diff --git a/source/matplot/backend/backend_interface.h b/source/matplot/backend/backend_interface.h
index f499310f..460ff82b 100644
--- a/source/matplot/backend/backend_interface.h
+++ b/source/matplot/backend/backend_interface.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ namespace matplot {
         class MATPLOT_EXPORTS backend_interface {
             /// Virtual functions you can override to create any backend
           public:
+            virtual ~backend_interface() noexcept = default;
             /// \brief True if backend is in interactive mode
             /// One backends might support both interactive and
             /// non-interactive mode.
@@ -213,7 +214,30 @@ namespace matplot {
             /// This is useful when tracing the gnuplot commands
             /// and when generating a gnuplot file.
             virtual void include_comment(const std::string &text);
-        };
+        }; // backend_interface
+        /// Captures (backend) version information.
+        struct Version {
+            int major{}, minor{}, patch{};
+            constexpr bool operator==(const Version &o) const {
+                return major == o.major && minor == o.minor && patch == o.patch;
+            }
+            constexpr bool operator!=(const Version &other) const { return !(*this == other); }
+            constexpr bool operator<(const Version &other) const {
+                if (major < other.major)
+                    return true;
+                else if (major == other.major) {
+                    if (minor < other.minor)
+                        return true;
+                    else if (minor == other.minor)
+                        return patch < other.patch;
+                }
+                return false;
+            }
+            constexpr bool operator>(const Version &other) const { return other < *this; }
+            constexpr bool operator<=(const Version &other) const { return !(other < *this); }
+            constexpr bool operator>=(const Version &other) const { return !(other > *this); }
+            constexpr operator bool() const { return *this != Version{0,0,0}; }
+        }; // struct Version
     } // namespace backend
 
 } // namespace matplot
diff --git a/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.cpp b/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.cpp
index 674e1ff2..a4bccf7b 100644
--- a/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.cpp
+++ b/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <matplot/util/common.h>
 #include <matplot/util/popen.h>
 #include <iostream>
-#include <regex>
+#include <charconv>
 #include <thread>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <cstdlib>
@@ -317,13 +317,28 @@ namespace matplot::backend {
         }
     }
 
+    /// returns the next word in text after prefix terminated with white space.
+    std::string_view word_after(std::string_view text, std::string_view prefix)
+    {
+        auto res = text.substr(0,0);
+        if (auto b = text.find(prefix); b != std::string_view::npos) {
+            b += prefix.length();
+            while (b < text.length() && std::isspace(text[b]))
+                ++b; // skip white space before word
+            auto e = b;
+            while (e < text.length() && !std::isspace(text[e]))
+                ++e; // scan until white space or end
+            res = text.substr(b, e-b);
+        }
+        return res;
+    }
+
     std::string gnuplot::default_terminal_type() {
         static std::string terminal_type;
         const bool dont_know_term_type = terminal_type.empty();
         if (dont_know_term_type) {
             terminal_type = run_and_get_output("gnuplot -e \"show terminal\" 2>&1");
-            terminal_type = std::regex_replace(terminal_type,
-                    std::regex("[^]*terminal type is ([^ ]+)[^]*"), "$1");
+            terminal_type = word_after(terminal_type, "terminal type is ");
             const bool still_dont_know_term_type = terminal_type.empty();
             if (still_dont_know_term_type) {
                 terminal_type = "qt";
@@ -334,51 +349,25 @@ namespace matplot::backend {
 
     bool gnuplot::terminal_is_available(std::string_view term) {
         std::string msg = run_and_get_output("gnuplot -e \"set terminal " +
-                                     std::string(term.data()) + "\" 2>&1");
+                std::string{term} + "\" 2>&1");
         return msg.empty();
     }
 
