diff --git a/src/components/legend/index.js b/src/components/legend/index.js
index aad718ce53d..2fb6e7c4b03 100644
--- a/src/components/legend/index.js
+++ b/src/components/legend/index.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
 var d3 = require('d3');
 
+var styleOne = require('../../traces/pie/style_one');
+
 var legend = module.exports = {};
 
 legend.layoutAttributes = require('./attributes');
@@ -233,7 +235,7 @@ legend.pie = function(d) {
         .attr('transform', 'translate(20,0)');
     pts.exit().remove();
 
-    if(pts.size()) pts.call(Plotly.Pie.styleOne, d[0], trace);
+    if(pts.size()) pts.call(styleOne, d[0], trace);
 };
 
 legend.style = function(s) {
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 922f578152b..22f621b601d 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -45,3 +45,20 @@ exports.Queue = Plotly.Queue;
 
 // export d3 used in the bundle
 exports.d3 = require('d3');
+
+Plotly.register([
+    require('./traces/bar'),
+    require('./traces/box'),
+    require('./traces/heatmap'),
+    require('./traces/histogram'),
+    require('./traces/histogram2d'),
+    require('./traces/histogram2dcontour'),
+    require('./traces/pie'),
+    require('./traces/contour'),
+    require('./traces/scatter3d'),
+    require('./traces/surface'),
+    require('./traces/mesh3d'),
+    require('./traces/scattergeo'),
+    require('./traces/choropleth'),
+    require('./traces/scattergl')
+]);
diff --git a/src/plot_api/plot_api.js b/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
index 5c111503ebc..38b2f8ae51a 100644
--- a/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
+++ b/src/plot_api/plot_api.js
@@ -9,15 +9,28 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../plotly');
-var Events = require('../lib/events');
-var manageModeBar = require('../components/modebar/manage');
-
 var d3 = require('d3');
 var m4FromQuat = require('gl-mat4/fromQuat');
 var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
 
-var plots = Plotly.Plots;
+var Plotly = require('../plotly');
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+var Events = require('../lib/events');
+var Queue = require('../lib/queue');
+
+var Plots = require('../plots/plots');
+var Fx = require('../plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
+
+var Pie = require('../traces/pie');
+
+var Color = require('../components/color');
+var Drawing = require('../components/drawing');
+var ErrorBars = require('../components/errorbars');
+var Legend = require('../components/legend');
+var Shapes = require('../components/shapes');
+var Titles = require('../components/titles');
+var manageModeBar = require('../components/modebar/manage');
+
 
 /**
  * Main plot-creation function
@@ -36,7 +49,7 @@ var plots = Plotly.Plots;
  *
  */
 Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('in plot');
+    Lib.markTime('in plot');
 
 
     gd = getGraphDiv(gd);
@@ -51,7 +64,7 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
 
     // if there's no data or layout, and this isn't yet a plotly plot
     // container, log a warning to help plotly.js users debug
-    if(!data && !layout && !Plotly.Lib.isPlotDiv(gd)) {
+    if(!data && !layout && !Lib.isPlotDiv(gd)) {
         console.log('Warning: calling Plotly.plot as if redrawing ' +
             'but this container doesn\'t yet have a plot.', gd);
     }
@@ -69,7 +82,7 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
     // off-screen getBoundingClientRect testing space,
     // in #js-plotly-tester (and stored as gd._tester)
     // so we can share cached text across tabs
-    Plotly.Drawing.makeTester(gd);
+    Drawing.makeTester(gd);
 
     // collect promises for any async actions during plotting
     // any part of the plotting code can push to gd._promises, then
@@ -106,7 +119,7 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
         gd._replotPending = false;
     }
 
-    plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+    Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
 
     // Polar plots
     if(data && data[0] && data[0].r) return plotPolar(gd, data, layout);
@@ -164,32 +177,32 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
         var calcdata = gd.calcdata;
         var i, cd, trace;
 
-        Plotly.Legend.draw(gd);
+        Legend.draw(gd);
 
         for (i = 0; i < calcdata.length; i++) {
             cd = calcdata[i];
             trace = cd[0].trace;
             if (trace.visible !== true || !trace._module.colorbar) {
-                plots.autoMargin(gd, 'cb'+trace.uid);
+                Plots.autoMargin(gd, 'cb'+trace.uid);
             }
             else trace._module.colorbar(gd, cd);
         }
 
-        plots.doAutoMargin(gd);
-        return plots.previousPromises(gd);
+        Plots.doAutoMargin(gd);
+        return Plots.previousPromises(gd);
     }
 
     function marginPushersAgain() {
         // in case the margins changed, draw margin pushers again
         var seq = JSON.stringify(fullLayout._size)===oldmargins ?
             [] : [marginPushers, layoutStyles];
-        return Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync(seq.concat(Plotly.Fx.init),gd);
+        return Lib.syncOrAsync(seq.concat(Fx.init),gd);
     }
 
     function positionAndAutorange() {
         if(!recalc) return;
 
-        var subplots = plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'cartesian'),
+        var subplots = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'cartesian'),
             modules = gd._modules;
 
         // position and range calculations for traces that
@@ -207,15 +220,15 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
             }
         }
 
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('done with bar/box adjustments');
+        Lib.markTime('done with bar/box adjustments');
 
         // calc and autorange for errorbars
-        Plotly.ErrorBars.calc(gd);
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('done Plotly.ErrorBars.calc');
+        ErrorBars.calc(gd);
+        Lib.markTime('done ErrorBars.calc');
 
         // TODO: autosize extra for text markers
-        return Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync([
-            Plotly.Shapes.calcAutorange,
+        return Lib.syncOrAsync([
+            Shapes.calcAutorange,
             Plotly.Annotations.calcAutorange,
             doAutoRange
         ], gd);
@@ -236,11 +249,11 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
     function drawData() {
         // Now plot the data
         var calcdata = gd.calcdata,
-            subplots = plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'cartesian'),
+            subplots = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'cartesian'),
             modules = gd._modules;
 
         var i, j, cd, trace, uid, subplot, subplotInfo,
-            cdSubplot, cdError, cdModule, module;
+            cdSubplot, cdError, cdModule, _module;
 
         function getCdSubplot(calcdata, subplot) {
             var cdSubplot = [];
@@ -253,13 +266,13 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
             return cdSubplot;
         }
 
-        function getCdModule(cdSubplot, module) {
+        function getCdModule(cdSubplot, _module) {
             var cdModule = [];
             var i, cd, trace;
             for (i = 0; i < cdSubplot.length; i++) {
                 cd = cdSubplot[i];
                 trace = cd[0].trace;
-                if (trace._module===module && trace.visible===true) cdModule.push(cd);
+                if (trace._module === _module && trace.visible === true) cdModule.push(cd);
             }
             return cdModule;
         }
@@ -267,7 +280,7 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
         // clean up old scenes that no longer have associated data
         // will this be a performance hit?
 
-        var plotRegistry = plots.subplotsRegistry;
+        var plotRegistry = Plots.subplotsRegistry;
 
         // TODO incorporate cartesian and polar plots into this paradigm
         if(fullLayout._hasGL3D) plotRegistry.gl3d.plot(gd);
@@ -298,56 +311,56 @@ Plotly.plot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
             if(subplotInfo.plot) subplotInfo.plot.selectAll('g.trace').remove();
 
             for(j = 0; j < modules.length; j++) {
-                module = modules[j];
-                if(!module.plot) continue;
+                _module = modules[j];
+                if(!_module.plot) continue;
 
                 // plot all traces of this type on this subplot at once
-                cdModule = getCdModule(cdSubplot, module);
-                module.plot(gd, subplotInfo, cdModule);
-                Plotly.Lib.markTime('done ' + (cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace.type));
+                cdModule = getCdModule(cdSubplot, _module);
+                _module.plot(gd, subplotInfo, cdModule);
+                Lib.markTime('done ' + (cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace.type));
 
                 // collect the traces that may have error bars
-                if(cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace && plots.traceIs(cdModule[0][0].trace, 'errorBarsOK')) {
+                if(cdModule[0] && cdModule[0][0].trace && Plots.traceIs(cdModule[0][0].trace, 'errorBarsOK')) {
                     cdError = cdError.concat(cdModule);
                 }
             }
 
             // finally do all error bars at once
             if(gd._fullLayout._hasCartesian) {
-                Plotly.ErrorBars.plot(gd, subplotInfo, cdError);
-                Plotly.Lib.markTime('done ErrorBars');
+                ErrorBars.plot(gd, subplotInfo, cdError);
+                Lib.markTime('done ErrorBars');
             }
         }
 
         // now draw stuff not on subplots (ie, pies)
         // TODO: gotta be a better way to handle this
-        var cdPie = getCdModule(calcdata, Plotly.Pie);
-        if(cdPie.length) Plotly.Pie.plot(gd, cdPie);
+        var cdPie = getCdModule(calcdata, Pie);
+        if(cdPie.length) Pie.plot(gd, cdPie);
 
         // styling separate from drawing
-        plots.style(gd);
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('done plots.style');
+        Plots.style(gd);
+        Lib.markTime('done Plots.style');
 
         // show annotations and shapes
-        Plotly.Shapes.drawAll(gd);
+        Shapes.drawAll(gd);
         Plotly.Annotations.drawAll(gd);
 
         // source links
-        plots.addLinks(gd);
+        Plots.addLinks(gd);
 
-        return plots.previousPromises(gd);
+        return Plots.previousPromises(gd);
     }
 
     function cleanUp() {
         // now we're REALLY TRULY done plotting...
         // so mark it as done and let other procedures call a replot
         gd._replotting = false;
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('done plot');
+        Lib.markTime('done plot');
         gd.emit('plotly_afterplot');
     }
 
-    var donePlotting = Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync([
-        plots.previousPromises,
+    var donePlotting = Lib.syncOrAsync([
+        Plots.previousPromises,
         marginPushers,
         layoutStyles,
         marginPushersAgain,
@@ -390,7 +403,7 @@ function opaqueSetBackground(gd, bgColor) {
 }
 
 function setPlotContext(gd, config) {
-    if(!gd._context) gd._context = Plotly.Lib.extendFlat({}, Plotly.defaultConfig);
+    if(!gd._context) gd._context = Lib.extendFlat({}, Plotly.defaultConfig);
     var context = gd._context;
 
     if(config) {
@@ -514,7 +527,7 @@ function plotPolar(gd, data, layout) {
     }
 
     gd._context.setBackground(gd, gd._fullLayout.paper_bgcolor);
-    plots.addLinks(gd);
+    Plots.addLinks(gd);
 
     return Promise.resolve();
 }
@@ -640,7 +653,7 @@ function cleanLayout(layout) {
     /*
      * Clean up Scene layouts
      */
-    var sceneIds = plots.getSubplotIds(layout, 'gl3d');
+    var sceneIds = Plots.getSubplotIds(layout, 'gl3d');
     var scene, cameraposition, rotation,
         radius, center, mat, eye;
     for (i = 0; i < sceneIds.length; i++) {
@@ -670,9 +683,9 @@ function cleanLayout(layout) {
 
     // sanitize rgb(fractions) and rgba(fractions) that old tinycolor
     // supported, but new tinycolor does not because they're not valid css
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('finished rest of cleanLayout, starting color');
-    Plotly.Color.clean(layout);
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('finished cleanLayout color.clean');
+    Lib.markTime('finished rest of cleanLayout, starting color');
+    Color.clean(layout);
+    Lib.markTime('finished cleanLayout color.clean');
 
     return layout;
 }
@@ -703,10 +716,10 @@ function cleanData(data, existingData) {
         if (!('uid' in trace) || suids.indexOf(trace.uid) !== -1) {
             var newUid, i;
             for(i=0; i<100; i++) {
-                newUid = Plotly.Lib.randstr(uids);
+                newUid = Lib.randstr(uids);
                 if(suids.indexOf(newUid)===-1) break;
             }
-            trace.uid = Plotly.Lib.randstr(uids);
+            trace.uid = Lib.randstr(uids);
             uids.push(trace.uid);
         }
         // keep track of already seen uids, so that if there are
@@ -724,19 +737,19 @@ function cleanData(data, existingData) {
 
         // error_y.opacity is obsolete - merge into color
         if(trace.error_y && 'opacity' in trace.error_y) {
-            var dc = Plotly.Color.defaults,
+            var dc = Color.defaults,
                 yeColor = trace.error_y.color ||
-                (plots.traceIs(trace, 'bar') ? Plotly.Color.defaultLine : dc[tracei % dc.length]);
-            trace.error_y.color = Plotly.Color.addOpacity(
-                Plotly.Color.rgb(yeColor),
-                Plotly.Color.opacity(yeColor) * trace.error_y.opacity);
+                (Plots.traceIs(trace, 'bar') ? Color.defaultLine : dc[tracei % dc.length]);
+            trace.error_y.color = Color.addOpacity(
+                Color.rgb(yeColor),
+                Color.opacity(yeColor) * trace.error_y.opacity);
             delete trace.error_y.opacity;
         }
 
         // convert bardir to orientation, and put the data into
         // the axes it's eventually going to be used with
         if('bardir' in trace) {
-            if(trace.bardir==='h' && (plots.traceIs(trace, 'bar') ||
+            if(trace.bardir==='h' && (Plots.traceIs(trace, 'bar') ||
                      trace.type.substr(0,9)==='histogram')) {
                 trace.orientation = 'h';
                 swapXYData(trace);
@@ -766,11 +779,11 @@ function cleanData(data, existingData) {
         if(trace.yaxis) trace.yaxis = Plotly.Axes.cleanId(trace.yaxis, 'y');
 
         // scene ids scene1 -> scene
-        if(plots.traceIs(trace, 'gl3d') && trace.scene) {
-            trace.scene = plots.subplotsRegistry.gl3d.cleanId(trace.scene);
+        if(Plots.traceIs(trace, 'gl3d') && trace.scene) {
+            trace.scene = Plots.subplotsRegistry.gl3d.cleanId(trace.scene);
         }
 
-        if(!plots.traceIs(trace, 'pie')) {
+        if(!Plots.traceIs(trace, 'pie')) {
             if(Array.isArray(trace.textposition)) {
                 trace.textposition = trace.textposition.map(cleanTextPosition);
             }
@@ -788,9 +801,9 @@ function cleanData(data, existingData) {
 
         // sanitize rgb(fractions) and rgba(fractions) that old tinycolor
         // supported, but new tinycolor does not because they're not valid css
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('finished rest of cleanData, starting color');
-        Plotly.Color.clean(trace);
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('finished cleanData color.clean');
+        Lib.markTime('finished rest of cleanData, starting color');
+        Color.clean(trace);
+        Lib.markTime('finished cleanData color.clean');
     }
 }
 
@@ -818,7 +831,7 @@ function emptyContainer(outer, innerStr) {
 Plotly.redraw = function(gd) {
     gd = getGraphDiv(gd);
 
