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MNT: Deprecate rcParams._get("backend") #30963

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MNT: Deprecate rcParams._get("backend") #30963

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7 changes: 7 additions & 0 deletions doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/30963-TH.rst
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
``rcParams._get("backend")``
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

``rcParams._get("backend")`` is deprecated. Instead, use the public API
``matplotlib.get_backend(auto_select=False)`` to retrieve the current
backend without triggering backend resolution. This API is available since
Matplotlib 3.10.
26 changes: 14 additions & 12 deletions lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
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Expand Up @@ -712,6 +712,14 @@ def _get(self, key):

:meta public:
"""
if key == "backend":
_api.warn_deprecated(
"rcParams._get('backend') is deprecated since Matplotlib 3.11. "
"Use matplotlib.get_backend(auto_select=False) instead, which is "
"available since Matplotlib 3.10.",
)
Comment on lines +716 to +720
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@QuLogic QuLogic Jan 15, 2026

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The first arg is since, not the full message.

Suggested change
_api.warn_deprecated(
"rcParams._get('backend') is deprecated since Matplotlib 3.11. "
"Use matplotlib.get_backend(auto_select=False) instead, which is "
"available since Matplotlib 3.10.",
)
_api.warn_deprecated(
"3.11",
name="rcParams._get('backend')",
addendum="Use matplotlib.get_backend(auto_select=False) instead, which is "
"available since Matplotlib 3.10.",
)

# TODO: When removing this, also remove the suppression context in
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@QuLogic QuLogic Jan 15, 2026

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What is "this"? The comment is in an odd spot to decide if it's the if, the warning, or the whole method.

# RcParams.copy
return dict.__getitem__(self, key)

def _update_raw(self, other_params):
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -813,8 +821,11 @@ def find_all(self, pattern):
def copy(self):
"""Copy this RcParams instance."""
rccopy = self.__class__()
for k in self: # Skip deprecations and revalidation.
rccopy._set(k, self._get(k))
with _api.suppress_matplotlib_deprecation_warning():
# the suppression context is specifically for _get("backend"). This
# can be removed again, when "backend" is not a valid rcParam anymore.
for k in self: # Skip deprecations and revalidation.
rccopy._set(k, self._get(k))
return rccopy


Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1278,23 +1289,14 @@ def get_backend(*, auto_select=True):

.. versionadded:: 3.10

.. admonition:: Provisional

The *auto_select* flag is provisional. It may be changed or removed
without prior warning.

See Also
--------
matplotlib.use
"""
if auto_select:
return rcParams['backend']
else:
backend = rcParams._get('backend')
if backend is rcsetup._auto_backend_sentinel:
return None
else:
return backend
return rcParams._get_backend_or_none()


def interactive(b):
Expand Down
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