People in this modern era have access to a wide range of programming languages. They can choose one or more and gain in-depth knowledge. The two computer programming languages that will be discussed in this blog are language MATLAB and Octave. Engineers and scientists use these both programming languages. In this blog, we will learn MATLAB vs Octave.
Many students get confused about the difference between both languages. That is why we are providing MATLAB vs Octave to help you in understanding the key difference between them. So, to learn, scroll down and learn the differences between MATLAB and Octave. Firstly, we will start with an overview of both programming languages.
MATLAB vs Octave: Overview
The other name for MATLAB is Matrix Laboratory. It is a high-performance technical computing language. Moreover, it is a multi-paradigm programming language. It is used to write functional, imperative, procedural, or object-oriented code. Cleve Moler was in charge of the design. MathWorks was the company that created it.
GNU Octave is another name for Octave. It is available in around 19 different languages. It is also used for numerically solving linear and nonlinear problems. Octave is mostly compatible with MATLAB for numerical experiments. It is one of the MATLAB alternatives that is available for free. Octave is a structured programming language. It supports C Standard Library functions as well as some UNIX system calls and functions.
In this debate of MATLAB vs Octave, let’s discuss both in detail.
MATLAB
Various aspects use MATLAB, like;
- Math and Computing
- Algorithm Creation
- Data Analysis
- Exploration and Visualization
- Modelling
- Simulation and Prototyping
- Application Development including user interface construction
It was created to make matrix software more accessible. Also, MATLAB was first launched in 1984. It is still in use today. It works with several operating systems. That includes Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Moreover, it is primarily a numerical computing system.
The MATLAB language, which is a high-level matrix/array language includes;
- Control flow statements
- Functions
- Data structures
- I/O
- Object-oriented characteristics
They are one of the five core aspects of MATLAB. On the other hand, the MATLAB environment is a collection of tools and capabilities for working with users or programmers.
Moving further, in this debate of MATLAB vs Octave, let’s discuss what Octave is.
Octave
Because it uses dynamically loadable modules, Octave is mostly extendable. The Octave scripting language is run through an interpreter. Its interpreter uses OpenGL visuals to create plots, graphs, and charts, as well as save and print them. In addition to the standard command-line interface.
Moreover, it is a high-level programming language. It mostly uses for numerical computations. John W. Eaton was the one who came up with the idea. In the year 1980, it was first released. C, C++, and Fortran were used to create it.
It is made up of function calls or scripts. Moreover, its syntax is mostly matrix-based. It has several functions for performing matrix operations. Octave is an object-oriented programming language. It also offers a wide range of data structures. It offers a lot of capabilities and is compatible with other languages. Such as MATLAB ‘s syntax and functional compatibility. It also has;
- Built-in support for complex numbers
- Strong built-in math functions
- Huge function libraries
- Support for user-defined functions.
Moving forward in the debate of MATLAB vs Octave, let’s learn the key difference between them.
MATLAB vs Octave: Key Difference
Operators
MATLAB does not support Auto-increment and assignment operators. On the other hand, Octave includes correct auto-increment and assignment operators. Such as i + + and ++I.
RAM Usage
If you want to run MATLAB on your computer, you will need more RAM than running Octave on the same system.
Cost
MATLAB provides a variety of packages to meet a variety of purposes. You can choose either one depending on your needs.
On the contrary, Octave is a completely free programming language. It is available to everybody without charge.
Ease Of Use
If you are learning MATLAB vs Octave, it is a vital point. In MATLAB, the toolbox contains a large number of tools. It may also be used to do a variety of tasks. These tools are quite useful and capable of performing a variety of tasks. Octave relies on syntax to execute any operation, which makes it much slower than MATLAB.
Boolean Expression
When comparing boolean values in MATLAB, the syntax format error occurs. It also indicates that the form is not allowed. Octave replies to boolean values with ans=0.
File Execution
The command line that is used to run the file in the directory is also supported by MATLAB. Octave can do the same thing. But if you are using an older version of Octave.
Print Function
You can only use fprintf if you wish to print on the screen in MATLAB. In MATLAB, it is the command that prints the result on the screen. On the other hand, if you wish to print the screen, you may use both print and fprintf in Octave.
User Interface
MATLAB is a MathWorks commercial tool with the best-in-class user interface for programmers. On the other hand, there was a lack of user interface in the early versions of Octave. Although Octave is constantly improving its user interface nowadays. After version 4.0, Octave has the default UI.
Final Words
However, we have discussed MATLAB vs Octave in the above blog. We have learned the important things about MATLAB and Octave. We have also learned the vital points of difference between both languages.
There are various companies and firms that use both languages. If you are wondering what is better in MATLAB and Octave. Then, the truth is that Octave is far superior to MATLAB. The reason for this is that it is completely free to use. Its applications are also MATLAB compatible.
