MATLAB (MATrix LABoratory) is commercial software by MathWorks for numerical computation, data visualization, and programming. MATLAB excels at matrix operations and offers numerous toolboxes for specialized applications, including Simulink (modeling and simulation), the Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox, the Signal Processing Toolbox, and many more. The University of Hamburg provides students and staff with a campus license through the RRZ.
GNU Octave is a free, open-source alternative to MATLAB with largely compatible syntax. Octave is an excellent choice when no MATLAB license is available or a cost-free solution is preferred. Most MATLAB scripts run in Octave with little or no modification.
Installation
MATLAB
MATLAB can be installed free of charge through the University of Hamburg campus license:
- Visit the RRZ MATLAB page
- Follow the instructions to register with your UHH email address
- Download MATLAB from the MathWorks website
- Sign in with your MathWorks account during installation
GNU Octave
GNU Octave is freely available for all major operating systems:
The Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Both MATLAB and GNU Octave provide a graphical user interface with a similar layout:
- Command Window – Where commands are entered and results are displayed
- Editor – For writing and editing scripts (.m files)
- Workspace – Overview of all currently defined variables
- File Browser – Navigation in the file system
If you only use MATLAB occasionally and do not need specialized toolboxes, GNU Octave is an excellent free alternative.
Further Resources
- MathWorks – MATLAB – Official MATLAB website
- GNU Octave – Official Octave website
- MATLAB Documentation – Comprehensive documentation
- GNU Octave Documentation – Manual and reference
- UHH RRZ – MATLAB License – University of Hamburg campus license