to the points, not the steps:
Specifying DataRange in this case has no effect, since values are part of the data:
By default, pairs of numbers are interpreted as and coordinates:
Force interpretation as multiple datasets:
Epilog (1)
Add labels to each step:
Filling (4)
Explicitly specify the filling style for different plots:
Fills that overlap combine using opacity by default:
Fill from the second curve to the first:
Fill the region between two curves with light gray:
FillingStyle (3)
Use red color fill:
Fill with red below the axis and with blue above:
Fill with opacity 0.5 orange:
Use a variable filling style obtained from ColorFunction :
Frame (1)
Draw a frame around a plot:
FrameLabel (2)
Place labels on the left edge of the frame:
Place labels on the bottom and left frame edges:
GridLines (2)
Put grids across a plot:
Draw grid lines at the specific positions:
GridLinesStyle (1)
Use dotted grid lines:
Joined (2)
LabelingSize (4)
Textual labels are shown at their actual sizes:
Image labels are automatically resized:
Specify a maximum size for textual labels:
Specify a maximum size for image labels:
Show image labels at their natural sizes:
Mesh (4)
MeshFunctions (1)
Show full mesh levels in the direction (red) and full mesh levels in the direction (blue):
MeshShading (2)
Alternate red and blue segments of equal width in the direction:
MeshShading can be used with PlotStyle :
MeshStyle (1)
Use different mesh directives:
PlotHighlighting (9)
Plots have interactive coordinate callouts with the default setting PlotHighlighting Automatic :
Use PlotHighlighting None to disable the highlighting for the entire plot:
Use Highlighted […,None ] to disable highlighting for a single set:
Move the mouse over a set of points to highlight it using arbitrary graphics directives:
Move the mouse over the points to highlight them with balls and labels:
Use a ball and label to highlight a specific point of data:
Move the mouse over the curve to highlight it with a label and droplines to the axes:
Use a ball and label to highlight a specific point in the plot:
Move the mouse over the plot to highlight it with a slice showing values corresponding to the position:
Highlight a particular set of points at a fixed value:
Move the mouse over the plot to highlight it with a slice showing values corresponding to the position:
Use a component that shows the points on the plot closest to the position of the mouse cursor:
Specify the style for the points:
Use a component that shows the coordinates on the points closest to the mouse cursor:
Use Callout options to change the appearance of the label:
Combine components to create a custom effect:
PlotInteractivity (3)
Plots have interactive highlighting by default:
Turn off all the interactive elements:
Allow provided interactive elements and disable automatic ones:
PlotLabel (1)
Add an overall label to the plot:
PlotLabels (4)
Specify text to label sets of points:
Place the labels above the points:
Use the keys from an Association as labels:
Use None to not add a label:
PlotLayout (1)
By default, curves are overlaid on each other:
Plot the data in a stacked layout:
Plot the data as percentiles of the total of the values:
PlotLegends (3)
Generate a legend using labels:
Legends use the same styles as the plot:
Place the legend inside the plot:
PlotMarkers (3)
Use PlotMarkers->Automatic to show the point for each step:
Automatically use colors and shapes to distinguish sets of data:
Use the same symbol for all the sets of data:
PlotRange (3)
PlotRangePadding (1)
Include 5 coordinate units of padding on each side:
PlotStyle (3)
Use different plot style directives:
By default, different styles are chosen for multiple plots:
Explicitly specify the style for different plots:
PlotTheme (3)
Use a theme with simple styling in a bright color scheme:
Change the color scheme:
Use a theme with minimal styling:
Prolog (1)
Draw an image behind the plot:
ScalingFunctions (9)
By default, plots have linear scales in each direction:
Use a log scale in the direction:
Use a linear scale in the direction that shows smaller numbers at the top:
Use a reciprocal scale in the direction:
Use different scales in the and directions:
Reverse the axis without changing the axis:
Use a scale defined by a function and its inverse:
Positions in Ticks and GridLines are automatically scaled:
PlotRange and AxesOrigin are automatically scaled:
Applications (5)
Plot a digital signal:
Visualize the score in a soccer game:
Show the Fourier series approximation of a square wave:
Visualize the number of items in an inventory during a week:
Plot the atomic radius of the elements:
Related Guides
History
Introduced in 2015 (10.2) | Updated in 2016 (10.4) ▪ 2017 (11.2) ▪ 2018 (11.3) ▪ 2019 (12.0) ▪ 2023 (13.3) ▪ 2025 (14.2) ▪ 2025 (14.3)
Text
Wolfram Research (2015), ListStepPlot, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ListStepPlot.html (updated 2025).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2015. "ListStepPlot." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2025. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ListStepPlot.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2015). ListStepPlot. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ListStepPlot.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_liststepplot, author="Wolfram Research", title="{ListStepPlot}", year="2025", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ListStepPlot.html}", note=[Accessed: 19-November-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_liststepplot, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={ListStepPlot}, year={2025}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ListStepPlot.html}, note=[Accessed: 19-November-2025]}