Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Plotivy is completely free during our beta phase. We're focused on building the best scientific plotting tool and gathering feedback from the research community. No hidden costs, no usage limits. Help us improve by sharing your feedback!

No coding knowledge required! Plotivy's AI assistant understands natural language. Simply describe what you want to plot—for example, 'create a scatter plot with linear regression'—and the AI handles the implementation. However, if you know Python, you can also edit the generated code directly for advanced customization.

For data analysis, we support CSV, Excel (.xlsx, .xls), JSON, TSV, and DAT files. For micrograph analysis, we support PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and standard microscopy formats. You can export your results in PNG, SVG, PDF, CSV, Excel, and LaTeX formats. All processing happens in your browser for privacy.

Getting started is easy: 1) Go to the Analyze page, 2) Upload your data file or choose an example dataset, 3) Describe what you want to plot in natural language, 4) Review the AI-generated visualization and code, 5) Export in your preferred format. It typically takes less than 2 minutes from upload to publication-ready plot.

Plotivy supports all standard scientific plot types including scatter plots, line plots, bar charts, histograms, box plots, violin plots, heatmaps, contour plots, 3D surface plots, and more. It also supports specialized visualizations like Kaplan-Meier curves, ROC curves, and custom scientific plots.

Yes! Plotivy supports both static (matplotlib) and interactive (plotly) visualizations. Interactive plots allow zooming, panning, hovering for data values, and exporting views. Choose your preferred plotting library when describing your visualization.

Absolutely. Plotivy can perform t-tests, ANOVA, regression analysis, correlation analysis, and more using Python's scientific libraries (SciPy, statsmodels, scikit-learn). The AI can automatically perform appropriate statistical tests and include results in your plots.

Yes! Plotivy has specialized capabilities for micrograph analysis including surface roughness measurements (RMS, Ra, Rz), FFT analysis, particle size distribution, profile extraction, and automated feature detection. Upload SEM, TEM, AFM, or optical microscopy images and describe your analysis needs.

Plotivy can help you design experiments, create factorial designs, analyze DOE results, and visualize response surfaces. The AI understands DOE terminology and can generate appropriate experimental designs and analysis workflows for your research.

Your data privacy depends on your AI model choice. When using free AI models, your data may be used for training purposes. However, when you use your own API key or premium models, you can benefit from zero data retention policies, ensuring your research data is never stored or used for training. All processing happens in your browser session, and no data is stored on our servers.

Yes. For sensitive data, we recommend using your own OpenAI or Claude API key, which provides zero data retention guarantees. Alternatively, all data processing happens in your browser—your raw data never leaves your computer unless you explicitly choose to send it for AI analysis.

Your data is primarily stored locally in your browser using IndexedDB. When you save workspaces, metadata is stored in our Supabase database (with row-level security), but your actual data files remain in your browser. You can clear all local data anytime from your browser settings.

Absolutely! Every plot and analysis comes with the complete Python code that generated it. This ensures full reproducibility and allows you to modify the analysis as needed for your research. You can copy the code, run it in your own Python environment, or modify it directly in Plotivy.

You have full access to edit the generated Python code. Click on the code editor, make your changes, and run it again. The AI can also help you modify the code—just describe what changes you want in natural language.

Yes! Export the generated code and integrate it into your Jupyter notebooks, Python scripts, or research workflows. The code uses standard scientific Python libraries (matplotlib, plotly, pandas, numpy, scipy), so it runs anywhere Python does.

Yes! Plotivy is perfect for educational purposes. The interactive tutorials and step-by-step guides make it an excellent tool for teaching data visualization and statistical analysis concepts. Students can learn by describing what they want and seeing the code that implements it.

Plotivy is currently free for everyone during beta. Future educational pricing will be designed to be accessible for students and academic institutions. The Free tier will always be available for undergraduate students.

Plotivy works best on modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge (latest versions). We recommend Chrome or Firefox for the best experience. Make sure JavaScript is enabled.

During beta, we recommend keeping files under 50MB for optimal performance. For larger datasets, consider splitting them or using data sampling techniques. Contact us if you regularly work with very large datasets—we're developing solutions for big data visualization.

The AI features require an internet connection. However, once a plot is generated, you can work with it offline. We're exploring offline capabilities for future releases.

Plotivy generates Python code using standard scientific libraries: matplotlib for static plots, plotly for interactive visualizations, pandas for data manipulation, scipy for statistics, and scikit-learn for machine learning. The web interface is built with Next.js and React.

Yes! You can share plots via the Gallery feature or export and send the code + data to collaborators. Future releases will include direct collaboration features where team members can work on the same analysis together.

For interactive plotly visualizations, yes—you can export as HTML and embed. For static plots, export as SVG or PNG and use them anywhere. We're developing iframe embedding for seamless integration.

The Free tier will always exist for basic use. During beta, everything is free. Future paid tiers (Individual ~€15/month, Lab License ~€500/year) will offer premium AI models, advanced features, and team collaboration tools. Current beta users will receive special early-adopter benefits.

Free tier includes basic plotting, limited AI requests (50/month), and standard features. Paid tiers offer unlimited AI requests, access to premium AI models (GPT-4, Claude), advanced analysis tools, priority support, and team collaboration features. See /pricing for detailed comparison.

Try being more specific: instead of 'plot my data', try 'create a scatter plot of column A vs column B with error bars'. Include details about colors, labels, and statistical tests you want. If still stuck, check our examples or use the 'Example Datasets' feature to see working examples.

You can either: 1) Ask the AI to modify it ('make the x-axis logarithmic'), 2) Edit the generated code directly, or 3) Start fresh with a more detailed description. The AI learns from your feedback—being specific helps!