Install PlotJuggler: Choose the Right Guide for Your System
PlotJuggler now has two active lines, and picking the right one before you install saves the most time. PlotJuggler 4.0.0, released on 21 September 2026, is the current version: a rewritten, multimodal visualisation platform for Windows and Linux. PlotJuggler 3.17.2 is the last release on the classic PJ3 line, and it is still the version the ROS ecosystem uses. This hub is an independent, unofficial guide — downloads themselves should come from the official GitHub releases linked on our Download page.
If you are not working with ROS, start with PlotJuggler 4. If you need ROS 1 or ROS 2 topic, rosbag or plugin support today, follow the PJ3 and ROS 2 guides instead. The decision table below summarises the choice, and each card links to a complete, step-by-step guide.
Choose your install guide
- Install PlotJuggler on Windows — the PJ4 installer (per-user, no administrator rights needed) and the PJ3 installer note.
- Install PlotJuggler on Ubuntu — PJ4 AppImage and .deb, plus the PJ3 snap and .deb options, kept clearly separate.
- Install PlotJuggler with ROS 2 — the ros-$ROS_DISTRO-plotjuggler-ros apt package for Humble, Jazzy and the other listed distributions.
- PlotJuggler on macOS — an honest guide: no PJ4 macOS binary exists, the last native DMG was PJ3 3.16.0, and building from source is the other option.
- PlotJuggler 4 apt repository — install plotjuggler4 from apt.plotjuggler.io and stay updated through normal system upgrades.
- Install troubleshooting — fixes for the common setup problems: AppImage issues, PJ4 vs PJ3 package confusion, ROS package-not-found and Windows install-location confusion.
- Download PlotJuggler — official GitHub files for PJ4 4.0.0 and PJ3 3.17.2, with SHA-256 checksums published by GitHub.
Which guide should you follow?
| Your situation | Recommended guide | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Windows user, no ROS | Windows guide (PJ4) | PlotJuggler 4.0.0 is the current release; its Windows installer is per-user and needs no admin rights. |
| Ubuntu or Debian user, no ROS | apt repository guide (PJ4) or Ubuntu guide | The apt repository gives automatic updates; the AppImage and single .deb in the Ubuntu guide are the alternatives. |
| ROS 2 user (Humble, Jazzy or newer) | ROS 2 guide (PJ3 line) | The ROS packages are built on the PJ3 line; the ROS Index lists humble, jazzy, kilted, lyrical and rolling. |
| macOS user | macOS guide | There is no PJ4 macOS binary. PJ3 3.16.0 is the last release with native DMGs, or you can build from source. |
| Something went wrong | Troubleshooting guide | Work through the checks for AppImage, package-name and install-location problems before reinstalling. |
PJ4 or PJ3 — the short version
PlotJuggler 4 is a rewrite, not a small update. It adds video and 3D visualisation alongside time-series and XY plots, MCAP and Parquet file support, Python scripting alongside Lua, and an Extensions Marketplace. Its official install channels are the Windows installer, the apt repository for Debian and Ubuntu, the single-release .deb, and the AppImage for other Linux distributions with glibc 2.35 or newer. It ships no macOS binary.
PlotJuggler 3.17.2 remains the right choice for ROS work. It is the version listed on the ROS Index, it is what the ros-$ROS_DISTRO-plotjuggler-ros packages install, and the PJ3 snap — sudo snap install plotjuggler — is the install method the PJ3 documentation recommends on Ubuntu, including for ROS users, with some limitations for ROS 2 use. PJ3 also still provides an aarch64 AppImage and .deb packages for Ubuntu 24.04, Debian bookworm and Debian trixie.
Installing both lines is possible because their package and file names differ — the PJ4 apt package, for example, is called plotjuggler4. If you are unsure which line a guide, forum post or video is describing, check the version number first: 4.0.0 and the 3.999.x previews are PJ4; 3.17.2 and earlier are PJ3.
Before you install
- Download only from the official GitHub releases — use the links and SHA-256 checksum table on the Download page.
- Note your operating system version and, for ROS, your distribution name (for example humble or jazzy) — the guides ask for both.
- On Linux, decide in advance whether you want automatic updates (apt repository) or a portable file (AppImage).
This site is independently operated and is not affiliated with Davide Faconti or the PlotJuggler project. The official project site is plotjuggler.io.
Deutsche Version: Installation auf Deutsch — diese Anleitung steht auch auf Deutsch bereit.