Programming language · 1984

MATLAB

Numerical computing environment.

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MATLAB logo
CWritten in
1984First released
Cleve MolerDeveloper
dynamicTyping
proprietary licenseLicense
Built fromInfluenced MATLAB CFortranAPLJulia
RuntimeInfluence

What is MATLAB written in?

Its runtime is implemented in C (documented).

What MATLAB is used for

MATLAB is a numerical-computing environment used across engineering and science for matrix math, signal and image processing, control systems, and simulation. Its toolboxes and Simulink make it standard in many labs and industries.

Notable use: control-system and signal-processing design in automotive, aerospace, and academic research.

Quick Facts

Designed by
Cleve Moler
Developer
MathWorks
First released
1984
Typing
dynamic
License
proprietary license
Filename extension
.m, .p, .mat, .mlapp, .mltbx, .mlx

About MATLAB

MATLAB is a numerical computing environment. It is a dynamically typed language. It supports imperative and array programming.

MATLAB first appeared in 1984 and was designed by Cleve Moler. Development is led by MathWorks.

How MATLAB is implemented

In the Language Lineage dataset, its runtime is implemented in C.

MATLAB in the language family tree

MATLAB drew on ideas from APL and Fortran and went on to influence Julia.

Sources: Wikipedia · Wikidata · Official site

Frequently Asked Questions

What language is MATLAB written in?
MATLAB is primarily implemented in C. See the implementation section above for details and source references.
What languages influenced MATLAB?
MATLAB was influenced by APL, Fortran among others. See the influence section above for the full list.
Which languages did MATLAB influence?
MATLAB influenced Julia among others.
When was MATLAB first released?
MATLAB was first released in 1984. It was designed by Cleve Moler.

Evidence Sources

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<iframe src="https://www.languagelineage.org/embed?lang=matlab" width="100%" height="500" loading="lazy" style="border:0" title="MATLAB relationship graph"></iframe>

Please attribute the visualization to Language Lineage and link to the MATLAB source record.

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