-    if(!Plotly.Lib.isPlotDiv(gd)) {
+    if(!Lib.isPlotDiv(gd)) {
         console.log('This element is not a Plotly Plot', gd);
         return;
     }
@@ -840,7 +853,7 @@ Plotly.redraw = function(gd) {
  */
 Plotly.newPlot = function(gd, data, layout, config) {
     gd = getGraphDiv(gd);
-    plots.purge(gd);
+    Plots.purge(gd);
     return Plotly.plot(gd, data, layout, config);
 };
 
@@ -894,7 +907,7 @@ function doCalcdata(gd) {
         if (!cd[0].t) cd[0].t = {};
         cd[0].trace = trace;
 
-        Plotly.Lib.markTime('done with calcdata for '+i);
+        Lib.markTime('done with calcdata for '+i);
         calcdata[i] = cd;
     }
 }
@@ -1050,12 +1063,12 @@ function checkAddTracesArgs(gd, traces, newIndices) {
  */
 function assertExtendTracesArgs(gd, update, indices, maxPoints) {
 
-    var maxPointsIsObject = Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(maxPoints);
+    var maxPointsIsObject = Lib.isPlainObject(maxPoints);
 
     if (!Array.isArray(gd.data)) {
         throw new Error('gd.data must be an array');
     }
-    if (!Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(update)) {
+    if (!Lib.isPlainObject(update)) {
         throw new Error('update must be a key:value object');
     }
 
@@ -1098,7 +1111,7 @@ function assertExtendTracesArgs(gd, update, indices, maxPoints) {
  */
 function getExtendProperties(gd, update, indices, maxPoints) {
 
-    var maxPointsIsObject = Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(maxPoints),
+    var maxPointsIsObject = Lib.isPlainObject(maxPoints),
         updateProps = [];
     var trace, target, prop, insert, maxp;
 
@@ -1118,7 +1131,7 @@ function getExtendProperties(gd, update, indices, maxPoints) {
              * instance that references the key and value for this particular trace.
              */
             trace = gd.data[indices[j]];
-            prop = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(trace, key);
+            prop = Lib.nestedProperty(trace, key);
 
             /*
              * Target is the existing gd.data.trace.dataArray value like "x" or "marker.size"
@@ -1265,8 +1278,8 @@ Plotly.extendTraces = function extendTraces(gd, update, indices, maxPoints) {
     var promise = Plotly.redraw(gd);
 
     var undoArgs = [gd, undo.update, indices, undo.maxPoints];
-    if (Plotly.Queue) {
-        Plotly.Queue.add(gd, Plotly.prependTraces, undoArgs, extendTraces, arguments);
+    if (Queue) {
+        Queue.add(gd, Plotly.prependTraces, undoArgs, extendTraces, arguments);
     }
 
     return promise;
@@ -1294,8 +1307,8 @@ Plotly.prependTraces = function prependTraces(gd, update, indices, maxPoints) {
     var promise = Plotly.redraw(gd);
 
     var undoArgs = [gd, undo.update, indices, undo.maxPoints];
-    if (Plotly.Queue) {
-        Plotly.Queue.add(gd, Plotly.extendTraces, undoArgs, prependTraces, arguments);
+    if (Queue) {
+        Queue.add(gd, Plotly.extendTraces, undoArgs, prependTraces, arguments);
     }
 
     return promise;
@@ -1344,7 +1357,7 @@ Plotly.addTraces = function addTraces(gd, traces, newIndices) {
     // i.e., we can simply redraw and be done
     if (typeof newIndices === 'undefined') {
         promise = Plotly.redraw(gd);
-        if (Plotly.Queue) Plotly.Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
+        if (Queue) Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
         return promise;
     }
 
@@ -1367,11 +1380,10 @@ Plotly.addTraces = function addTraces(gd, traces, newIndices) {
 
     // if we're here, the user has defined specific places to place the new traces
     // this requires some extra work that moveTraces will do
-    if (Plotly.Queue) Plotly.Queue.startSequence(gd);
-    if (Plotly.Queue) Plotly.Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
-
+    if (Queue) Queue.startSequence(gd);
+    if (Queue) Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
     promise = Plotly.moveTraces(gd, currentIndices, newIndices);
-    if (Plotly.Queue) Plotly.Queue.stopSequence(gd);
+    if (Queue) Queue.stopSequence(gd);
     return promise;
 };
 
@@ -1413,7 +1425,7 @@ Plotly.deleteTraces = function deleteTraces(gd, indices) {
 
     var promise = Plotly.redraw(gd);
 
-    if (Plotly.Queue) Plotly.Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
+    if (Queue) Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
 
     return promise;
 };
@@ -1512,7 +1524,7 @@ Plotly.moveTraces = function moveTraces(gd, currentIndices, newIndices) {
 
     var promise = Plotly.redraw(gd);
 
-    if (Plotly.Queue) Plotly.Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
+    if (Queue) Queue.add(gd, undoFunc, undoArgs, redoFunc, redoArgs);
 
     return promise;
 };
@@ -1547,7 +1559,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
         aobj = {};
 
     if(typeof astr === 'string') aobj[astr] = val;
-    else if(Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(astr)) {
+    else if(Lib.isPlainObject(astr)) {
         aobj = astr;
         if(traces===undefined) traces = val; // the 3-arg form
     }
@@ -1599,7 +1611,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
         'tilt', 'tiltaxis', 'depth', 'direction', 'rotation', 'pull'
     ];
     for(i = 0; i < traces.length; i++) {
-        if(plots.traceIs(gd._fullData[traces[i]], 'box')) {
+        if(Plots.traceIs(gd._fullData[traces[i]], 'box')) {
             recalcAttrs.push('name');
             break;
         }
@@ -1685,9 +1697,9 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
 
         var extraparam;
         if(attr.substr(0, 6) === 'LAYOUT') {
-            extraparam = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, attr.replace('LAYOUT', ''));
+            extraparam = Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, attr.replace('LAYOUT', ''));
         } else {
-            extraparam = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(gd.data[traces[i]], attr);
+            extraparam = Lib.nestedProperty(gd.data[traces[i]], attr);
         }
 
         if(!(attr in undoit)) {
@@ -1717,7 +1729,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
         redoit[ai] = vi;
 
         if(ai.substr(0,6)==='LAYOUT'){
-            param = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, ai.replace('LAYOUT', ''));
+            param = Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, ai.replace('LAYOUT', ''));
             undoit[ai] = [param.get()];
             // since we're allowing val to be an array, allow it here too,
             // even though that's meaningless
@@ -1733,7 +1745,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
         for(i=0; i<traces.length; i++) {
             cont = gd.data[traces[i]];
             contFull = gd._fullData[traces[i]];
-            param = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(cont,ai);
+            param = Lib.nestedProperty(cont,ai);
             oldVal = param.get();
             newVal = Array.isArray(vi) ? vi[i%vi.length] : vi;
 
@@ -1825,19 +1837,19 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
                     labelsTo = 'y';
                     valuesTo = 'x';
                 }
-                Plotly.Lib.swapAttrs(cont, ['?', '?src'], 'labels', labelsTo);
-                Plotly.Lib.swapAttrs(cont, ['d?', '?0'], 'label', labelsTo);
-                Plotly.Lib.swapAttrs(cont, ['?', '?src'], 'values', valuesTo);
+                Lib.swapAttrs(cont, ['?', '?src'], 'labels', labelsTo);
+                Lib.swapAttrs(cont, ['d?', '?0'], 'label', labelsTo);
+                Lib.swapAttrs(cont, ['?', '?src'], 'values', valuesTo);
 
                 if(oldVal === 'pie') {
-                    Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.color')
-                        .set(Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.colors').get());
+                    Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.color')
+                        .set(Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.colors').get());
 
                     // super kludgy - but if all pies are gone we won't remove them otherwise
                     fullLayout._pielayer.selectAll('g.trace').remove();
-                } else if(plots.traceIs(cont, 'cartesian')) {
-                    Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.colors')
-                        .set(Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.color').get());
+                } else if(Plots.traceIs(cont, 'cartesian')) {
+                    Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.colors')
+                        .set(Lib.nestedProperty(cont, 'marker.color').get());
                     //look for axes that are no longer in use and delete them
                     flagAxForDelete[cont.xaxis || 'x'] = true;
                     flagAxForDelete[cont.yaxis || 'y'] = true;
@@ -1877,7 +1889,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
 
         // swap hovermode if set to "compare x/y data"
         if (ai === 'orientationaxes') {
-            var hovermode = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, 'hovermode');
+            var hovermode = Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, 'hovermode');
             if (hovermode.get() === 'x') {
                 hovermode.set('y');
             } else if (hovermode.get() === 'y') {
@@ -1911,7 +1923,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
                 for(i=0; i<traces.length; i++) {
                     var trace = gd.data[traces[i]];
 
-                    if(plots.traceIs(trace, 'cartesian')) {
+                    if(Plots.traceIs(trace, 'cartesian')) {
                         addToAxlist(trace.xaxis||'x');
                         addToAxlist(trace.yaxis||'y');
 
@@ -1939,7 +1951,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
             axLetter = axId.charAt(0),
             axAttr = axLetter + 'axis';
         for(var j = 0; j < gd.data.length; j++) {
-            if(plots.traceIs(gd.data[j], 'cartesian') &&
+            if(Plots.traceIs(gd.data[j], 'cartesian') &&
                     (gd.data[j][axAttr] || axLetter) === axId) {
                 continue axisLoop;
             }
@@ -1951,8 +1963,8 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
 
     // now all attribute mods are done, as are redo and undo
     // so we can save them
-    if(Plotly.Queue) {
-        Plotly.Queue.add(gd, restyle, [gd, undoit, traces], restyle, [gd, redoit, traces]);
+    if(Queue) {
+        Queue.add(gd, restyle, [gd, undoit, traces], restyle, [gd, redoit, traces]);
     }
 
     // do we need to force a recalc?
@@ -1978,8 +1990,8 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
         seq = [Plotly.plot];
     }
     else {
-        plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
-        seq = [plots.previousPromises];
+        Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+        seq = [Plots.previousPromises];
         if(dostyle) {
             seq.push(function doStyle() {
                 // first see if we need to do arraysToCalcdata
@@ -1992,9 +2004,9 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
                     arraysToCalcdata = (((cdi[0]||{}).trace||{})._module||{}).arraysToCalcdata;
                     if(arraysToCalcdata) arraysToCalcdata(cdi);
                 }
-                plots.style(gd);
-                Plotly.Legend.draw(gd);
-                return plots.previousPromises(gd);
+                Plots.style(gd);
+                Legend.draw(gd);
+                return Plots.previousPromises(gd);
             });
         }
         if(docolorbars) {
@@ -2003,7 +2015,8 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
                     if((cd[0].t || {}).cb) {
                         var trace = cd[0].trace,
                             cb = cd[0].t.cb;
-                        if(plots.traceIs(trace, 'contour')) {
+
+                        if(Plots.traceIs(trace, 'contour')) {
                             cb.line({
                                 width: trace.contours.showlines!==false ?
                                     trace.line.width : 0,
@@ -2012,23 +2025,23 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
                                     cb._opts.line.color : trace.line.color
                             });
                         }
-                        if(plots.traceIs(trace, 'markerColorscale')) {
+                        if(Plots.traceIs(trace, 'markerColorscale')) {
                             cb.options(trace.marker.colorbar)();
                         }
                         else cb.options(trace.colorbar)();
                     }
                 });
-                return plots.previousPromises(gd);
+                return Plots.previousPromises(gd);
             });
         }
     }
 
-    var plotDone = Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync(seq, gd);
+    var plotDone = Lib.syncOrAsync(seq, gd);
 
     if(!plotDone || !plotDone.then) plotDone = Promise.resolve();
 
     return plotDone.then(function() {
-        gd.emit('plotly_restyle', Plotly.Lib.extendDeep([], [redoit, traces]));
+        gd.emit('plotly_restyle', Lib.extendDeep([], [redoit, traces]));
         return gd;
     });
 };
@@ -2036,7 +2049,7 @@ Plotly.restyle = function restyle(gd, astr, val, traces) {
 // swap all the data and data attributes associated with x and y
 function swapXYData(trace) {
     var i;
-    Plotly.Lib.swapAttrs(trace, ['?', '?0', 'd?', '?bins', 'nbins?', 'autobin?', '?src', 'error_?']);
+    Lib.swapAttrs(trace, ['?', '?0', 'd?', '?bins', 'nbins?', 'autobin?', '?src', 'error_?']);
     if(Array.isArray(trace.z) && Array.isArray(trace.z[0])) {
         if(trace.transpose) delete trace.transpose;
         else trace.transpose = true;
@@ -2045,9 +2058,9 @@ function swapXYData(trace) {
         var errorY = trace.error_y,
             copyYstyle = ('copy_ystyle' in errorY) ? errorY.copy_ystyle :
                 !(errorY.color || errorY.thickness || errorY.width);
-        Plotly.Lib.swapAttrs(trace, ['error_?.copy_ystyle']);
+        Lib.swapAttrs(trace, ['error_?.copy_ystyle']);
         if(copyYstyle) {
-            Plotly.Lib.swapAttrs(trace, ['error_?.color', 'error_?.thickness', 'error_?.width']);
+            Lib.swapAttrs(trace, ['error_?.color', 'error_?.thickness', 'error_?.width']);
         }
     }
     if(trace.hoverinfo) {
@@ -2090,7 +2103,7 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
         newkey, axes, keys, xyref, scene, axisAttr, i;
 
     if(typeof astr === 'string') aobj[astr] = val;
-    else if(Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(astr)) aobj = astr;
+    else if(Lib.isPlainObject(astr)) aobj = astr;
     else {
         console.log('relayout fail',astr,val);
         return new Promise.reject();
@@ -2140,7 +2153,7 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
         // quit if explicitly setting this elsewhere
         if(attr in aobj) return;
 
-        var p = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(layout,attr);
+        var p = Lib.nestedProperty(layout,attr);
         if(!(attr in undoit)) undoit[attr] = p.get();
         if(val!==undefined) p.set(val);
     }
@@ -2155,7 +2168,7 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
 
     // alter gd.layout
     for(var ai in aobj) {
-        var p = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(layout,ai),
+        var p = Lib.nestedProperty(layout,ai),
             vi = aobj[ai],
             plen = p.parts.length,
             // p.parts may end with an index integer if the property is an array
@@ -2166,8 +2179,8 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
             pleafPlus = p.parts[pend - 1] + '.' + pleaf,
             // trunk nodes (everything except the leaf)
             ptrunk = p.parts.slice(0, pend).join('.'),
-            parentIn = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, ptrunk).get(),
-            parentFull = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(fullLayout, ptrunk).get();
+            parentIn = Lib.nestedProperty(gd.layout, ptrunk).get(),
+            parentFull = Lib.nestedProperty(fullLayout, ptrunk).get();
 
         redoit[ai] = vi;
 
