MATLAB

MATLAB is not free, though it is more accessible and costs less than people assume. Whether you want to use MATLAB for personal or commercial use, or in teaching and academic research, there's a MATLAB license that meets your needs. Visit MATLAB pricing for more information. Also, explore free ways to try MATLAB.

To install MATLAB on macOS:

1. From MathWorks Downloads, select a MATLAB release and download the installer.
2. Unzip the downloaded DMG file and double-click it to mount the installer as a virtual disk.
3. Double-click the installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.
4. (macOS Apple silicon only) Install a Java runtime on your Mac. To get a compatible runtime, see MATLAB on Apple Silicon Macs.

Default installation folder: /Applications/MATLAB_R20XXy.app

To start MATLAB after the installation is complete, see Start MATLAB on macOS Platforms (MATLAB).

To install MATLAB on Linux:

1. From MathWorks Downloads, select a MATLAB release and download the installer.

2. Unzip the downloaded installer files and navigate to the unzipped folder. For example, use these commands to unzip the installer for release R2025a to a folder of the same name, and then navigate to the folder.

   unzip matlab_R2025a_Linux.zip -d ./matlab_R2025a_Linux
   

   cd ./matlab_R2025a_Linux
   

3. In the installation folder, run the install script and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

   xhost +SI:localuser:root
   

   sudo -H ./install
   

   xhost -SI:localuser:root
   

   sudo is required only when you install products to a folder where you do not have write permissions, which might include the default installation folder. The xhost commands are required only when you install products as the root user with sudo. These commands temporarily give the root user access to the graphical display required to run the installer.

   Default installation folder: /usr/local/MATLAB/R20XXy

To start MATLAB after the installation is complete, see Start MATLAB on Linux Platforms (MATLAB).

To install MATLAB on Windows:

1. From MathWorks Downloads, select a MATLAB release and download the installer.
2. Double-click the downloaded installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Default installation folder: C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R20XXy

To start MATLAB after the installation is complete, see Start MATLAB on Windows Platforms (MATLAB).

To use MATLAB, launch the application and access the Command Window, where you can enter commands, run scripts, and evaluate expressions interactively. Use .m files to write reusable functions or scripts in the Editor. MATLAB supports matrix-based computation, data analysis, algorithm development, and visualization. Use built-in functions or develop custom ones; execute scripts by typing their name (without .m) in the Command Window. Access toolboxes for domain-specific tasks and use the help or doc commands for documentation. For automation or large workflows, use batch scripts and integrate MATLAB with Python, C/C++, or Simulink as needed.

MATLAB includes a wide range of predefined functions for computational tasks. For basics on how to call these functions, see Calling Functions. As you write code, you can define your own functions to reuse a sequence of commands. For instance, create a function in a program file to calculate the area of a circle.

function A = areaCircle(R)
     rSquared = R.^2;
     A = pi.*rSquared;
end

Then, call the function as you would call a predefined function.

r = 10;
a = areaCircle(r);

For more information, see Create Functions in Files.