-    std::tuple<int, int, int> gnuplot::gnuplot_version() {
-        static std::tuple<int, int, int> version{0, 0, 0};
-        const bool dont_know_gnuplot_version_yet =
-            version == std::tuple<int, int, int>({0, 0, 0});
-        if (dont_know_gnuplot_version_yet) {
-            std::string version_str =
-                run_and_get_output("gnuplot --version 2>&1");
-            std::string version_major = std::regex_replace(
-                version_str,
-                std::regex("[^]*gnuplot (\\d+)\\.\\d+ patchlevel \\d+ *"),
-                "$1");
-            std::string version_minor = std::regex_replace(
-                version_str,
-                std::regex("[^]*gnuplot \\d+\\.(\\d+) patchlevel \\d+ *"),
-                "$1");
-            std::string version_patch = std::regex_replace(
-                version_str,
-                std::regex("[^]*gnuplot \\d+\\.\\d+ patchlevel (\\d+) *"),
-                "$1");
-            try {
-                std::get<0>(version) = std::stoi(version_major);
-            } catch (...) {
-                std::get<0>(version) = 0;
-            }
-            try {
-                std::get<1>(version) = std::stoi(version_minor);
-            } catch (...) {
-                std::get<1>(version) = 0;
-            }
-            try {
-                std::get<2>(version) = std::stoi(version_patch);
-            } catch (...) {
-                std::get<2>(version) = 0;
-            }
-            const bool still_dont_know_gnuplot_version =
-                version == std::tuple<int, int, int>({0, 0, 0});
-            if (still_dont_know_gnuplot_version) {
-                // assume it's 5.2.6 by convention
-                version = std::tuple<int, int, int>({5, 2, 6});
+    Version gnuplot::gnuplot_version() {
+        static auto version = Version{0, 0, 0};
+        if (!version) {
+            const auto version_str = run_and_get_output("gnuplot --version 2>&1");
+            const auto major = word_after(version_str, "gnuplot");
+            const auto minor = word_after(major, ".");
+            const auto patch = word_after(version_str, "patchlevel");
+            if (!major.empty() && !minor.empty() && !patch.empty()) {
+                std::from_chars(major.begin(), major.end(), version.major);
+                std::from_chars(minor.begin(), minor.end(), version.minor);
+                std::from_chars(patch.begin(), patch.end(), version.patch);
             }
         }
+        if (!version)
+            version = {5, 2, 6}; // assume by convention
         return version;
     }
 
diff --git a/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.h b/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.h
index dc74abef..18230da5 100644
--- a/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.h
+++ b/source/matplot/backend/gnuplot.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ namespace matplot::backend {
         /// Identify the default terminal type in the system
         static std::string default_terminal_type();
         static bool terminal_is_available(std::string_view);
-        static std::tuple<int, int, int> gnuplot_version();
+        static Version gnuplot_version();
         static bool terminal_has_title_option(const std::string &t);
         static bool terminal_has_size_option(const std::string &t);
         static bool terminal_has_position_option(const std::string &t);
diff --git a/source/matplot/core/axes_type.cpp b/source/matplot/core/axes_type.cpp
index d7594a60..70b91c87 100644
--- a/source/matplot/core/axes_type.cpp
+++ b/source/matplot/core/axes_type.cpp
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ namespace matplot {
             run_command("set polar");
         }
         auto set_or_unset_axis = [this](class axis_type &ax,
-                                        std::string axis_name,
+                                        const std::string &axis_name,
                                         bool minor_ticks = false) {
             // cb is the only axis we don't unset if tics are empty
             // r-axis labels should still be handled even if axis is invisible since we use the grid
@@ -694,8 +694,7 @@ namespace matplot {
         // Gnuplot version needs to be 5.2.6+ for keyentry
         bool ok = true;
         if (parent_->backend_->consumes_gnuplot_commands()) {
-            if (backend::gnuplot::gnuplot_version() <
-                std::tuple<int, int, int>{5, 2, 6}) {
+            if (backend::gnuplot::gnuplot_version() < backend::Version{5, 2, 6}) {
                 ok = false;
             }
         }
@@ -916,9 +915,8 @@ namespace matplot {
             static bool msg_shown_once = false;
             // Gnuplot version needs to be 5.2.6+ for keyentry
             if (parent_->backend_->consumes_gnuplot_commands()) {
-                std::tuple<int, int, int> v =
-                    backend::gnuplot::gnuplot_version();
-                if (v < std::tuple<int, int, int>{5, 2, 6}) {
+                const auto v = backend::gnuplot::gnuplot_version();
+                if (v < backend::Version{5, 2, 6}) {
                     if (!msg_shown_once) {
                         std::cerr
                             << "You need gnuplot 5.2.6+ to include legends"
@@ -2745,9 +2743,9 @@ namespace matplot {
     }
 