@@ -2249,13 +2262,13 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
             var objNum = p.parts[1],
                 objType = p.parts[0],
                 objList = layout[objType] || [],
-                objModule = Plotly[Plotly.Lib.titleCase(objType)],
+                objModule = Plotly[Lib.titleCase(objType)],
                 obji = objList[objNum] || {};
             // if p.parts is just an annotation number, and val is either
             // 'add' or an entire annotation to add, the undo is 'remove'
             // if val is 'remove' then undo is the whole annotation object
             if(p.parts.length === 2) {
-                if(aobj[ai] === 'add' || Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(aobj[ai])) {
+                if(aobj[ai] === 'add' || Lib.isPlainObject(aobj[ai])) {
                     undoit[ai] = 'remove';
                 }
                 else if(aobj[ai] === 'remove') {
@@ -2268,7 +2281,7 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
                 else console.log('???', aobj);
             }
             if((refAutorange(obji, 'x') || refAutorange(obji, 'y')) &&
-                    !Plotly.Lib.containsAny(ai, ['color', 'opacity', 'align', 'dash'])) {
+                    !Lib.containsAny(ai, ['color', 'opacity', 'align', 'dash'])) {
                 docalc = true;
             }
             // TODO: combine all edits to a given annotation / shape into one call
@@ -2290,7 +2303,7 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
             else if(ai.indexOf('title')!==-1) doticks = true;
             else if(p.parts[0].indexOf('bgcolor')!==-1) dolayoutstyle = true;
             else if(p.parts.length>1 &&
-                    Plotly.Lib.containsAny(p.parts[1], ['tick', 'exponent', 'grid', 'zeroline'])) {
+                    Lib.containsAny(p.parts[1], ['tick', 'exponent', 'grid', 'zeroline'])) {
                 doticks = true;
             }
             else if(ai.indexOf('.linewidth')!==-1 &&
@@ -2331,8 +2344,8 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
     }
     // now all attribute mods are done, as are
     // redo and undo so we can save them
-    if(Plotly.Queue) {
-        Plotly.Queue.add(gd, relayout, [gd, undoit], relayout, [gd, redoit]);
+    if(Queue) {
+        Queue.add(gd, relayout, [gd, undoit], relayout, [gd, redoit]);
     }
 
     // calculate autosizing - if size hasn't changed,
@@ -2344,7 +2357,7 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
     // redraw
     // first check if there's still anything to do
     var ak = Object.keys(aobj),
-        seq = [plots.previousPromises];
+        seq = [Plots.previousPromises];
 
     if(doplot || docalc) {
         seq.push(function layoutReplot() {
@@ -2358,13 +2371,13 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
     }
     else if(ak.length) {
         // if we didn't need to redraw entirely, just do the needed parts
-        plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+        Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
         fullLayout = gd._fullLayout;
 
         if(dolegend) {
             seq.push(function doLegend() {
-                Plotly.Legend.draw(gd);
-                return plots.previousPromises(gd);
+                Legend.draw(gd);
+                return Plots.previousPromises(gd);
             });
         }
 
@@ -2373,8 +2386,8 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
         if(doticks) {
             seq.push(function() {
                 Plotly.Axes.doTicks(gd,'redraw');
-                Plotly.Titles.draw(gd, 'gtitle');
-                return plots.previousPromises(gd);
+                Titles.draw(gd, 'gtitle');
+                return Plots.previousPromises(gd);
             });
         }
 
@@ -2383,13 +2396,13 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
             manageModeBar(gd);
 
             var subplotIds;
-            subplotIds = plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d');
+            subplotIds = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d');
             for(i = 0; i < subplotIds.length; i++) {
                 scene = fullLayout[subplotIds[i]]._scene;
                 scene.handleDragmode(fullLayout.dragmode);
             }
 
-            subplotIds = plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl2d');
+            subplotIds = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl2d');
             for(i = 0; i < subplotIds.length; i++) {
                 scene = fullLayout._plots[subplotIds[i]]._scene2d;
                 scene.updateFx(fullLayout);
@@ -2397,12 +2410,12 @@ Plotly.relayout = function relayout(gd, astr, val) {
         }
     }
 
-    var plotDone = Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync(seq, gd);
+    var plotDone = Lib.syncOrAsync(seq, gd);
 
     if(!plotDone || !plotDone.then) plotDone = Promise.resolve(gd);
 
     return plotDone.then(function() {
-        gd.emit('plotly_relayout', Plotly.Lib.extendDeep({}, redoit));
+        gd.emit('plotly_relayout', Lib.extendDeep({}, redoit));
         return gd;
     });
 };
@@ -2482,7 +2495,7 @@ function plotAutoSize(gd, aobj) {
         fullLayout.autosize = gd.layout.autosize = true;
     }
 
-    plots.sanitizeMargins(fullLayout);
+    Plots.sanitizeMargins(fullLayout);
 
     return aobj;
 }
@@ -2495,7 +2508,7 @@ function makePlotFramework(gd) {
         fullLayout = gd._fullLayout;
 
     // TODO - find a better place for 3D to initialize axes
-    if(fullLayout._hasGL3D) plots.subplotsRegistry.gl3d.initAxes(gd);
+    if(fullLayout._hasGL3D) Plots.subplotsRegistry.gl3d.initAxes(gd);
 
     // Plot container
     fullLayout._container = gd3.selectAll('.plot-container').data([0]);
@@ -2544,7 +2557,7 @@ function makePlotFramework(gd) {
         d3.selectAll('defs').each(function() {
             if(this.id) otherUids.push(this.id.split('-')[1]);
         });
-        fullLayout._uid = Plotly.Lib.randstr(otherUids);
+        fullLayout._uid = Lib.randstr(otherUids);
     }
 
     fullLayout._paperdiv.selectAll('.main-svg')
@@ -2584,10 +2597,10 @@ function makePlotFramework(gd) {
     gd.emit('plotly_framework');
 
     // position and style the containers, make main title
-    var frameWorkDone = Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync([
+    var frameWorkDone = Lib.syncOrAsync([
         layoutStyles,
         function goAxes() { return Plotly.Axes.doTicks(gd,'redraw'); },
-        Plotly.Fx.init
+        Fx.init
     ], gd);
 
     if(frameWorkDone && frameWorkDone.then) {
@@ -2719,7 +2732,7 @@ function makeCartesianPlotFramwork(gd, subplots) {
     // now make the components of overlaid subplots
     // overlays don't have backgrounds, and append all
     // their other components to the corresponding
-    // extra groups of their main plots.
+    // extra groups of their main Plots.
     overlays.forEach(function(plotinfo) {
         var mainplot = fullLayout._plots[plotinfo.mainplot];
         mainplot.overlays.push(plotinfo);
@@ -2751,7 +2764,7 @@ function makeCartesianPlotFramwork(gd, subplots) {
 
 // layoutStyles: styling for plot layout elements
 function layoutStyles(gd) {
-    return Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync([plots.doAutoMargin, lsInner], gd);
+    return Lib.syncOrAsync([Plots.doAutoMargin, lsInner], gd);
 }
 
 function lsInner(gd) {
@@ -2769,7 +2782,7 @@ function lsInner(gd) {
             height: fullLayout.height + 'px'
         })
         .selectAll('.main-svg')
-            .call(Plotly.Drawing.setSize, fullLayout.width, fullLayout.height);
+            .call(Drawing.setSize, fullLayout.width, fullLayout.height);
 
     gd._context.setBackground(gd, fullLayout.paper_bgcolor);
 
@@ -2783,17 +2796,17 @@ function lsInner(gd) {
 
         if(plotinfo.bg) {
             plotinfo.bg
-                .call(Plotly.Drawing.setRect,
+                .call(Drawing.setRect,
                     xa._offset-gs.p, ya._offset-gs.p,
                     xa._length+2*gs.p, ya._length+2*gs.p)
-                .call(Plotly.Color.fill, fullLayout.plot_bgcolor);
+                .call(Color.fill, fullLayout.plot_bgcolor);
         }
         plotinfo.plot
-            .call(Plotly.Drawing.setRect,
+            .call(Drawing.setRect,
                 xa._offset, ya._offset, xa._length, ya._length);
 
-        var xlw = Plotly.Drawing.crispRound(gd, xa.linewidth, 1),
-            ylw = Plotly.Drawing.crispRound(gd, ya.linewidth, 1),
+        var xlw = Drawing.crispRound(gd, xa.linewidth, 1),
+            ylw = Drawing.crispRound(gd, ya.linewidth, 1),
             xp = gs.p+ylw,
             xpathPrefix = 'M'+(-xp)+',',
             xpathSuffix = 'h'+(xa._length+2*xp),
@@ -2888,7 +2901,7 @@ function lsInner(gd) {
                 // so it doesn't barf with no lines shown
                 'M0,0')
             .style('stroke-width',xlw+'px')
-            .call(Plotly.Color.stroke, xa.showline ?
+            .call(Color.stroke, xa.showline ?
                 xa.linecolor : 'rgba(0,0,0,0)');
         plotinfo.ylines
             .attr('transform', originy)
@@ -2898,7 +2911,7 @@ function lsInner(gd) {
                 (showfreey ? ('M'+freeposy+ypathSuffix) : '')) ||
                 'M0,0')
             .attr('stroke-width',ylw+'px')
-            .call(Plotly.Color.stroke,ya.showline ?
+            .call(Color.stroke,ya.showline ?
                 ya.linecolor : 'rgba(0,0,0,0)');
 
         plotinfo.xaxislayer.attr('transform',originx);
@@ -2914,7 +2927,7 @@ function lsInner(gd) {
 
     Plotly.Axes.makeClipPaths(gd);
 
-    Plotly.Titles.draw(gd, 'gtitle');
+    Titles.draw(gd, 'gtitle');
 
     manageModeBar(gd);
 
diff --git a/src/plotly.js b/src/plotly.js
index 975565e0df9..b7834839b4a 100644
--- a/src/plotly.js
+++ b/src/plotly.js
@@ -39,9 +39,6 @@ var Plots = exports.Plots = require('./plots/plots');
 var Cartesian = require('./plots/cartesian');
 Plots.registerSubplot(Cartesian);
 
-exports.Axes = require('./plots/cartesian/axes');
-exports.Fx = require('./plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
-
 var Geo = require('./plots/geo');
 Plots.registerSubplot(Geo);
 
@@ -51,8 +48,11 @@ Plots.registerSubplot(Gl3d);
 var Gl2d = require('./plots/gl2d');
 Plots.registerSubplot(Gl2d);
 
+exports.Axes = require('./plots/cartesian/axes');
+exports.Fx = require('./plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
 exports.micropolar = require('./plots/polar/micropolar');
 
+
 // components
 exports.Color = require('./components/color');
 exports.Drawing = require('./components/drawing');
@@ -65,22 +65,30 @@ exports.Titles = require('./components/titles');
 exports.Legend = require('./components/legend');
 exports.ModeBar = require('./components/modebar');
 
-// traces
-exports.Scatter = require('./traces/scatter');
-exports.Bar = require('./traces/bar');
-exports.Box = require('./traces/box');
-exports.Heatmap = require('./traces/heatmap');
-exports.Histogram = require('./traces/histogram');
-exports.Histogram2d = require('./traces/histogram2d');
-exports.Histogram2dContour = require('./traces/histogram2dcontour');
-exports.Pie = require('./traces/pie');
-exports.Contour = require('./traces/contour');
-exports.Scatter3D = require('./traces/scatter3d');
-exports.Surface = require('./traces/surface');
-exports.Mesh3D = require('./traces/mesh3d');
-exports.ScatterGeo = require('./traces/scattergeo');
-exports.Choropleth = require('./traces/choropleth');
-exports.ScatterGl = require('./traces/scattergl');
+exports.register = function register(_modules) {
+    if(!_modules){
+        throw new Error('No argument passed to Plotly.register.');
+    } else if(_modules && !Array.isArray(_modules)){
+        _modules = [_modules];
+    }
+
+
+    for(var i = 0; i < _modules.length; i++){
+        var newModule = _modules[i];
+
+        if(newModule && newModule.moduleType !== 'trace'){
+            throw new Error('Invalid module was attempted to be registered!');
+        } else {
+            Plots.register(newModule, newModule.name, newModule.categories, newModule.meta);
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+
+exports.register(require('./traces/scatter'));
+
+// Scatter is the only trace included by default
+exports.Scatter = Plots.getModule('scatter');
 
 // plot api
 require('./plot_api/plot_api');
diff --git a/src/plots/geo/geo.js b/src/plots/geo/geo.js
index a3142060f6a..7bd6ed0aa35 100644
--- a/src/plots/geo/geo.js
+++ b/src/plots/geo/geo.js
@@ -14,14 +14,13 @@
 var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
 var d3 = require('d3');
 
+var Plots = require('../../plots/plots');
+
 var addProjectionsToD3 = require('./projections');
 var createGeoScale = require('./set_scale');
 var createGeoZoom = require('./zoom');
 var createGeoZoomReset = require('./zoom_reset');
 
-var plotScatterGeo = require('../../traces/scattergeo/plot');
-var plotChoropleth = require('../../traces/choropleth/plot');
-
 var constants = require('../../constants/geo_constants');
 var topojsonUtils = require('../../lib/topojson_utils');
 var topojsonFeature = require('topojson').feature;
@@ -136,21 +135,22 @@ proto.plot = function(geoData, fullLayout, promises) {
 };
 
 proto.onceTopojsonIsLoaded = function(geoData, geoLayout) {
-    var scattergeoData = [],
-        choroplethData = [];
+    var traceData = {};
 
     this.drawLayout(geoLayout);
 
     for(var i = 0; i < geoData.length; i++) {
         var trace = geoData[i];
-        var traceType = trace.type;
 
-        if(traceType === 'scattergeo') scattergeoData.push(trace);
-        else if(traceType === 'choropleth') choroplethData.push(trace);
+        traceData[trace.type] = traceData[trace.type] || [];
+        traceData[trace.type].push(trace);
     }
 
-    if(scattergeoData.length>0) plotScatterGeo.plot(this, scattergeoData);
-    if(choroplethData.length>0) plotChoropleth.plot(this, choroplethData, geoLayout);
+    var traceKeys = Object.keys(traceData);
+    for(var j = 0; j < traceKeys.length; j++){
+        var traceKey = traceKeys[j];
+        Plots.getModule(traceKey).plot(this, traceData[traceKey], geoLayout);
+    }
 
     this.render();
 };
diff --git a/src/plots/geo/zoom_reset.js b/src/plots/geo/zoom_reset.js
index 1314b1b675b..612267bfeba 100644
--- a/src/plots/geo/zoom_reset.js
+++ b/src/plots/geo/zoom_reset.js
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var loneUnhover = require('../../plotly').Fx.loneUnhover;
-
+var Fx = require('../cartesian/graph_interact');
 
 function createGeoZoomReset(geo, geoLayout) {
     var projection = geo.projection,
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ function createGeoZoomReset(geo, geoLayout) {
         zoom.scale(projection.scale());
         zoom.translate(projection.translate());
 
-        loneUnhover(geo.hoverContainer);
+        Fx.loneUnhover(geo.hoverContainer);
 
         geo.render();
     };
diff --git a/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js b/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js
index 7c69ae39dd1..37440e9d8e6 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl2d/scene2d.js
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Plots = require('../../plots/plots');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var Fx = require('../../plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
+
 var createPlot2D = require('gl-plot2d');
 var createSpikes = require('gl-spikes2d');
 var createSelectBox = require('gl-select-box');
@@ -17,8 +20,6 @@ var createSelectBox = require('gl-select-box');
 var createOptions = require('./convert');
 var createCamera = require('./camera');
 
