MATLAB, developed by MathWorks, is a full-suite desktop application for PC that is used by scientists, students, and professionals all around the world to create algorithms, use extensive and iterative analysis, and perform digital computations using a programming language "that expresses matrix and array mathematics directly".
MATLAB is vital for professionals who want to explore data, create simulations and equations, and want to combine mathematics and data modeling. It is, however, not limited to the tasks mentioned above, as one can do a lot more since it is an extensive program with literally thousands of features packed inside.
MATLAB programming language
MATLAB programming language is the language that any professional will use to code in MATLAB. It is a high-level programming language that is easily understandable and learnable.
It offers you the advantage to reuse your code whenever you want to use it multiple times. With minor changes within the code, you could practically change everything. The code that you will write will be production-ready.
As long as it is working, you will not require to change it to push it to production. The already-written code can be pushed directly to your system (cloud or enterprise) if it is working as required. The algorithms can directly be converted to C/C++, HDL, or CUDA code to run on your hardware.MATLAB toolboxes
MATLAB toolboxes are applications within the program that help you understand and visualize how algorithms are working and performing with the data that you have provided. If you want to learn how the toolboxes work, the documentation is completely public. The toolboxes are developed by experts in the field.Scalability
The major reason behind MATLAB being used so widely is the scalability it offers to individuals as well as organizations. As mentioned above, the code that you will write in it is production-ready and can be directly pushed to your desired system. All you need to do is select the option that will scale your analyses and iterations on your required clusters, GPUs, or clouds.Conclusion
MATLAB is an extensive full suite of applications combined within a program developed by Mathworks for iterative design and analysis. It includes a code editor that will help you write code, and combine it with output, text, data, and much more. You can use it to develop algorithms, play around with data, and analyze everything. The only downside might be that it might not run properly on a low-end computer.