MATLAB Alternatives

What is MATLAB?

MATLAB is a programming language where you can write programs for math, computation, etc. The platform comes with its own integrated development environment and a huge collection of libraries. The language can be used with different types of paradigms as it is a language of the fourth generation. There are many inbuilt functions which can be used for calculations which include linear algebra, quadrate, signal processing, and many more.

Why MATLAB Alternatives?

• MATLAB execution time is slow as it is an interpreted language

• MATLAB is a costly software in comparison to other platforms like C, C++, etc.

• A fast computer with a good amount of memory is required to run the programs

• Real-time applications are difficult to develop

• Programming methods are slow which leads to slow execution

How to Choose a MATLAB Alternative?

MATLAB has many advantages and a few of them are listed here −

• Its file-oriented structure and command line interface make it easy to use

• The language can be installed on different platforms

• Many pre-defined functions are available to make programming easy

• GUI-based applications can be developed which can also run on Mac systems

These benefits should be considered while looking for MATLAB alternatives.

Top 10 MATLAB Alternatives

There are many MATLAB alternatives and some of them have been discussed here in detail.

Alternative 1 – Octave

Octave is considered as one of the closest alternatives to MATLAB. It is compatible with many platforms. Code written in MATLAB can be easily run on Octave. The platform has many visualizing and plotting tools. It is an open-source platform and is compatible with most of the operating systems. Scripts written in languages like C, C++, etc. can easily run here.

Alternative 2 – Scilab

Scilab is another platform which can be used as a substitute for MATLAB. The platform can be used to create programs for resolving numerical problems. The language is used to develop complex algorithms and analysis of data.

Alternative 3 –Mathematica

Mathematica from Wolfram is a programming language that can be used to resolve problems related to mathematics. The latest version of the platform consists of 700 functions along with many function libraries, geo-visualization, and animation tools. Mathematica has the ability to handle automated machine learning, signal processing, and 2D and 3D image processing.

Alternative 4 – Maple

Maple is a mathematical tool which has a powerful math engine. This MATLAB alternative has the ability to resolve different types of math problems related to statistics, group theory, linear algebra, differential equations, and many more. The platform consists of more than 5,000 functions which have the ability to resolve most of the mathematical problems.

Alternative 5 – SageMath

SageMath is considered as one of the best alternative to MATLAB. This is an open-source language which is much similar to Python. The syntax of the language is easy to learn and it can be used to perform mathematical and statistical calculations. It has a free and paid version and the free version also comes with a lot of features.

Alternative 6 – Maxima

Maxima is another awesome alternative to MATLAB. The platform has the ability to deal with

• Vectors

• Tensors

• Matrices

• Laplace transformations

• Taylor series

The compilation of the source code can be done on Windows and Mac. Maxima can be used to remove bugs by frequent updating. The results provided by this platform are very accurate.

Alternative 7 – AnyLogic

AnyLogic is another powerful MATLAB alternative to MATLAB. It is an open-source software which comes with a drag-and-drop user interface. It consists of a graphical modeling language written in Java. Users can use the platform in order to resolve challenges related to any business with the help of simulation.

Alternative 8 – Julia

Julia is a high-level programming language which can also be used to resolve mathematical problems. The language can be used with the help of Juno IDE. The language comes with a compiler and it also supports distributed parallel computing. It also consists of many packages which come with a lot of functions to resolve numerical problems.

Alternative 9 – Mathcad

Mathcad is another popular MATLAB alternative which has the ability to directly integrate with Microsoft Excel. Linear and non-linear differential equations can be easily resolved through Mathcad. It has the ability to resolve mathematical problems 100 times faster than MATLAB. It uses a 3D model to visualize complex solutions.

Alternative 10 – SMath Studio

SMath Studio is a wonderful alternative to MATLAB. The platform has the ability to provide accurate results for complicated mathematical equations. The platform is free to use and it is compatible with different operating systems. The platform has the ability to provide accurate results and resolve all levels of mathematical problems.

Conclusion

MATLAB is a programming language which can be used to resolve mathematical problems. It is an interpreted language so its performance is slow. It is expensive and needs a fast computer and a lot of memory to execute the code. It is difficult to develop real-time applications. Due to these drawbacks, people look for MATLAB alternatives like Scilab, SageMath, Julia, and many more.