-var createLineWithMarkers = require('../../traces/scattergl/convert');
-
 var htmlToUnicode = require('../../lib/html2unicode');
 var showNoWebGlMsg = require('../../lib/show_no_webgl_msg');
 
@@ -223,8 +224,8 @@ proto.computeTickMarks = function() {
         this.glplot.viewBox[3] - this.glplot.viewBox[1];
 
     var nextTicks = [
-        Plotly.Axes.calcTicks(this.xaxis),
-        Plotly.Axes.calcTicks(this.yaxis)
+        Axes.calcTicks(this.xaxis),
+        Axes.calcTicks(this.yaxis)
     ];
 
     for(var j = 0; j < 2; ++j) {
@@ -254,7 +255,7 @@ function compareTicks(a, b) {
 }
 
 proto.updateAxes = function(options) {
-    var spmatch = Plotly.Axes.subplotMatch,
+    var spmatch = Axes.subplotMatch,
         xaxisName = 'xaxis' + this.id.match(spmatch)[1],
         yaxisName = 'yaxis' + this.id.match(spmatch)[2];
 
@@ -325,11 +326,8 @@ proto.plot = function(fullData, fullLayout) {
 
         if(trace) trace.update(traceData);
         else {
-            switch(traceData.type) {
-                case 'scattergl':
-                    trace = createLineWithMarkers(this, traceData);
-                    break;
-            }
+            var traceModule = Plots.getModule(traceData.type);
+            trace = traceModule.plot(this, traceData);
         }
         this.traces[traceData.uid] = trace;
     }
@@ -392,7 +390,7 @@ proto.plot = function(fullData, fullLayout) {
         ax = this[AXES[i]];
         ax._length = options.viewBox[i+2] - options.viewBox[i];
 
-        Plotly.Axes.doAutoRange(ax);
+        Axes.doAutoRange(ax);
     }
 
     options.ticks = this.computeTickMarks();
@@ -475,7 +473,7 @@ proto.draw = function() {
                     if(parts.indexOf('name') === -1) selection.name = undefined;
                 }
 
-                Plotly.Fx.loneHover({
+                Fx.loneHover({
                     x: selection.screenCoord[0],
                     y: selection.screenCoord[1],
                     xLabel: this.hoverFormatter('xaxis', selection.traceCoord[0]),
@@ -493,7 +491,7 @@ proto.draw = function() {
         else if(!result && this.lastPickResult) {
             this.spikes.update({});
             this.lastPickResult = null;
-            Plotly.Fx.loneUnhover(this.svgContainer);
+            Fx.loneUnhover(this.svgContainer);
         }
     }
 
@@ -504,5 +502,5 @@ proto.hoverFormatter = function(axisName, val) {
     if(val === undefined) return undefined;
 
     var axis = this[axisName];
-    return Plotly.Axes.tickText(axis, axis.c2l(val), 'hover').text;
+    return Axes.tickText(axis, axis.c2l(val), 'hover').text;
 };
diff --git a/src/plots/gl3d/index.js b/src/plots/gl3d/index.js
index 68f15f0177a..d7daba44104 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl3d/index.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl3d/index.js
@@ -9,11 +9,9 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
 var Scene = require('./scene');
+var Plots = require('../plots');
 
-var plots = Plotly.Plots;
 var axesNames = ['xaxis', 'yaxis', 'zaxis'];
 
 
@@ -32,7 +30,7 @@ exports.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout/defaults');
 exports.plot = function plotGl3d(gd) {
     var fullLayout = gd._fullLayout,
         fullData = gd._fullData,
-        sceneIds = plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d');
+        sceneIds = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d');
 
     fullLayout._paperdiv.style({
         width: fullLayout.width + 'px',
@@ -43,7 +41,7 @@ exports.plot = function plotGl3d(gd) {
 
     for(var i = 0; i < sceneIds.length; i++) {
         var sceneId = sceneIds[i],
-            fullSceneData = plots.getSubplotData(fullData, 'gl3d', sceneId),
+            fullSceneData = Plots.getSubplotData(fullData, 'gl3d', sceneId),
             scene = fullLayout[sceneId]._scene;  // ref. to corresp. Scene instance
 
         // If Scene is not instantiated, create one!
@@ -83,7 +81,7 @@ exports.initAxes = function(gd) {
     delete fullLayout.xaxis;
     delete fullLayout.yaxis;
 
-    var sceneIds = Plotly.Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d');
+    var sceneIds = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d');
 
     for(var i = 0; i < sceneIds.length; ++i) {
         var sceneId = sceneIds[i];
diff --git a/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js b/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js
index 07903635a86..db742d5bb0b 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl3d/scene.js
@@ -12,12 +12,14 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
 var createPlot = require('gl-plot3d');
 
-var createScatterTrace = require('../../traces/scatter3d/convert');
-var createSurfaceTrace = require('../../traces/surface/convert');
-var createMeshTrace = require('../../traces/mesh3d/convert');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+var Plots = require('../../plots/plots');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var Fx = require('../../plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
+
 var str2RGBAarray = require('../../lib/str2rgbarray');
 var showNoWebGlMsg = require('../../lib/show_no_webgl_msg');
 
@@ -30,7 +32,6 @@ var computeTickMarks = require('./layout/tick_marks');
 
 var STATIC_CANVAS, STATIC_CONTEXT;
 
-
 function render(scene) {
 
     //Update size of svg container
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ function render(scene) {
         if(typeof val === 'string') return val;
 
         var axis = scene.fullSceneLayout[axisName];
-        return Plotly.Axes.tickText(axis, axis.c2l(val), 'hover').text;
+        return Axes.tickText(axis, axis.c2l(val), 'hover').text;
     }
 
     if(lastPicked !== null) {
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ function render(scene) {
             if(hoverinfoParts.indexOf('name') === -1) lastPicked.name = undefined;
         }
 
-        Plotly.Fx.loneHover({
+        Fx.loneHover({
             x: (0.5 + 0.5 * pdata[0]/pdata[3]) * width,
             y: (0.5 - 0.5 * pdata[1]/pdata[3]) * height,
             xLabel: formatter('xaxis', selection.traceCoordinate[0]),
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ function render(scene) {
             container: svgContainer
         });
     }
-    else Plotly.Fx.loneUnhover(svgContainer);
+    else Fx.loneUnhover(svgContainer);
 }
 
 function initializeGLPlot(scene, fullLayout, canvas, gl) {
@@ -351,21 +352,8 @@ proto.plot = function(sceneData, fullLayout, layout) {
         if(trace) {
             trace.update(data);
         } else {
-            switch(data.type) {
-                case 'scatter3d':
-                    trace = createScatterTrace(this, data);
-                    break;
-
-                case 'surface':
-                    trace = createSurfaceTrace(this, data);
-                    break;
-
-                case 'mesh3d':
-                    trace = createMeshTrace(this, data);
-                    break;
-
-                default:
-            }
+            var traceModule = Plots.getModule(data.type);
+            trace = traceModule.plot(this, data);
             this.traces[data.uid] = trace;
         }
         trace.name = data.name;
@@ -569,7 +557,7 @@ proto.setCamera = function setCamera(cameraData) {
 // save camera to user layout (i.e. gd.layout)
 proto.saveCamera = function saveCamera(layout) {
     var cameraData = this.getCamera(),
-        cameraNestedProp = Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(layout, this.id + '.camera'),
+        cameraNestedProp = Lib.nestedProperty(layout, this.id + '.camera'),
         cameraDataLastSave = cameraNestedProp.get(),
         hasChanged = false;
 
diff --git a/src/plots/plots.js b/src/plots/plots.js
index 0bdee8c6328..915b4706030 100644
--- a/src/plots/plots.js
+++ b/src/plots/plots.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ var Plotly = require('../plotly');
 var d3 = require('d3');
 var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
 
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
 var plots = module.exports = {};
 
 var modules = plots.modules = {},
@@ -39,7 +41,8 @@ plots.fontWeight = 'normal';
  */
 plots.register = function(_module, thisType, categoriesIn, meta) {
     if(modules[thisType]) {
-        throw new Error('type ' + thisType + ' already registered');
+        console.warn('type ' + thisType + ' already registered');
+        return;
     }
 
     var categoryObj = {};
@@ -269,7 +272,7 @@ plots.resize = function(gd) {
 };
 
 
-// for use in Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync, check if there are any
+// for use in Lib.syncOrAsync, check if there are any
 // pending promises in this plot and wait for them
 plots.previousPromises = function(gd) {
     if((gd._promises || []).length) {
@@ -416,7 +419,7 @@ plots.supplyDefaults = function(gd) {
         newData = gd.data || [],
         modules = gd._modules = [];
 
-    var i, trace, fullTrace, module, axList, ax;
+    var i, trace, fullTrace, _module, axList, ax;
 
 
     // first fill in what we can of layout without looking at data
@@ -441,14 +444,14 @@ plots.supplyDefaults = function(gd) {
         else if(plots.traceIs(fullTrace, 'gl2d')) newFullLayout._hasGL2D = true;
         else if('r' in fullTrace) newFullLayout._hasPolar = true;
 
-        module = fullTrace._module;
-        if (module && modules.indexOf(module)===-1) modules.push(module);
+        _module = fullTrace._module;
+        if (_module && modules.indexOf(_module)===-1) modules.push(_module);
     }
 
     // special cases that introduce interactions between traces
     for (i = 0; i < modules.length; i++) {
-        module = modules[i];
-        if (module.cleanData) module.cleanData(newFullData);
+        _module = modules[i];
+        if (_module.cleanData) _module.cleanData(newFullData);
     }
 
     if (oldFullData.length === newData.length) {
@@ -524,7 +527,7 @@ function relinkPrivateKeys(toLayout, fromLayout) {
         else if (Array.isArray(fromLayout[k]) &&
                  Array.isArray(toLayout[k]) &&
                  fromLayout[k].length &&
-                 Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(fromLayout[k][0])) {
+                 Lib.isPlainObject(fromLayout[k][0])) {
             if(fromLayout[k].length !== toLayout[k].length) {
                 // this should be handled elsewhere, it causes
                 // ambiguity if we try to deal with it here.
@@ -536,8 +539,8 @@ function relinkPrivateKeys(toLayout, fromLayout) {
                 relinkPrivateKeys(toLayout[k][j], fromLayout[k][j]);
             }
         }
-        else if (Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(fromLayout[k]) &&
-                 Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(toLayout[k])) {
+        else if (Lib.isPlainObject(fromLayout[k]) &&
+                 Lib.isPlainObject(toLayout[k])) {
             // recurse into objects, but only if they still exist
             relinkPrivateKeys(toLayout[k], fromLayout[k]);
             if (!Object.keys(toLayout[k]).length) delete toLayout[k];
@@ -550,12 +553,12 @@ plots.supplyDataDefaults = function(traceIn, i, layout) {
         defaultColor = Plotly.Color.defaults[i % Plotly.Color.defaults.length];
 
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, plots.attributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, plots.attributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
     function coerceSubplotAttr(subplotType, subplotAttr) {
         if(!plots.traceIs(traceOut, subplotType)) return;
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut,
+        return Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut,
             plots.subplotsRegistry[subplotType].attributes, subplotAttr);
     }
 
@@ -563,7 +566,7 @@ plots.supplyDataDefaults = function(traceIn, i, layout) {
     traceOut.index = i;
     var visible = coerce('visible'),
         scene,
-        module;
+        _module;
 
     coerce('type');
     coerce('uid');
@@ -577,14 +580,14 @@ plots.supplyDataDefaults = function(traceIn, i, layout) {
     // module-specific attributes --- note: we need to send a trace into
     // the 3D modules to have it removed from the webgl context.
     if(visible || scene) {
-        module = plots.getModule(traceOut);
-        traceOut._module = module;
+        _module = plots.getModule(traceOut);
+        traceOut._module = _module;
     }
 
     // gets overwritten in pie and geo
     if(visible) coerce('hoverinfo', (layout._dataLength === 1) ? 'x+y+z+text' : undefined);
 
-    if(module && visible) module.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout);
+    if(_module && visible) _module.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout);
 
     if(visible) {
         coerce('name', 'trace ' + i);
@@ -615,14 +618,14 @@ plots.supplyDataDefaults = function(traceIn, i, layout) {
 
 plots.supplyLayoutGlobalDefaults = function(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(layoutIn, layoutOut, plots.layoutAttributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(layoutIn, layoutOut, plots.layoutAttributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
-    var globalFont = Plotly.Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'font');
+    var globalFont = Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'font');
 
     coerce('title');
 
-    Plotly.Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'titlefont', {
+    Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'titlefont', {
         family: globalFont.family,
         size: Math.round(globalFont.size * 1.4),
         color: globalFont.color
@@ -928,7 +931,7 @@ plots.graphJson = function(gd, dataonly, mode, output, useDefaults){
         if(typeof d === 'function') {
             return null;
         }
-        if(Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(d)) {
+        if(Lib.isPlainObject(d)) {
             var o={}, v, src;
             for(v in d) {
                 // remove private elements and functions
@@ -951,7 +954,7 @@ plots.graphJson = function(gd, dataonly, mode, output, useDefaults){
                     // in a trace, we will keep the data array.
                     src = d[v+'src'];
                     if(typeof src==='string' && src.indexOf(':')>0) {
-                        if(!Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(d.stream)) {
+                        if(!Lib.isPlainObject(d.stream)) {
                             continue;
                         }
                     }
@@ -978,7 +981,7 @@ plots.graphJson = function(gd, dataonly, mode, output, useDefaults){
         // convert native dates to date strings...
         // mostly for external users exporting to plotly
         if(d && d.getTime) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.ms2DateTime(d);
+            return Lib.ms2DateTime(d);
         }
 
         return d;
diff --git a/src/traces/bar/index.js b/src/traces/bar/index.js
index 3814fa265dd..ec24b7ec76b 100644
--- a/src/traces/bar/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/bar/index.js
@@ -9,38 +9,30 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'bar',
-    ['cartesian', 'bar', 'oriented', 'markerColorscale', 'errorBarsOK', 'showLegend'], {
-        description: [
-            'The data visualized by the span of the bars is set in `y`',
-            'if `orientation` is set th *v* (the default)',
-            'and the labels are set in `x`.',
-
-            'By setting `orientation` to *h*, the roles are interchanged.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
-
-exports.calc = require('./calc');
-
-exports.setPositions = require('./set_positions');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('../scatter/colorbar');
-
-exports.arraysToCalcdata = require('./arrays_to_calcdata');
-
-exports.plot = require('./plot');
-
-exports.style = require('./style');
-
-exports.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+var Bar = {};
+
+Bar.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Bar.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+Bar.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Bar.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
+Bar.calc = require('./calc');
+Bar.setPositions = require('./set_positions');
+Bar.colorbar = require('../scatter/colorbar');
+Bar.arraysToCalcdata = require('./arrays_to_calcdata');
+Bar.plot = require('./plot');
+Bar.style = require('./style');
+Bar.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+
+Bar.moduleType = 'trace';
+Bar.name = 'bar';
+Bar.categories = ['cartesian', 'bar', 'oriented', 'markerColorscale', 'errorBarsOK', 'showLegend'];
+Bar.meta = {
+    description: [
+        'The data visualized by the span of the bars is set in `y`',
+        'if `orientation` is set th *v* (the default)',
+        'and the labels are set in `x`.',
+        'By setting `orientation` to *h*, the roles are interchanged.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Bar;
diff --git a/src/traces/box/index.js b/src/traces/box/index.js
index bab6b26dd2c..e97f6c625ee 100644
--- a/src/traces/box/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/box/index.js
@@ -8,33 +8,36 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Box = {};
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'box',
-    ['cartesian', 'symbols', 'oriented', 'box', 'showLegend'], {
-        description: [
-            'In vertical (horizontal) box plots,',
-            'statistics are computed using `y` (`x`) values.',
-            'By supplying an `x` (`y`) array, one box per distinct x (y) value',
-            'is drawn',
-            'If no `x` (`y`) {array} is provided, a single box is drawn.',
-            'That box position is then positioned with',
-            'with `name` or with `x0` (`y0`) if provided.',
-            'Each box spans from quartile 1 (Q1) to quartile 3 (Q3).',
-            'The second quartile (Q2) is marked by a line inside the box.',
-            'By default, the whiskers correspond to the box\' edges',
-            '+/- 1.5 times the interquartile range (IQR = Q3-Q1),',
-            'see *boxpoints* for other options.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
+Box.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Box.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+Box.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Box.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
+Box.calc = require('./calc');
+Box.setPositions = require('./set_positions');
+Box.plot = require('./plot');
+Box.style = require('./style');
+Box.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
 
