diff --git a/examples/lines_bars_and_markers/linestyles.py b/examples/lines_bars_and_markers/linestyles.py
@@ -3,74 +3,28 @@
 Linestyles
 ==========
 
-Simple linestyles can be defined using the strings "solid", "dotted", "dashed"
-or "dashdot". More refined control can be achieved by providing a dash tuple
-``(offset, (on_off_seq))``. For example, ``(0, (3, 10, 1, 15))`` means
-(3pt line, 10pt space, 1pt line, 15pt space) with no offset. See also
-`.Line2D.set_linestyle`.
-
-*Note*: The dash style can also be configured via `.Line2D.set_dashes`
-as shown in :doc:`/gallery/lines_bars_and_markers/line_demo_dash_control`
-and passing a list of dash sequences using the keyword *dashes* to the
-cycler in :doc:`property_cycle </tutorials/intermediate/color_cycle>`.
+The Matplotlib `~mpl._enums.LineStyle` specifies the dash pattern used to draw
+a given line. The simplest line styles can be accessed by name using the
+strings "solid", "dotted", "dashed" and "dashdot" (or their short names, "-",
+":", "--", and "-.", respectively).
+
+The exact spacing of the dashes used can be controlled using the
+'lines.*_pattern' family of rc parameters. For example,
+:rc:`lines.dashdot_pattern` controls the exact spacing of dashed used whenever
+the '-.' `~mpl._enums.LineStyle` is specified.
+
+For more information about how to create custom `~mpl._enums.LineStyle`
+specifications, see `the LineStyle docs <mpl._enums.LineStyle>`.
+
+*Note*: For historical reasons, one can also specify the dash pattern for a
+particular line using `.Line2D.set_dashes` as shown in
+:doc:`/gallery/lines_bars_and_markers/line_demo_dash_control` (or by passing a
+list of dash sequences using the keyword *dashes* to the cycler in
+:doc:`property_cycle </tutorials/intermediate/color_cycle>`). This interface is
+strictly less expressive, and we recommend using LineStyle (or the keyword
+*linestyle* to the :doc:`property cycler
+</tutorials/intermediate/color_cycle>`).
 """
-import numpy as np
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-
-linestyle_str = [
-     ('solid', 'solid'),      # Same as (0, ()) or '-'
-     ('dotted', 'dotted'),    # Same as (0, (1, 1)) or '.'
-     ('dashed', 'dashed'),    # Same as '--'
-     ('dashdot', 'dashdot')]  # Same as '-.'
-
-linestyle_tuple = [
-     ('loosely dotted',        (0, (1, 10))),
-     ('dotted',                (0, (1, 1))),
-     ('densely dotted',        (0, (1, 1))),
-
-     ('loosely dashed',        (0, (5, 10))),
-     ('dashed',                (0, (5, 5))),
-     ('densely dashed',        (0, (5, 1))),
-
-     ('loosely dashdotted',    (0, (3, 10, 1, 10))),
-     ('dashdotted',            (0, (3, 5, 1, 5))),
-     ('densely dashdotted',    (0, (3, 1, 1, 1))),
-
-     ('dashdotdotted',         (0, (3, 5, 1, 5, 1, 5))),
-     ('loosely dashdotdotted', (0, (3, 10, 1, 10, 1, 10))),
-     ('densely dashdotdotted', (0, (3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)))]
-
-
-def plot_linestyles(ax, linestyles, title):
-    X, Y = np.linspace(0, 100, 10), np.zeros(10)
-    yticklabels = []
-
-    for i, (name, linestyle) in enumerate(linestyles):
-        ax.plot(X, Y+i, linestyle=linestyle, linewidth=1.5, color='black')
-        yticklabels.append(name)
-
-    ax.set_title(title)
-    ax.set(ylim=(-0.5, len(linestyles)-0.5),
-           yticks=np.arange(len(linestyles)),
-           yticklabels=yticklabels)
-    ax.tick_params(left=False, bottom=False, labelbottom=False)
-    ax.spines[:].set_visible(False)
-
-    # For each line style, add a text annotation with a small offset from
-    # the reference point (0 in Axes coords, y tick value in Data coords).
-    for i, (name, linestyle) in enumerate(linestyles):
-        ax.annotate(repr(linestyle),
-                    xy=(0.0, i), xycoords=ax.get_yaxis_transform(),
-                    xytext=(-6, -12), textcoords='offset points',
-                    color="blue", fontsize=8, ha="right", family="monospace")
-
-
-ax0, ax1 = (plt.figure(figsize=(10, 8))
-            .add_gridspec(2, 1, height_ratios=[1, 3])
-            .subplots())
-
-plot_linestyles(ax0, linestyle_str[::-1], title='Named linestyles')
-plot_linestyles(ax1, linestyle_tuple[::-1], title='Parametrized linestyles')
+from matplotlib._enums import LineStyle
 
-plt.tight_layout()
-plt.show()
+LineStyle.demo()
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.py
@@ -211,3 +211,7 @@ def warn_external(message, category=None):
             break
         frame = frame.f_back
     warnings.warn(message, category, stacklevel)
+
+
+def is_string_like(x):
+    return isinstance(x, (str, bytes, bytearray))