     std::vector<function_line_handle>
-    axes_type::fplot(std::vector<function_line::function_type> equations,
-                     std::array<double, 2> x_range,
-                     std::vector<std::string> line_specs) {
+    axes_type::fplot(const std::vector<function_line::function_type> &equations,
+                     const std::array<double, 2> &x_range,
+                     const std::vector<std::string> &line_specs) {
         axes_silencer temp_silencer_{this};
         std::vector<function_line_handle> res;
         auto it_line_specs = line_specs.begin();
@@ -2764,9 +2762,9 @@ namespace matplot {
     }
 
     std::vector<function_line_handle>
-    axes_type::fplot(std::vector<function_line::function_type> equations,
-                     std::vector<double> x_range,
-                     std::vector<std::string> line_specs) {
+    axes_type::fplot(const std::vector<function_line::function_type>& equations,
+                     const std::vector<double>& x_range,
+                     const std::vector<std::string>& line_specs) {
         return this->fplot(equations, to_array<2>(x_range), line_specs);
     }
 
diff --git a/source/matplot/core/axes_type.h b/source/matplot/core/axes_type.h
index 227003f1..caedf10e 100644
--- a/source/matplot/core/axes_type.h
+++ b/source/matplot/core/axes_type.h
@@ -979,15 +979,15 @@ namespace matplot {
 
         /// Lambda function line plot - list of functions
         std::vector<function_line_handle>
-        fplot(std::vector<function_line::function_type> equations,
-              std::array<double, 2> x_range = {-5, 5},
-              std::vector<std::string> line_specs = {});
+        fplot(const std::vector<function_line::function_type> &equations,
+              const std::array<double, 2> &x_range = {-5, 5},
+              const std::vector<std::string> &line_specs = {});
 
         /// Lambda function line plot - list of functions and line specs
         std::vector<function_line_handle>
-        fplot(std::vector<function_line::function_type> equations,
-              std::vector<double> x_range,
-              std::vector<std::string> line_specs = {});
+        fplot(const std::vector<function_line::function_type> &equations,
+              const std::vector<double> &x_range,
+              const std::vector<std::string> &line_specs = {});
 
         using implicit_function_type = std::function<double(double, double)>;
 
diff --git a/source/matplot/core/figure_type.cpp b/source/matplot/core/figure_type.cpp
index a4ff0903..aab3810d 100644
--- a/source/matplot/core/figure_type.cpp
+++ b/source/matplot/core/figure_type.cpp
@@ -634,8 +634,7 @@ namespace matplot {
         // In gnuplot 5.5 we have the wall function to set the axes color
         // with a rectangle workaround, which does not work well for 3d.
         static const auto v = backend::gnuplot::gnuplot_version();
-        const bool has_wall_option =
-            std::get<0>(v) > 5 || (std::get<0>(v) == 5 && std::get<1>(v) >= 5);
+        const bool has_wall_option = v >= backend::Version{5,5,0};
         // So we only plot the default background if it's not 3d or version is
         // higher than 5.5. Otherwise, gnuplot won't be able to set the axes
         // colors.