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-exports.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-exports.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
-exports.calc = require('./calc');
-exports.setPositions = require('./set_positions');
-exports.plot = require('./plot');
-exports.style = require('./style');
-exports.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+Box.moduleType = 'trace';
+Box.name = 'box';
+Box.categories = ['cartesian', 'symbols', 'oriented', 'box', 'showLegend'];
+Box.meta = {
+    description: [
+        'In vertical (horizontal) box plots,',
+        'statistics are computed using `y` (`x`) values.',
+        'By supplying an `x` (`y`) array, one box per distinct x (y) value',
+        'is drawn',
+        'If no `x` (`y`) {array} is provided, a single box is drawn.',
+        'That box position is then positioned with',
+        'with `name` or with `x0` (`y0`) if provided.',
+        'Each box spans from quartile 1 (Q1) to quartile 3 (Q3).',
+        'The second quartile (Q2) is marked by a line inside the box.',
+        'By default, the whiskers correspond to the box\' edges',
+        '+/- 1.5 times the interquartile range (IQR = Q3-Q1),',
+        'see *boxpoints* for other options.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Box;
diff --git a/src/traces/choropleth/index.js b/src/traces/choropleth/index.js
index f5beed4d62a..4999be85ae3 100644
--- a/src/traces/choropleth/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/choropleth/index.js
@@ -9,21 +9,24 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plots = require('../../plots/plots');
-
-Plots.register(exports, 'choropleth', ['geo', 'noOpacity'], {
+var Choropleth = {};
+
+Choropleth.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Choropleth.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Choropleth.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
+Choropleth.calc = require('../surface/calc');
+Choropleth.plot = require('./plot').plot;
+
+Choropleth.moduleType = 'trace';
+Choropleth.name = 'choropleth';
+Choropleth.categories = ['geo', 'noOpacity'];
+Choropleth.meta = {
     description: [
         'The data that describes the choropleth value-to-color mapping',
         'is set in `z`.',
         'The geographic locations corresponding to each value in `z`',
         'are set in `locations`.'
     ].join(' ')
-});
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
+};
 
-exports.calc = require('../surface/calc');
+module.exports = Choropleth;
diff --git a/src/traces/contour/index.js b/src/traces/contour/index.js
index 6eed1bb667b..2a61c9c5db0 100644
--- a/src/traces/contour/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/contour/index.js
@@ -9,34 +9,30 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'contour',
-    ['cartesian', '2dMap', 'contour'], {
-        description: [
-            'The data from which contour lines are computed is set in `z`.',
-            'Data in `z` must be a {2D array} of numbers.',
-
-            'Say that `z` has N rows and M columns, then by default,',
-            'these N rows correspond to N y coordinates',
-            '(set in `y` or auto-generated) and the M columns',
-            'correspond to M x coordinates (set in `x` or auto-generated).',
-
-            'By setting `transpose` to *true*, the above behavior is flipped.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.calc = require('./calc');
-
-exports.plot = require('./plot');
-
-exports.style = require('./style');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('./colorbar');
-
-exports.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+var Contour = {};
+
+Contour.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Contour.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Contour.calc = require('./calc');
+Contour.plot = require('./plot');
+Contour.style = require('./style');
+Contour.colorbar = require('./colorbar');
+Contour.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+
+Contour.moduleType = 'trace';
+Contour.name = 'contour';
+Contour.categories = ['cartesian', '2dMap', 'contour'];
+Contour.meta = {
+    description: [
+        'The data from which contour lines are computed is set in `z`.',
+        'Data in `z` must be a {2D array} of numbers.',
+
+        'Say that `z` has N rows and M columns, then by default,',
+        'these N rows correspond to N y coordinates',
+        '(set in `y` or auto-generated) and the M columns',
+        'correspond to M x coordinates (set in `x` or auto-generated).',
+        'By setting `transpose` to *true*, the above behavior is flipped.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Contour;
diff --git a/src/traces/heatmap/index.js b/src/traces/heatmap/index.js
index baf8d30f27b..fd4f7882296 100644
--- a/src/traces/heatmap/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/heatmap/index.js
@@ -9,9 +9,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'heatmap', ['cartesian', '2dMap'], {
+var Heatmap = {};
+
+Heatmap.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Heatmap.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Heatmap.calc = require('./calc');
+Heatmap.plot = require('./plot');
+Heatmap.colorbar = require('./colorbar');
+Heatmap.style = require('./style');
+Heatmap.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+
+Heatmap.moduleType = 'trace';
+Heatmap.name = 'heatmap';
+Heatmap.categories = ['cartesian', '2dMap'];
+Heatmap.meta = {
     description: [
         'The data that describes the heatmap value-to-color mapping',
         'is set in `z`.',
@@ -36,18 +47,6 @@ Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'heatmap', ['cartesian', '2dMap'], {
         'In the case where `z` is a 1D {array}, the x and y coordinates must be',
         'provided in `x` and `y` respectively to form data triplets.'
     ].join(' ')
-});
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.calc = require('./calc');
-
-exports.plot = require('./plot');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('./colorbar');
-
-exports.style = require('./style');
+};
 
-exports.hoverPoints = require('./hover');
+module.exports = Heatmap;
diff --git a/src/traces/histogram/index.js b/src/traces/histogram/index.js
index aeadc19e1ce..a18eb36b9c2 100644
--- a/src/traces/histogram/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/histogram/index.js
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
 /**
  * Histogram has its own attribute, defaults and calc steps,
  * but uses bar's plot to display
@@ -24,35 +22,31 @@ var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
  * to allow quadrature combination of errors in summed histograms...
  */
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'histogram',
-    ['cartesian', 'bar', 'histogram', 'oriented', 'errorBarsOK', 'showLegend'], {
-        description: [
-            'The sample data from which statistics are computed is set in `x`',
-            'for vertically spanning histograms and',
-            'in `y` for horizontally spanning histograms.',
-
-            'Binning options are set `xbins` and `ybins` respectively',
-            'if no aggregation data is provided.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.layoutAttributes = require('../bar/layout_attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('../bar/layout_defaults');
-
-exports.calc = require('./calc');
-
-exports.setPositions = require('../bar/set_positions');
-
-exports.plot = require('../bar/plot');
-
-exports.style = require('../bar/style');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('../scatter/colorbar');
 
-exports.hoverPoints = require('../bar/hover');
+var Histogram = {};
+
+Histogram.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Histogram.layoutAttributes = require('../bar/layout_attributes');
+Histogram.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Histogram.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('../bar/layout_defaults');
+Histogram.calc = require('./calc');
+Histogram.setPositions = require('../bar/set_positions');
+Histogram.plot = require('../bar/plot');
+Histogram.style = require('../bar/style');
+Histogram.colorbar = require('../scatter/colorbar');
+Histogram.hoverPoints = require('../bar/hover');
+
+Histogram.moduleType = 'trace';
+Histogram.name = 'histogram';
+Histogram.categories = ['cartesian', 'bar', 'histogram', 'oriented', 'errorBarsOK', 'showLegend'];
+Histogram.meta = {
+    description: [
+        'The sample data from which statistics are computed is set in `x`',
+        'for vertically spanning histograms and',
+        'in `y` for horizontally spanning histograms.',
+        'Binning options are set `xbins` and `ybins` respectively',
+        'if no aggregation data is provided.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Histogram;
diff --git a/src/traces/histogram2d/index.js b/src/traces/histogram2d/index.js
index 1fd50c4f094..e555fde47c6 100644
--- a/src/traces/histogram2d/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/histogram2d/index.js
@@ -9,32 +9,29 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'histogram2d',
-    ['cartesian', '2dMap', 'histogram'], {
-        hrName: 'histogram_2d',
-        description: [
-            'The sample data from which statistics are computed is set in `x`',
-            'and `y` (where `x` and `y` represent marginal distributions,',
-            'binning is set in `xbins` and `ybins` in this case)',
-            'or `z` (where `z` represent the 2D distribution and binning set,',
-            'binning is set by `x` and `y` in this case).',
-            'The resulting distribution is visualized as a heatmap.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.calc = require('../heatmap/calc');
-
-exports.plot = require('../heatmap/plot');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
-
-exports.style = require('../heatmap/style');
-
-exports.hoverPoints = require('../heatmap/hover');
+var Histogram2D = {};
+
+Histogram2D.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Histogram2D.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Histogram2D.calc = require('../heatmap/calc');
+Histogram2D.plot = require('../heatmap/plot');
+Histogram2D.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
+Histogram2D.style = require('../heatmap/style');
+Histogram2D.hoverPoints = require('../heatmap/hover');
+
+Histogram2D.moduleType = 'trace';
+Histogram2D.name = 'histogram2d';
+Histogram2D.categories = ['cartesian', '2dMap', 'histogram'];
+Histogram2D.meta = {
+    hrName: 'histogram_2d',
+    description: [
+        'The sample data from which statistics are computed is set in `x`',
+        'and `y` (where `x` and `y` represent marginal distributions,',
+        'binning is set in `xbins` and `ybins` in this case)',
+        'or `z` (where `z` represent the 2D distribution and binning set,',
+        'binning is set by `x` and `y` in this case).',
+        'The resulting distribution is visualized as a heatmap.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Histogram2D;
diff --git a/src/traces/histogram2dcontour/index.js b/src/traces/histogram2dcontour/index.js
index 5fc9fb40e0e..d8c4f5fdd17 100644
--- a/src/traces/histogram2dcontour/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/histogram2dcontour/index.js
@@ -9,32 +9,29 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'histogram2dcontour',
-    ['cartesian', '2dMap', 'contour', 'histogram'], {
-        hrName: 'histogram_2d_contour',
-        description: [
-            'The sample data from which statistics are computed is set in `x`',
-            'and `y` (where `x` and `y` represent marginal distributions,',
-            'binning is set in `xbins` and `ybins` in this case)',
-            'or `z` (where `z` represent the 2D distribution and binning set,',
-            'binning is set by `x` and `y` in this case).',
-            'The resulting distribution is visualized as a contour plot.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
-
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-exports.calc = require('../contour/calc');
-
-exports.plot = require('../contour/plot');
-
-exports.style = require('../contour/style');
-
-exports.colorbar = require('../contour/colorbar');
-
-exports.hoverPoints = require('../contour/hover');
+var Histogram2dContour = {};
+
+Histogram2dContour.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Histogram2dContour.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Histogram2dContour.calc = require('../contour/calc');
+Histogram2dContour.plot = require('../contour/plot');
+Histogram2dContour.style = require('../contour/style');
+Histogram2dContour.colorbar = require('../contour/colorbar');
+Histogram2dContour.hoverPoints = require('../contour/hover');
+
+Histogram2dContour.moduleType = 'trace';
+Histogram2dContour.name = 'histogram2dcontour';
+Histogram2dContour.categories = ['cartesian', '2dMap', 'contour', 'histogram'];
+Histogram2dContour.meta = {
+    hrName: 'histogram_2d_contour',
+    description: [
+        'The sample data from which statistics are computed is set in `x`',
+        'and `y` (where `x` and `y` represent marginal distributions,',
+        'binning is set in `xbins` and `ybins` in this case)',
+        'or `z` (where `z` represent the 2D distribution and binning set,',
+        'binning is set by `x` and `y` in this case).',
+        'The resulting distribution is visualized as a contour plot.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Histogram2dContour;
diff --git a/src/traces/mesh3d/defaults.js b/src/traces/mesh3d/defaults.js
index 64060c2ae33..8a0ff964c6d 100644
--- a/src/traces/mesh3d/defaults.js
+++ b/src/traces/mesh3d/defaults.js
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-var Mesh3D = require('./');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout) {
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, Mesh3D.attributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
     // read in face/vertex properties
diff --git a/src/traces/mesh3d/index.js b/src/traces/mesh3d/index.js
index 4f69c0dfcaa..63f472aee00 100644
--- a/src/traces/mesh3d/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/mesh3d/index.js
@@ -9,11 +9,17 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Mesh3D = {};
 
-var Mesh3D = module.exports = {};
+Mesh3D.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Mesh3D.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Mesh3D.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
+Mesh3D.plot = require('./convert');
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(Mesh3D, 'mesh3d', ['gl3d'], {
+Mesh3D.moduleType = 'trace';
+Mesh3D.name = 'mesh3d',
+Mesh3D.categories = ['gl3d'];
+Mesh3D.meta = {
     description: [
         'Draws sets of triangles with coordinates given by',
         'three 1-dimensional arrays in `x`, `y`, `z` and',
@@ -22,10 +28,6 @@ Plotly.Plots.register(Mesh3D, 'mesh3d', ['gl3d'], {
         '(3) the Alpha-shape algorithm or',
         '(4) the Convex-hull algorithm'
     ].join(' ')
-});
-
-Mesh3D.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
-Mesh3D.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+};
 
-Mesh3D.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
+module.exports = Mesh3D;
diff --git a/src/traces/pie/index.js b/src/traces/pie/index.js
index bde8f3ef91a..b11c828968e 100644
--- a/src/traces/pie/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/pie/index.js
@@ -8,21 +8,26 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Pie = {};
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(exports, 'pie', ['pie', 'showLegend'], {
+Pie.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Pie.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Pie.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
+Pie.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+Pie.calc = require('./calc');
+Pie.plot = require('./plot');
+Pie.style = require('./style');
+Pie.styleOne = require('./style_one');
+
+Pie.moduleType = 'trace';
+Pie.name = 'pie';
+Pie.categories = ['pie', 'showLegend'];
+Pie.meta = {
     description: [
         'A data visualized by the sectors of the pie is set in `values`.',
         'The sector labels are set in `labels`.',
         'The sector colors are set in `marker.colors`'
     ].join(' ')
-});
+};
 
