Updated June 12, 2023
Difference Between Python vs Matlab
Python is a high-level programming language. Python is an interpreted, interactive, and object-oriented programming language similar to PERL or Ruby. Python’s design primarily aims for readability and ease of implementation. It is open-source, which means it is free to use. Python can run on all the operating systems. MATLAB is a high-performance language that is generally used for technical computing. It integrates computation, visualization, and programming in an easy-to-use environment, expressing problems and solutions in familiar mathematical notation.
Python
- Python is a widely used language. It was designed initially by Guido Van Rossum in 1991 and developed in Python software foundation. Python’s development mainly emphasizes code readability. Python is a programming language that lets you work quickly and integrate systems more efficiently.
- There are two major Python versions– Python 2 and Python 3. Both are quite different. Python is a programming language. The most common implementation is in C, called CPython, and finally called Python. Python also has an extensive standard library.
Python uses and Features:
- Easy to learn(clean, clear syntax).
- High portable (runs almost anywhere – High-end servers and workstations).
- Extensible and free.
- It uses white space to delimit blocks.
Productivity:: Reduced development time and improved program maintenance. Rapid prototyping, web scripting, XML processing, and GUI applications are among the primary uses of Python.
Matlab
Matlab is an abbreviation for Matrix Laboratory. It is mainly suited for matrix manipulation and program solving related to Linear Algebra. It offers many additional Toolboxes, such as control design, Image processing, Digital signal processing ETC.
Matlab uses and Features::
- Working through a simulation(Save time, save human lives, reduce costs, etc.)
- Employing image processing.
- Matlab is not only a programming language but also a programming interface.
- The addition of toolboxes can greatly expand Matlab’s functionality. These are sets of specific functions that provide more specialized functionality. Ex: Excel link allows data to be written in a format recognized by Excel, Statistics Toolbox allows more specialized statistical manipulation of data (ANOVA, Basic Fits, etc.)
Productivity:: Example: Spending most of the time preparing data for analysis.
In the above scenario, manual preparation will consume most of the time; in this context, Matlab can automate the collection and preparation of data for better analysis. With Matlab, we can reduce the time and accuracy.
Head-to-Head Comparison Between Python and Matlab (Infographics)
Below are the top 8 comparisons between Python and Matlab:
Key Differences Between Python and Matlab
Let us look at the differences between Python and Matlab:
- MATLAB is the programming language and part of commercial MATLAB software often employed in research and industry. It is an example of high-level scripting, also named 4th generation language.
- Python is another high-level language very similar to MATLAB: it is interpreted, has an interactive prompt, allows dynamic typing and automatic memory management (and comes with in-built complex numbers).
- Matlab requires specific data reading and command execution methods. This is a slightly expected problem, as software that tends to be more open-code is less layperson-friendly; therefore, this is a downfall of directly working with Matlab.
- Python is easier to make ideas into a coding language. This free program comes with libraries, lists, and dictionaries that will help the programmer achieve their goal in a well-organized way. Working with various modules allows Python to start up quickly.
Python and Matlab Comparison Table
Below is the list of points that explains the comparison between Python vs Matlab:
| Basis Of Comparison Between Python vs Matlab | Python | Matlab |
| Definition | Numeric arrays and data type(A high-level, general-purpose programming language) | Math and Matrix oriented languages(MATLAB is the high-performance language for technical computing) |
| Usage | Python can be used for web programming (Zope, Google App Engine, and much more) | MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, and creation of user interfaces |
| Benefits | Extensive support libraries.
Open source and community development. |
Matlab will enable you to test algorithms immediately without the act of compiling, |
| Performance | High-performance linear algebra, graphics, and statistics. Optimized library calls | Improved performance requires installing, compiling, validating, and adopting developer-oriented add-ons. |
| Academics | It was developed by the Python software foundation in the year 1991. | Matlab’s basic version has been on the market since the 1970s. |
| Library | It consists of an extensive standard library | The standard library does not contain generic programming functionality. |
| Real-time
Support |
Personalized email and phone support | No personalized real-time support |
| Embedded
Code Generation |
No comprehensive, Automatic code
generation for embedded systems. |
MATLAB code generates readable, portable c and C++ code. |
Conclusion
Finally, to conclude, Python vs Matlab both have advantages and disadvantages. Both Python and Matlab are very successful in the market. If we compare it with Matlab, Python is the recent one and specially designed for a cloud environment (As the data grows continuously, we keep updating the Servers and DB’s). Here we have discussed the pros and Cons of Python and Matlab.
MATLAB is an interactive system whose essential data element is an array that does not require dimensioning. This allows you to solve many technical computing problems, especially those with matrix and vector formulations, in a fraction of the time it would take to write a program in a scalar non-interactive language such as C or FORTRAN.
MATLAB has evolved over the years with input from many users. It is the standard instructional tool for introductory and advanced mathematics, engineering, and science courses in university environments. In the industry, MATLAB is the tool of choice for high-productivity research, development, and analysis.
Python is also one of the top coding languages as of 2014). Most computer science courses in United States colleges and many colleges worldwide require or use this language. This means that learning Python is almost essential if one wishes to pursue any degree that requires some fundamental knowledge of coding and/or computer science practices, especially for those looking to start a career in data analytics(Because of open source).
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