make `%matplotlib widget` behave like `inline`?

Nobody has claimed this yet.

I have a notebook in Jupyter Lab, so far using the default matplotlib backend, which in this context I believe is `inline`. When I have a sequence of plotting commands (`pyplot.plt` etc.), they combine into a figure that is shown after the respective code cell. Also, `@interact` works as expected.

I now wanted to zoom in, which `inline` does not support, so I issued `%matplotlib widget`. The figures are now zoomable alright, but I don't have that neat behavior where plotting code in one cell contributed to the following figure output cell, and doesn't modify anything else. And `@interact`, instead of producing new (versions of) a figure, now puts everything on top of each other.

From reading around I realize that this is the intended behavior. The thing is, I don't like it. So my question is: __Is there a way to make `widget` behave like `inline`?__

If there is not, is there a guide that tells me how to modify my code so that plot commands affect only the next output cell, and `@interact` updates instead of adds?

Start by reproducing the behavior in Jupyter Lab with `%matplotlib widget`, sequential plotting commands, and `@interact`, then compare it with the default inline backend. Determine whether the requested cell-scoped output and updating interaction can be supported; done means documenting a supported approach or clearly identifying the required behavior change.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.