-exports.attributes = require('./attributes');
-exports.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-exports.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
-exports.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
-exports.calc = require('./calc');
-exports.plot = require('./plot');
-exports.style = require('./style');
-exports.styleOne = require('./style_one');
+module.exports = Pie;
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter/index.js b/src/traces/scatter/index.js
index 05ce0c5f8eb..1a9291617f9 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter/index.js
@@ -12,7 +12,15 @@
 var d3 = require('d3');
 var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+var Fx = require('../../plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+
+var Color = require('../../components/color');
+var Colorscale = require('../../components/colorscale');
+var Drawing = require('../../components/drawing');
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
 
 var subtypes = require('./subtypes');
 
@@ -25,17 +33,18 @@ scatter.isBubble = subtypes.isBubble;
 
 scatter.selectPoints = require('./select');
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(scatter, 'scatter',
-    ['cartesian', 'symbols', 'markerColorscale', 'errorBarsOK', 'showLegend'], {
-        description: [
-            'The scatter trace type encompasses line charts, scatter charts, text charts, and bubble charts.',
-            'The data visualized as scatter point or lines is set in `x` and `y`.',
-            'Text (appearing either on the chart or on hover only) is via `text`.',
-            'Bubble charts are achieved by setting `marker.size` and/or `marker.color`',
-            'to a numerical arrays.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
+scatter.moduleType = 'trace';
+scatter.name = 'scatter';
+scatter.categories = ['cartesian', 'symbols', 'markerColorscale', 'errorBarsOK', 'showLegend'];
+scatter.meta = {
+    description: [
+        'The scatter trace type encompasses line charts, scatter charts, text charts, and bubble charts.',
+        'The data visualized as scatter point or lines is set in `x` and `y`.',
+        'Text (appearing either on the chart or on hover only) is via `text`.',
+        'Bubble charts are achieved by setting `marker.size` and/or `marker.color`',
+        'to a numerical arrays.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
 
 // traces with < this many points are by default shown
 // with points and lines, > just get lines
@@ -47,7 +56,7 @@ var handleXYDefaults = require('./xy_defaults');
 
 scatter.supplyDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout) {
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, scatter.attributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, scatter.attributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
     var len = handleXYDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, coerce),
@@ -85,8 +94,8 @@ scatter.supplyDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout) {
         if(!scatter.hasLines(traceOut)) lineShapeDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, coerce);
     }
 
-    Plotly.ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'y'});
-    Plotly.ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'x', inherit: 'y'});
+    ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'y'});
+    ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'x', inherit: 'y'});
 };
 
 // common to 'scatter', 'scatter3d', 'scattergeo' and 'scattergl'
@@ -118,8 +127,8 @@ scatter.markerDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout, coerc
     coerce('marker.size');
 
     coerce('marker.color', defaultColor);
-    if(Plotly.Colorscale.hasColorscale(traceIn, 'marker')) {
-        Plotly.Colorscale.handleDefaults(
+    if(Colorscale.hasColorscale(traceIn, 'marker')) {
+        Colorscale.handleDefaults(
             traceIn, traceOut, layout, coerce, {prefix: 'marker.', cLetter: 'c'}
         );
     }
@@ -130,12 +139,12 @@ scatter.markerDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout, coerc
     if(lineColor && traceOut.marker.color!==lineColor) {
         defaultMLC = lineColor;
     }
-    else if(isBubble) defaultMLC = Plotly.Color.background;
-    else defaultMLC = Plotly.Color.defaultLine;
+    else if(isBubble) defaultMLC = Color.background;
+    else defaultMLC = Color.defaultLine;
 
     coerce('marker.line.color', defaultMLC);
-    if(Plotly.Colorscale.hasColorscale(traceIn, 'marker.line')) {
-        Plotly.Colorscale.handleDefaults(
+    if(Colorscale.hasColorscale(traceIn, 'marker.line')) {
+        Colorscale.handleDefaults(
             traceIn, traceOut, layout, coerce, {prefix: 'marker.line.', cLetter: 'c'}
         );
     }
@@ -152,7 +161,7 @@ scatter.markerDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout, coerc
 // common to 'scatter', 'scatter3d' and 'scattergeo'
 scatter.textDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, layout, coerce) {
     coerce('textposition');
-    Plotly.Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'textfont', layout.font);
+    Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'textfont', layout.font);
 };
 
 // common to 'scatter' and 'scattergl'
@@ -172,7 +181,7 @@ scatter.fillColorDefaults = function(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, coerce) {
         }
     }
 
-    coerce('fillcolor', Plotly.Color.addOpacity(
+    coerce('fillcolor', Color.addOpacity(
         (traceOut.line || {}).color ||
         inheritColorFromMarker ||
         defaultColor, 0.5
@@ -236,13 +245,13 @@ scatter.getBubbleSizeFn = function(trace) {
 };
 
 scatter.calc = function(gd, trace) {
-    var xa = Plotly.Axes.getFromId(gd,trace.xaxis||'x'),
-        ya = Plotly.Axes.getFromId(gd,trace.yaxis||'y');
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('in Scatter.calc');
+    var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd,trace.xaxis||'x'),
+        ya = Axes.getFromId(gd,trace.yaxis||'y');
+    Lib.markTime('in Scatter.calc');
     var x = xa.makeCalcdata(trace,'x');
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('finished convert x');
+    Lib.markTime('finished convert x');
     var y = ya.makeCalcdata(trace,'y');
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('finished convert y');
+    Lib.markTime('finished convert y');
     var serieslen = Math.min(x.length,y.length),
         marker,
         s,
@@ -270,7 +279,7 @@ scatter.calc = function(gd, trace) {
         if (Array.isArray(s)) {
             // I tried auto-type but category and dates dont make much sense.
             var ax = {type: 'linear'};
-            Plotly.Axes.setConvert(ax);
+            Axes.setConvert(ax);
             s = ax.makeCalcdata(trace.marker, 'size');
             if(s.length>serieslen) s.splice(serieslen, s.length-serieslen);
         }
@@ -324,11 +333,11 @@ scatter.calc = function(gd, trace) {
         yOptions.padded = false;
     }
 
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('ready for Axes.expand');
-    Plotly.Axes.expand(xa, x, xOptions);
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('done expand x');
-    Plotly.Axes.expand(ya, y, yOptions);
-    Plotly.Lib.markTime('done expand y');
+    Lib.markTime('ready for Axes.expand');
+    Axes.expand(xa, x, xOptions);
+    Lib.markTime('done expand x');
+    Axes.expand(ya, y, yOptions);
+    Lib.markTime('done expand y');
 
     // create the "calculated data" to plot
     var cd = new Array(serieslen);
@@ -338,7 +347,7 @@ scatter.calc = function(gd, trace) {
     }
 
     // this has migrated up from arraysToCalcdata as we have a reference to 's' here
-    if (typeof s !== undefined) Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(s, cd, 'ms');
+    if (typeof s !== undefined) Lib.mergeArray(s, cd, 'ms');
 
     gd.firstscatter = false;
     return cd;
@@ -351,11 +360,11 @@ scatter.calcMarkerColorscales = function(trace) {
     var marker = trace.marker;
 
     // auto-z and autocolorscale if applicable
-    if(Plotly.Colorscale.hasColorscale(trace, 'marker')) {
-        Plotly.Colorscale.calc(trace, marker.color, 'marker', 'c');
+    if(Colorscale.hasColorscale(trace, 'marker')) {
+        Colorscale.calc(trace, marker.color, 'marker', 'c');
     }
-    if(Plotly.Colorscale.hasColorscale(trace, 'marker.line')) {
-        Plotly.Colorscale.calc(trace, marker.line.color, 'marker.line', 'c');
+    if(Colorscale.hasColorscale(trace, 'marker.line')) {
+        Colorscale.calc(trace, marker.line.color, 'marker.line', 'c');
     }
 };
 
@@ -408,21 +417,21 @@ scatter.arraysToCalcdata = function(cd) {
     var trace = cd[0].trace,
         marker = trace.marker;
 
-    Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(trace.text, cd, 'tx');
-    Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(trace.textposition, cd, 'tp');
+    Lib.mergeArray(trace.text, cd, 'tx');
+    Lib.mergeArray(trace.textposition, cd, 'tp');
     if(trace.textfont) {
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(trace.textfont.size, cd, 'ts');
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(trace.textfont.color, cd, 'tc');
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(trace.textfont.family, cd, 'tf');
+        Lib.mergeArray(trace.textfont.size, cd, 'ts');
+        Lib.mergeArray(trace.textfont.color, cd, 'tc');
+        Lib.mergeArray(trace.textfont.family, cd, 'tf');
     }
 
     if(marker && marker.line) {
         var markerLine = marker.line;
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(marker.opacity, cd, 'mo');
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(marker.symbol, cd, 'mx');
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(marker.color, cd, 'mc');
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(markerLine.color, cd, 'mlc');
-        Plotly.Lib.mergeArray(markerLine.width, cd, 'mlw');
+        Lib.mergeArray(marker.opacity, cd, 'mo');
+        Lib.mergeArray(marker.symbol, cd, 'mx');
+        Lib.mergeArray(marker.color, cd, 'mc');
+        Lib.mergeArray(markerLine.color, cd, 'mlc');
+        Lib.mergeArray(markerLine.width, cd, 'mlw');
     }
 };
 
@@ -485,14 +494,14 @@ scatter.plot = function(gd, plotinfo, cdscatter) {
         nexttonext = tr.append('path').classed('js-fill',true);
 
         if(['hv','vh','hvh','vhv'].indexOf(line.shape)!==-1) {
-            pathfn = Plotly.Drawing.steps(line.shape);
-            revpathbase = Plotly.Drawing.steps(
+            pathfn = Drawing.steps(line.shape);
+            revpathbase = Drawing.steps(
                 line.shape.split('').reverse().join('')
             );
         }
         else if(line.shape==='spline') {
             pathfn = revpathbase = function(pts) {
-                return Plotly.Drawing.smoothopen(pts, line.smoothing);
+                return Drawing.smoothopen(pts, line.smoothing);
             };
         }
         else {
@@ -567,19 +576,19 @@ scatter.plot = function(gd, plotinfo, cdscatter) {
             else {
                 if(showMarkers) {
                     s.selectAll('path.point')
-                        .data(trace.marker.maxdisplayed ? visFilter : Plotly.Lib.identity)
+                        .data(trace.marker.maxdisplayed ? visFilter : Lib.identity)
                         .enter().append('path')
                             .classed('point', true)
-                            .call(Plotly.Drawing.translatePoints, xa, ya);
+                            .call(Drawing.translatePoints, xa, ya);
                 }
                 if(showText) {
                     s.selectAll('g')
-                        .data(trace.marker.maxdisplayed ? visFilter : Plotly.Lib.identity)
+                        .data(trace.marker.maxdisplayed ? visFilter : Lib.identity)
                         // each text needs to go in its own 'g' in case
                         // it gets converted to mathjax
                         .enter().append('g')
                             .append('text')
-                            .call(Plotly.Drawing.translatePoints, xa, ya);
+                            .call(Drawing.translatePoints, xa, ya);
                 }
             }
         });
@@ -592,7 +601,7 @@ scatter.linePoints = function(d, opts) {
         baseTolerance = opts.baseTolerance,
         linear = opts.linear,
         segments = [],
-        badnum = Plotly.Axes.BADNUM,
+        badnum = Axes.BADNUM,
         minTolerance = 0.2, // fraction of tolerance "so close we don't even consider it a new point"
         pts = new Array(d.length),
         pti = 0,
@@ -747,16 +756,16 @@ scatter.style = function(gd) {
     s.selectAll('g.points')
         .each(function(d){
             d3.select(this).selectAll('path.point')
-                .call(Plotly.Drawing.pointStyle,d.trace||d[0].trace);
+                .call(Drawing.pointStyle,d.trace||d[0].trace);
             d3.select(this).selectAll('text')
-                .call(Plotly.Drawing.textPointStyle,d.trace||d[0].trace);
+                .call(Drawing.textPointStyle,d.trace||d[0].trace);
         });
 
     s.selectAll('g.trace path.js-line')
-        .call(Plotly.Drawing.lineGroupStyle);
+        .call(Drawing.lineGroupStyle);
 
     s.selectAll('g.trace path.js-fill')
-        .call(Plotly.Drawing.fillGroupStyle);
+        .call(Drawing.fillGroupStyle);
 };
 
 scatter.getTraceColor = function(trace, di) {
@@ -766,7 +775,7 @@ scatter.getTraceColor = function(trace, di) {
 
     if(trace.mode === 'lines') {
         lc = trace.line.color;
-        return (lc && Plotly.Color.opacity(lc)) ?
+        return (lc && Color.opacity(lc)) ?
             lc : trace.fillcolor;
     }
     else if(trace.mode === 'none') {
@@ -776,20 +785,20 @@ scatter.getTraceColor = function(trace, di) {
         var mc = di.mcc || (trace.marker || {}).color,
             mlc = di.mlcc || ((trace.marker || {}).line || {}).color;
 
-        tc = (mc && Plotly.Color.opacity(mc)) ? mc :
-            (mlc && Plotly.Color.opacity(mlc) &&
+        tc = (mc && Color.opacity(mc)) ? mc :
+            (mlc && Color.opacity(mlc) &&
                 (di.mlw || ((trace.marker || {}).line || {}).width)) ? mlc : '';
 
         if(tc) {
             // make sure the points aren't TOO transparent
-            if(Plotly.Color.opacity(tc) < 0.3) {
-                return Plotly.Color.addOpacity(tc, 0.3);
+            if(Color.opacity(tc) < 0.3) {
+                return Color.addOpacity(tc, 0.3);
             }
             else return tc;
         }
         else {
             lc = (trace.line || {}).color;
-            return (lc && Plotly.Color.opacity(lc) &&
+            return (lc && Color.opacity(lc) &&
                 scatter.hasLines(trace) && trace.line.width) ?
                     lc : trace.fillcolor;
         }
@@ -819,9 +828,9 @@ scatter.hoverPoints = function(pointData, xval, yval, hovermode) {
                 dy = Math.abs(ya.c2p(di.y)-ya.c2p(yval));
             return Math.max(Math.sqrt(dx*dx + dy*dy)-rad, 1-3/rad);
         },
-        distfn = Plotly.Fx.getDistanceFunction(hovermode, dx, dy, dxy);
+        distfn = Fx.getDistanceFunction(hovermode, dx, dy, dxy);
 
-    Plotly.Fx.getClosest(cd, distfn, pointData);
+    Fx.getClosest(cd, distfn, pointData);
 
     // skip the rest (for this trace) if we didn't find a close point
     if(pointData.index===false) return;
@@ -845,7 +854,7 @@ scatter.hoverPoints = function(pointData, xval, yval, hovermode) {
     if(di.tx) pointData.text = di.tx;
     else if(trace.text) pointData.text = trace.text;
 
