Typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable [FIXED]

What is meant by typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable, and why does it happen?

In this article, we will discuss what this error indicates.

After understanding the error mentioned above, we will also learn how to solve it.

Let us not prolong our introduction and proceed to knowing and understanding the said error.

What is typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable?

The typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable is an error message in Python that is usually encountered by developers.

But why? Why does this error occur?

Let us have a scenario in which we attempt to access a specific element of an object using square brackets.

However, the object does not support this operation.

This is the moment that the said error occurs.

What does this error indicate?

This error indicates that the object in question is an axessubplot object.

Axessubplot is a type of object that is used in the Matplotlib charting library.

Now that we have a better understanding of this error, let us proceed to solve it.

Typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable – SOLUTION

To solve the typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable, you have to modify your code.

Here are the possible solutions you can use to solve this error:

Solution 1: Use the add_subplot() method.

Use this method so you don’t access a specific element of an object using square brackets.

This method creates subplots and plots directly on them.

Example code:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

x = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
y = [50, 100, 150, 200, 250]

fig = plt.figure()
axes = fig.add_subplot(111)

axes.plot(x, y)

Solution 2: Use the subplots() method.

Use this method to generate multiple subplots.

After that, using different variables, access each subplot.

Example code:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

x = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]
y = [50, 100, 150, 200, 250]

fig, (axes1, axes2) = plt.subplots(2)

axes1.plot(x, y)
axes2.plot(y, x)

See also: Typeerror: ‘float’ object is not subscriptable [SOLVED]

Tips to avoid getting Typeerrors

The following are some tips to avoid getting type errors in Python.

• Avoid using the built-in data types in Python in the wrong way.

  → Be sure that your variables and data structures are using the correct data types.

• Always check or confirm the types of your variables.

  → To check the types of your variables, use the type() function.

  This will allow you to confirm if the type of your variable is appropriate.

• Be clear and concise when writing code.

  → Being clear and concise when writing your code can help you avoid typeerrors.

  It is because it will become easier to understand.

• Handle the error by using try-except blocks.

  → Try using the try-except blocks to catch and handle any typeerror.

• Use the built-in functions of Python if needed.

  → Use built-in functions such as int(), str(), etc. if you need to convert a variable to a different type.

FAQs

Understanding “object is not subscriptable”

Subscript access (obj[key]) requires __getitem__ on the object. Integers, floats, booleans, functions, and None do not implement it. When you write x[0] on any of these, TypeError fires.

Common triggers

• Indexing an int. If you meant to convert to string: str(num)[0].
• Indexing None. Usually a function returned None where a dict was expected.
• Calling instead of indexing. If my_dict = {} and later you overwrite with my_dict = some_function, then my_dict["key"] fails.
• Using set with subscript. Sets have no order — my_set[0] is not allowed.
• Nested access on a shallow structure. data["a"]["b"] fails when data[“a”] is None or a scalar.

Diagnostic pattern

# BAD
def parse_config(text):
    if not text:
        return  # implicit None
    return json.loads(text)

config = parse_config("")
db_host = config["db"]["host"]  # TypeError: 'NoneType' object is not subscriptable

# GOOD — return empty dict, then defensive check
def parse_config(text):
    if not text:
        return {}
    return json.loads(text)

config = parse_config("")
db_host = config.get("db", {}).get("host", "localhost")

Best practices

• Use dict.get() with defaults. Chains cleanly for nested lookups.
• Return empty containers, not None, from functions that produce dicts or lists.
• Use pathlib or dict-utils for deep-key access on dynamic data.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the typeerror: ‘axessubplot’ object is not subscriptable can be easily solved by modifying or changing your code.

With the provided solution above, there is no doubt that you will be able to solve this problem quickly.

That is all for this tutorial, IT source coders!

We hope you have learned a lot from this. Have fun coding.

Thank you for reading! 😊

Elijah Galero

Programmer & Technical Writer at PIES IT Solution

Elijah Galero is a programmer and writer at PIES IT Solution, author of 175+ tutorials at itsourcecode.com. Specializes in Python error debugging (AttributeError, TypeError, ModuleNotFoundError), Python programming tutorials, and Microsoft Excel how-to guides for BSIT students and productivity learners.

Expertise: Python · Python Errors · Python AttributeError · Python TypeError · ModuleNotFoundError · MS Excel · MS PowerPoint
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