Why is MATLAB Runtime so large?

The monolithic MATLAB Runtime installation size seems to get bigger and bigger from release to release. Can I have a smaller sized runtime with just the components required by my application?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

Around Year 2014, the MATLAB Compiler was redesigned to allow a larger portion of MATLAB's features to be compiled. With more toolboxes and function are supported for deployment, the monolithic MATLAB Runtime installation size gets bigger and bigger from release to release. 

Starting from R2016a release, to distribute your application/Compiler SDK library with a subset of MATLAB Runtime that is needed for the application/library to run, you can generate an application/library installer with deploytool GUI or "compiler.package.installer" command. With this installer, the selective MATLAB Runtime will be installed together with the target standalone application or Compiler SDK library. When you generate the installer, MATLAB Runtime can be packaged either in the installer or downloaded from web.

MATLAB Runtime can also be installed with installer downloaded from 

https://www.mathworks.com/products/compiler/matlab-runtime.html

 or with command "compiler.runtime.download". This installer will install the monolithic runtime and there is no way to configure selective installation.

[Dyuman Joshi]

@Eslam Elbedawy notes "very helpful".