-    Plotly.ErrorBars.hoverInfo(di, trace, pointData);
+    ErrorBars.hoverInfo(di, trace, pointData);
 
     return [pointData];
 };
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter3d/convert.js b/src/traces/scatter3d/convert.js
index c0d33ef67b5..67011faba0c 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter3d/convert.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter3d/convert.js
@@ -9,17 +9,18 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
 var createLinePlot = require('gl-line3d');
 var createScatterPlot = require('gl-scatter3d');
 var createErrorBars = require('gl-error3d');
 var createMesh = require('gl-mesh3d');
 var triangulate = require('delaunay-triangulate');
 
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
 var str2RgbaArray = require('../../lib/str2rgbarray');
 var formatColor = require('../../lib/gl_format_color');
 
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
+
 var DASH_PATTERNS = require('../../constants/gl3d_dashes.json');
 var MARKER_SYMBOLS = require('../../constants/gl_markers.json');
 
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ function formatParam(paramIn, len, calculate, dflt, extraFn) {
         }
 
     }
-    else paramOut = calculate(paramIn, Plotly.Lib.identity);
+    else paramOut = calculate(paramIn, Lib.identity);
 
     return paramOut;
 }
@@ -209,7 +210,7 @@ function convertPlotlyOptions(scene, data) {
     }
 
     if ('marker' in data) {
-        var sizeFn = Plotly.Scatter.getBubbleSizeFn(data);
+        var sizeFn = Scatter.getBubbleSizeFn(data);
 
         params.scatterColor = formatColor(marker, 1, len);
         params.scatterSize = formatParam(marker.size, len, calculateSize, 20, sizeFn);
@@ -222,7 +223,7 @@ function convertPlotlyOptions(scene, data) {
     if ('textposition' in data) {
         params.textOffset = calculateTextOffset(data.textposition);  // arrayOk === false
         params.textColor = formatColor(data.textfont, 1, len);
-        params.textSize = formatParam(data.textfont.size, len, Plotly.Lib.identity, 12);
+        params.textSize = formatParam(data.textfont.size, len, Lib.identity, 12);
         params.textFont = data.textfont.family;  // arrayOk === false
         params.textAngle = 0;
     }
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter3d/defaults.js b/src/traces/scatter3d/defaults.js
index 65ce9fcb136..23e3df9b166 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter3d/defaults.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter3d/defaults.js
@@ -9,15 +9,17 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-var Scatter3D = require('./');
+var Scatter = require('../../traces/scatter');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
+
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout) {
-    var Scatter = Plotly.Scatter;
 
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, Scatter3D.attributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
     var len = handleXYZDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, coerce);
@@ -54,9 +56,9 @@ module.exports = function supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout
         }
     }
 
-    Plotly.ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'z'});
-    Plotly.ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'y', inherit: 'z'});
-    Plotly.ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'x', inherit: 'z'});
+    ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'z'});
+    ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'y', inherit: 'z'});
+    ErrorBars.supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, {axis: 'x', inherit: 'z'});
 };
 
 function handleXYZDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, coerce) {
diff --git a/src/traces/scatter3d/index.js b/src/traces/scatter3d/index.js
index 5d193ffc74e..5073ae12533 100644
--- a/src/traces/scatter3d/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/scatter3d/index.js
@@ -6,43 +6,43 @@
 * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
 */
 
-
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-var Scatter3D = module.exports = {};
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(Scatter3D,
-    'scatter3d', ['gl3d', 'symbols', 'markerColorscale', 'showLegend'], {
-        hrName: 'scatter_3d',
-        description: [
-            'The data visualized as scatter point or lines in 3D dimension',
-            'is set in `x`, `y`, `z`.',
-            'Text (appearing either on the chart or on hover only) is via `text`.',
-            'Bubble charts are achieved by setting `marker.size` and/or `marker.color`',
-            'Projections are achieved via `projection`.',
-            'Surface fills are achieved via `surfaceaxis`.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
+var Scatter3D = {};
 
+Scatter3D.plot = require('./convert');
 Scatter3D.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
 Scatter3D.markerSymbols = require('../../constants/gl_markers.json');
-
 Scatter3D.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-Scatter3D.colorbar = Plotly.Scatter.colorbar;
+Scatter3D.colorbar = require('../scatter/colorbar');
 
 Scatter3D.calc = function(gd, trace) {
     // this is a kludge to put the array attributes into
     // calcdata the way Scatter.plot does, so that legends and
     // popovers know what to do with them.
     var cd = [{x: false, y: false, trace: trace, t: {}}];
-    Plotly.Scatter.arraysToCalcdata(cd);
+    Scatter.arraysToCalcdata(cd);
 
-    Plotly.Scatter.calcMarkerColorscales(trace);
+    Scatter.calcMarkerColorscales(trace);
 
     return cd;
 };
+
+Scatter3D.moduleType = 'trace';
+Scatter3D.name = 'scatter3d';
+Scatter3D.categories = ['gl3d', 'symbols', 'markerColorscale', 'showLegend'];
+Scatter3D.meta = {
+    hrName: 'scatter_3d',
+    description: [
+        'The data visualized as scatter point or lines in 3D dimension',
+        'is set in `x`, `y`, `z`.',
+        'Text (appearing either on the chart or on hover only) is via `text`.',
+        'Bubble charts are achieved by setting `marker.size` and/or `marker.color`',
+        'Projections are achieved via `projection`.',
+        'Surface fills are achieved via `surfaceaxis`.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = Scatter3D;
diff --git a/src/traces/scattergeo/defaults.js b/src/traces/scattergeo/defaults.js
index 7be4a56ed02..073eee96503 100644
--- a/src/traces/scattergeo/defaults.js
+++ b/src/traces/scattergeo/defaults.js
@@ -9,15 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-var ScatterGeo = require('./');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, defaultColor, layout) {
-    var Scatter = Plotly.Scatter;
 
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, ScatterGeo.attributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
     var len = handleLonLatLocDefaults(traceIn, traceOut, coerce);
diff --git a/src/traces/scattergeo/index.js b/src/traces/scattergeo/index.js
index 868f2a1b652..c193af4816c 100644
--- a/src/traces/scattergeo/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/scattergeo/index.js
@@ -9,29 +9,31 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
 
-var ScatterGeo = module.exports = {};
-
-Plotly.Plots.register(ScatterGeo, 'scattergeo',
-    ['geo', 'symbols', 'markerColorscale', 'showLegend'], {
-        hrName: 'scatter_geo',
-        description: [
-            'The data visualized as scatter point or lines on a geographic map',
-            'is provided either by longitude/latitude pairs in `lon` and `lat`',
-            'respectively or by geographic location IDs or names in `locations`.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
+var ScatterGeo = {};
 
 ScatterGeo.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
 ScatterGeo.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-ScatterGeo.colorbar = Plotly.Scatter.colorbar;
+ScatterGeo.colorbar = Scatter.colorbar;
+ScatterGeo.plot = require('./plot').plot;
 
 ScatterGeo.calc = function(gd, trace) {
 
-    Plotly.Scatter.calcMarkerColorscales(trace);
+    Scatter.calcMarkerColorscales(trace);
 
 };
+
+ScatterGeo.moduleType = 'trace';
+ScatterGeo.name = 'scattergeo';
+ScatterGeo.categories = ['geo', 'symbols', 'markerColorscale', 'showLegend'];
+ScatterGeo.meta = {
+    hrName: 'scatter_geo',
+    description: [
+        'The data visualized as scatter point or lines on a geographic map',
+        'is provided either by longitude/latitude pairs in `lon` and `lat`',
+        'respectively or by geographic location IDs or names in `locations`.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = ScatterGeo;
diff --git a/src/traces/scattergeo/plot.js b/src/traces/scattergeo/plot.js
index 29dbb737811..4a3f2d987ba 100644
--- a/src/traces/scattergeo/plot.js
+++ b/src/traces/scattergeo/plot.js
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ var getTopojsonFeatures = require('../../lib/topojson_utils').getTopojsonFeature
 var locationToFeature = require('../../lib/geo_location_utils').locationToFeature;
 var arrayToCalcItem = require('../../lib/array_to_calc_item');
 
+var Color = require('../../components/color');
+var Drawing = require('../../components/drawing');
+
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
+
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
+
 var plotScatterGeo = module.exports = {};
 
 
@@ -109,7 +116,6 @@ function makeLineGeoJSON(trace) {
 
 plotScatterGeo.plot = function(geo, scattergeoData) {
     var gScatterGeo = geo.framework.select('g.scattergeolayer'),
-        Scatter = Plotly.Scatter,
         topojson = geo.topojson;
 
     // TODO move to more d3-idiomatic pattern (that's work on replot)
@@ -204,12 +210,12 @@ plotScatterGeo.style = function(geo) {
     selection.selectAll('g.points')
         .each(function(trace){
             d3.select(this).selectAll('path.point')
-                .call(Plotly.Drawing.pointStyle, trace);
+                .call(Drawing.pointStyle, trace);
             d3.select(this).selectAll('text')
-                .call(Plotly.Drawing.textPointStyle, trace);
+                .call(Drawing.textPointStyle, trace);
         });
 
-    // GeoJSON calc data is incompatible with Plotly.Drawing.lineGroupStyle
+    // GeoJSON calc data is incompatible with Drawing.lineGroupStyle
     selection.selectAll('path.js-line')
         .style('fill', 'none')
         .each(function(d) {
@@ -217,8 +223,8 @@ plotScatterGeo.style = function(geo) {
                 line = trace.line || {};
 
             d3.select(this)
-                .call(Plotly.Color.stroke, line.color)
-                .call(Plotly.Drawing.dashLine, line.dash || '', line.width || 0);
+                .call(Color.stroke, line.color)
+                .call(Drawing.dashLine, line.dash || '', line.width || 0);
         });
 };
 
@@ -230,7 +236,7 @@ function makeCleanHoverLabelsFunc(geo, trace) {
     }
 
     var hoverinfoParts = (hoverinfo === 'all') ?
-        Plotly.ScatterGeo.attributes.hoverinfo.flags :
+        attributes.hoverinfo.flags :
         hoverinfo.split('+');
 
     var hasLocation = (hoverinfoParts.indexOf('location') !== -1 &&
diff --git a/src/traces/scattergl/convert.js b/src/traces/scattergl/convert.js
index db780939278..389da3b257f 100644
--- a/src/traces/scattergl/convert.js
+++ b/src/traces/scattergl/convert.js
@@ -17,9 +17,14 @@ var createLine = require('gl-line2d');
 var createError = require('gl-error2d');
 var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
 
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
 var str2RGBArray = require('../../lib/str2rgbarray');
 var formatColor = require('../../lib/gl_format_color');
 
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
+
+var ErrorBars = require('../../components/errorbars');
+
 var MARKER_SYMBOLS = require('../../constants/gl_markers.json');
 var DASHES = require('../../constants/gl2d_dashes.json');
 var AXES = ['xaxis', 'yaxis'];
@@ -185,7 +190,7 @@ function convertColorScale(containerIn, markerOpacity, traceOpacity, count) {
 
     colors = Array.isArray(colors[0]) ?
         colors :
-        _convertArray(Plotly.Lib.identity, [colors], count);
+        _convertArray(Lib.identity, [colors], count);
 
     return _convertColor(
         colors,
@@ -234,10 +239,10 @@ proto.update = function(options) {
         this.hasMarkers = false;
     }
     else {
-        this.hasLines = Plotly.Scatter.hasLines(options);
+        this.hasLines = Scatter.hasLines(options);
         this.hasErrorX = options.error_x.visible === true;
         this.hasErrorY = options.error_y.visible === true;
-        this.hasMarkers = Plotly.Scatter.hasMarkers(options);
+        this.hasMarkers = Scatter.hasMarkers(options);
     }
 
     this.textLabels = options.text;
@@ -254,7 +259,7 @@ proto.update = function(options) {
 
     // not quite on-par with 'scatter', but close enough for now
     // does not handle the colorscale case
-    this.color = Plotly.Scatter.getTraceColor(options, {});
+    this.color = Scatter.getTraceColor(options, {});
 };
 
 proto.updateFast = function(options) {
@@ -344,7 +349,7 @@ proto.updateFancy = function(options) {
     var y = this.yData = yaxis.makeCalcdata(options, 'y');
 
     // get error values
-    var errorVals = Plotly.ErrorBars.calcFromTrace(options, scene.fullLayout);
+    var errorVals = ErrorBars.calcFromTrace(options, scene.fullLayout);
 
     var len = x.length,
         idToIndex = new Array(len),
@@ -413,7 +418,7 @@ proto.updateFancy = function(options) {
         this.scatterOptions.colors = new Array(pId * 4);
         this.scatterOptions.borderColors = new Array(pId * 4);
 
-        var markerSizeFunc = Plotly.Scatter.getBubbleSizeFn(options),
+        var markerSizeFunc = Scatter.getBubbleSizeFn(options),
             markerOpts = options.marker,
             markerOpacity = markerOpts.opacity,
             traceOpacity = options.opacity,
diff --git a/src/traces/scattergl/index.js b/src/traces/scattergl/index.js
index 4f7ad417ba8..53734f61ff4 100644
--- a/src/traces/scattergl/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/scattergl/index.js
@@ -6,29 +6,31 @@
 * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
 */
 
-
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
-
-var ScatterGl = module.exports = {};
+var Scatter = require('../scatter');
+var Scatter3D = require('../scatter3d');
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(ScatterGl, 'scattergl',
-    ['gl2d', 'symbols', 'errorBarsOK', 'markerColorscale', 'showLegend'], {
-        description: [
-            'The data visualized as scatter point or lines is set in `x` and `y`',
-            'using the WebGl plotting engine.',
-            'Bubble charts are achieved by setting `marker.size` and/or `marker.color`',
-            'to a numerical arrays.'
-        ].join(' ')
-    }
-);
+var ScatterGl = {};
 
 ScatterGl.attributes = require('./attributes');
-
 ScatterGl.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-ScatterGl.colorbar = Plotly.Scatter.colorbar;
+ScatterGl.colorbar = Scatter.colorbar;
 
 // reuse the Scatter3D 'dummy' calc step so that legends know what to do
-ScatterGl.calc = Plotly.Scatter3D.calc;
+ScatterGl.calc = Scatter3D.calc;
+ScatterGl.plot = require('./convert');
+
+ScatterGl.moduleType = 'trace';
+ScatterGl.name = 'scattergl';
+ScatterGl.categories = ['gl2d', 'symbols', 'errorBarsOK', 'markerColorscale', 'showLegend'];
+ScatterGl.meta = {
+    description: [
+        'The data visualized as scatter point or lines is set in `x` and `y`',
+        'using the WebGl plotting engine.',
+        'Bubble charts are achieved by setting `marker.size` and/or `marker.color`',
+        'to a numerical arrays.'
+    ].join(' ')
+};
+
+module.exports = ScatterGl;
diff --git a/src/traces/surface/index.js b/src/traces/surface/index.js
index cbe9995d918..c621ef1521b 100644
--- a/src/traces/surface/index.js
+++ b/src/traces/surface/index.js
@@ -9,11 +9,18 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Surface = {};
 
-var Surface = module.exports = {};
+Surface.attributes = require('./attributes');
+Surface.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
+Surface.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
+Surface.calc = require('./calc');
+Surface.plot = require('./convert');
 
-Plotly.Plots.register(Surface, 'surface', ['gl3d', 'noOpacity'], {
+Surface.moduleType = 'trace';
+Surface.name = 'surface';
+Surface.categories = ['gl3d', 'noOpacity'];
+Surface.meta = {
     description: [
         'The data the describes the coordinates of the surface is set in `z`.',
         'Data in `z` should be a {2D array}.',
@@ -24,12 +31,6 @@ Plotly.Plots.register(Surface, 'surface', ['gl3d', 'noOpacity'], {
         'If not provided in `x` and `y`, the x and y coordinates are assumed',
         'to be linear starting at 0 with a unit step.'
     ].join(' ')
-});
-
-Surface.attributes = require('./attributes');
+};
 
-Surface.supplyDefaults = require('./defaults');
-
-Surface.colorbar = require('../heatmap/colorbar');
-
-Surface.calc = require('./calc');
+module.exports = Surface;
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/choropleth_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/choropleth_test.js
index 65d2ab9cf61..ffaf31570bc 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/choropleth_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/choropleth_test.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+var Choropleth = require('@src/traces/choropleth');
 
 
 describe('Test choropleth', function() {
     'use strict';
 
-    var Choropleth = Plotly.Choropleth;
-
     describe('supplyDefaults', function() {
         var traceIn,
             traceOut;
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/colorscale_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/colorscale_test.js
index 4af568c5d7f..e5af0a26c70 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/colorscale_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/colorscale_test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
 var Colorscale = require('@src/components/colorscale');
+var Heatmap = require('@src/traces/heatmap');
+var Scatter = require('@src/traces/scatter');
 
 
 describe('Test colorscale:', function() {
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ describe('Test colorscale:', function() {
         var traceIn, traceOut;
 
         function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, Plotly.Heatmap.attributes, attr, dflt);
+            return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, Heatmap.attributes, attr, dflt);
         }
 
         beforeEach(function() {
@@ -261,7 +263,7 @@ describe('Test colorscale:', function() {
         var traceIn, traceOut;
 
         function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, Plotly.Scatter.attributes, attr, dflt);
+            return Plotly.Lib.coerce(traceIn, traceOut, Scatter.attributes, attr, dflt);
         }
 
         beforeEach(function() {
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/contour_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/contour_test.js
index f65296140e0..3dd05aa0a13 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/contour_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/contour_test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+var Plots = require('@src/plots/plots');
+var Contour = require('@src/traces/contour');
 
 
 describe('Test contour', function() {
@@ -10,10 +11,10 @@ describe('Test contour', function() {
 
         var defaultColor = '#444',
             layout = {
-                font: Plotly.Plots.layoutAttributes.font
+                font: Plots.layoutAttributes.font
             };
 
-        var supplyDefaults = Plotly.Contour.supplyDefaults;
+        var supplyDefaults = Contour.supplyDefaults;
 
         beforeEach(function() {
             traceOut = {};
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/heatmap_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/heatmap_test.js
index ecde41d96cf..cd65ffb9cde 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/heatmap_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/heatmap_test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
-var Heatmap = require('@src/traces/heatmap');
 var convertColumnXYZ = require('@src/traces/heatmap/convert_column_xyz');
+var Heatmap = require('@src/traces/heatmap');
+var Plots = require('@src/plots/plots');
 
 
 describe('Test heatmap', function() {
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ describe('Test heatmap', function() {
 
         var defaultColor = '#444',
             layout = {
-                font: Plotly.Plots.layoutAttributes.font
+                font: Plots.layoutAttributes.font
             };
 
         var supplyDefaults = Heatmap.supplyDefaults;
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ describe('Test heatmap', function() {
                 type: 'heatmap',
                 z: [[1, 2], []]
             };
-            traceOut = Plotly.Plots.supplyDataDefaults(traceIn, 0, layout);
+            traceOut = Plots.supplyDataDefaults(traceIn, 0, layout);
 
             traceIn = {
                 type: 'heatmap',
                 z: [[], [1, 2], [1, 2, 3]]
             };
-            traceOut = Plotly.Plots.supplyDataDefaults(traceIn, 0, layout);
+            traceOut = Plots.supplyDataDefaults(traceIn, 0, layout);
             expect(traceOut.visible).toBe(true);
             expect(traceOut.visible).toBe(true);
         });
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/plot_api_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/plot_api_test.js
index 698304c93ca..8deb46899af 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/plot_api_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/plot_api_test.js
@@ -1,20 +1,24 @@
 var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+var Plots = require('@src/plots/plots');
+var Scatter = require('@src/traces/scatter');
+var Bar = require('@src/traces/bar');
+var Legend = require('@src/components/legend');
 
 describe('Test graph_obj', function() {
     'use strict';
 
     describe('Plotly.restyle', function() {
         beforeEach(function() {
-            spyOn(Plotly.Plots, 'previousPromises');
             spyOn(Plotly, 'plot');
-            spyOn(Plotly.Scatter, 'arraysToCalcdata');
-            spyOn(Plotly.Bar, 'arraysToCalcdata');
-            spyOn(Plotly.Plots, 'style');
-            spyOn(Plotly.Legend, 'draw');
+            spyOn(Plots, 'previousPromises');
+            spyOn(Scatter, 'arraysToCalcdata');
+            spyOn(Bar, 'arraysToCalcdata');
+            spyOn(Plots, 'style');
+            spyOn(Legend, 'draw');
         });
 
         function mockDefaultsAndCalc(gd) {
-            Plotly.Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+            Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
             gd.calcdata = gd._fullData.map(function(trace) {
                 return [{x: 1, y: 1, trace: trace}];
             });
@@ -27,9 +31,9 @@ describe('Test graph_obj', function() {
             };
             mockDefaultsAndCalc(gd);
             Plotly.restyle(gd, {'marker.color': 'red'});
-            expect(Plotly.Scatter.arraysToCalcdata).toHaveBeenCalled();
-            expect(Plotly.Bar.arraysToCalcdata).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.style).toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(Scatter.arraysToCalcdata).toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(Bar.arraysToCalcdata).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(Plots.style).toHaveBeenCalled();
             expect(Plotly.plot).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
             // "docalc" deletes gd.calcdata - make sure this didn't happen
             expect(gd.calcdata).toBeDefined();
@@ -42,9 +46,9 @@ describe('Test graph_obj', function() {
             };
             mockDefaultsAndCalc(gd);
             Plotly.restyle(gd, {'marker.color': 'red'});
-            expect(Plotly.Scatter.arraysToCalcdata).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-            expect(Plotly.Bar.arraysToCalcdata).toHaveBeenCalled();
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.style).toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(Scatter.arraysToCalcdata).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(Bar.arraysToCalcdata).toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(Plots.style).toHaveBeenCalled();
             expect(Plotly.plot).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
             expect(gd.calcdata).toBeDefined();
         });
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/plots_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/plots_test.js
index e3bed3e7ad9..8565ca5c189 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/plots_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/plots_test.js
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+var Plots = require('@src/plots/plots');
 var createGraphDiv = require('../assets/create_graph_div');
 var destroyGraphDiv = require('../assets/destroy_graph_div');
 
 
-describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
+
+describe('Test Plots', function() {
     'use strict';
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.supplyLayoutGlobalDefaults should', function() {
+    describe('Plots.supplyLayoutGlobalDefaults should', function() {
         var layoutIn,
             layoutOut,
             expected;
 
-        var supplyLayoutDefaults = Plotly.Plots.supplyLayoutGlobalDefaults;
+        var supplyLayoutDefaults = Plots.supplyLayoutGlobalDefaults;
 
         beforeEach(function() {
             layoutOut = {};
@@ -65,8 +67,8 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
 
     });
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.supplyDataDefaults', function() {
-        var supplyDataDefaults = Plotly.Plots.supplyDataDefaults,
+    describe('Plots.supplyDataDefaults', function() {
+        var supplyDataDefaults = Plots.supplyDataDefaults,
             layout = {};
 
         var traceIn, traceOut;
@@ -98,8 +100,8 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
         });
     });
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.getSubplotIds', function() {
-        var getSubplotIds = Plotly.Plots.getSubplotIds;
+    describe('Plots.getSubplotIds', function() {
+        var getSubplotIds = Plots.getSubplotIds;
         var layout;
 
         it('returns scene ids', function() {
@@ -143,8 +145,8 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
         });
     });
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.getSubplotIdsInData', function() {
-        var getSubplotIdsInData = Plotly.Plots.getSubplotIdsInData;
+    describe('Plots.getSubplotIdsInData', function() {
+        var getSubplotIdsInData = Plots.getSubplotIdsInData;
 
         var ids, data;
 
@@ -173,11 +175,11 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
 
     });
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.register, getModule, and traceIs', function() {
+    describe('Plots.register, getModule, and traceIs', function() {
         beforeEach(function() {
-            this.modulesKeys = Object.keys(Plotly.Plots.modules);
-            this.allTypesKeys = Object.keys(Plotly.Plots.allTypes);
-            this.allCategoriesKeys = Object.keys(Plotly.Plots.allCategories);
+            this.modulesKeys = Object.keys(Plots.modules);
+            this.allTypesKeys = Object.keys(Plots.allTypes);
+            this.allCategoriesKeys = Object.keys(Plots.allCategories);
 
             this.fakeModule = {
                 calc: function() { return 42; },
@@ -187,7 +189,7 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
                 plot: function() { throw new Error('nope!'); }
             };
 
-            Plotly.Plots.register(this.fakeModule, 'newtype', ['red', 'green']);
+            Plots.register(this.fakeModule, 'newtype', ['red', 'green']);
 
             spyOn(console, 'warn');
         });
@@ -199,42 +201,40 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
                 });
             }
 
-            revertObj(Plotly.Plots.modules, this.modulesKeys);
-            revertObj(Plotly.Plots.allTypes, this.allTypesKeys);
-            revertObj(Plotly.Plots.allCategories, this.allCategoriesKeys);
+            revertObj(Plots.modules, this.modulesKeys);
+            revertObj(Plots.allTypes, this.allTypesKeys);
+            revertObj(Plots.allCategories, this.allCategoriesKeys);
         });
 
-        it('should error on attempts to reregister a type', function() {
-            var fm2 = this.fakeModule2;
-            expect(function() { Plotly.Plots.register(fm2, 'newtype', ['yellow', 'blue']); })
-                .toThrow(new Error('type newtype already registered'));
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.allCategories.yellow).toBeUndefined();
+        it('should warn on attempts to reregister a type', function() {
+            Plots.register(this.fakeModule2, 'newtype', ['yellow', 'blue']);
+            expect(Plots.allCategories.yellow).toBeUndefined();
         });
 
         it('should find the module for a type', function() {
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule('newtype')).toBe(this.fakeModule);
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule({type: 'newtype'})).toBe(this.fakeModule);
+            expect(Plots.getModule('newtype')).toBe(this.fakeModule);
+            expect(Plots.getModule({type: 'newtype'})).toBe(this.fakeModule);
         });
 
         it('should return false for types it doesn\'t know', function() {
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule('notatype')).toBe(false);
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule({type: 'notatype'})).toBe(false);
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule({type: 'newtype', r: 'this is polar'})).toBe(false);
+            expect(Plots.getModule('notatype')).toBe(false);
+            expect(Plots.getModule({type: 'notatype'})).toBe(false);
+            expect(Plots.getModule({type: 'newtype', r: 'this is polar'})).toBe(false);
         });
 
         it('should find the categories for this type', function() {
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.traceIs('newtype', 'red')).toBe(true);
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.traceIs({type: 'newtype'}, 'red')).toBe(true);
+            expect(Plots.traceIs('newtype', 'red')).toBe(true);
+            expect(Plots.traceIs({type: 'newtype'}, 'red')).toBe(true);
         });
 
         it('should not find other real categories', function() {
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.traceIs('newtype', 'cartesian')).toBe(false);
-            expect(Plotly.Plots.traceIs({type: 'newtype'}, 'cartesian')).toBe(false);
+            expect(Plots.traceIs('newtype', 'cartesian')).toBe(false);
+            expect(Plots.traceIs({type: 'newtype'}, 'cartesian')).toBe(false);
             expect(console.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
         });
     });
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.registerSubplot', function() {
+    describe('Plots.registerSubplot', function() {
         var fake = {
             name: 'fake',
             attr: 'abc',
@@ -242,9 +242,9 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
             attributes: { stuff: { 'more stuff': 102102 } }
         };
 
-        Plotly.Plots.registerSubplot(fake);
+        Plots.registerSubplot(fake);
 
-        var subplotsRegistry = Plotly.Plots.subplotsRegistry;
+        var subplotsRegistry = Plots.subplotsRegistry;
 
         it('should register attr, idRoot and attributes', function() {
             expect(subplotsRegistry.fake.attr).toEqual('abc');
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
 
     });
 
-    describe('Plotly.Plots.purge', function() {
+    describe('Plots.purge', function() {
         var gd;
 
         beforeEach(function(done) {
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ describe('Test Plotly.Plots', function() {
                 '_hmpixcount', '_hmlumcount'
             ];
 
-            Plotly.Plots.purge(gd);
+            Plots.purge(gd);
             expect(Object.keys(gd)).toEqual(expectedKeys);
             expect(gd.data).toBeUndefined();
             expect(gd.layout).toBeUndefined();
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/register_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/register_test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bedcb79851b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/register_test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+
+describe('the register function', function() {
+
+    it('should throw an error when no argument is given', function() {
+        expect(function() {
+            Plotly.register();
+        }).toThrowError(Error, 'No argument passed to Plotly.register.');
+    });
+
+    it('should work with a single module', function() {
+        var mockTrace1 = {
+            moduleType: 'trace',
+            name: 'mockTrace1',
+            meta: 'Meta string',
+            categories: ['categories', 'array']
+        };
+
+        expect(function() {
+            Plotly.register(mockTrace1);
+        }).not.toThrow();
+
+        expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule('mockTrace1')).toBe(mockTrace1);
+    });
+
+    it('should work with an array of modules', function() {
+        var mockTrace2 = {
+            moduleType: 'trace',
+            name: 'mockTrace2',
+            meta: 'Meta string',
+            categories: ['categories', 'array']
+        };
+
+        expect(function() {
+            Plotly.register([mockTrace2]);
+        }).not.toThrow();
+
+        expect(Plotly.Plots.getModule('mockTrace2')).toBe(mockTrace2);
+    });
+
+    it('should throw an error when an invalid module is given', function() {
+        var invalidTrace = { moduleType: 'invalid' };
+
+        expect(function() {
+            Plotly.register([invalidTrace]);
+        }).toThrowError(Error, 'Invalid module was attempted to be registered!');
+    });
+});
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/scattergeo_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/scattergeo_test.js
index 0168d3249f6..2391cdfb512 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/scattergeo_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/scattergeo_test.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+var ScatterGeo = require('@src/traces/scattergeo');
 
 describe('Test scattergeo', function() {
     'use strict';
 
-    var ScatterGeo = Plotly.ScatterGeo;
-
     describe('supplyDefaults', function() {
         var traceIn,
             traceOut;