Desktop Basics

When you start MATLAB®, the desktop appears in its default layout.

MATLAB desktop in its default layout. At the top is a toolstrip with tabs labeled Home, Plots, and Apps. The Files panel and the Workspace panel are open on the left side of the desktop. The Command Window is open above the bottom sidebar.

The desktop includes these areas:

  • Files panel — Access your files.

  • Workspace panel — Explore data that you create or import from files.

  • Command Window — Enter commands at the command line, indicated by the prompt (>>).

  • Sidebars — Access tools docked in the desktop and additional panels.

As you work in MATLAB, you issue commands that create variables and call functions. For example, create a variable named a by typing this statement at the command line:

a = 1

MATLAB adds variable a to the workspace and displays the result in the Command Window.

a = 

     1

Create a few more variables.

b = 2

b = 

     2
c = a + b
c = 

     3
d = cos(a)
d = 

    0.5403

When you do not specify an output variable, MATLAB uses the variable ans, short for answer, to store the results of your calculation.

sin(a)
ans =

    0.8415

If you end a statement with a semicolon, MATLAB performs the computation, but suppresses the display of output in the Command Window.

e = a*b;

You can recall previous commands by pressing the up- and down-arrow keys, ↑ and ↓. Press the arrow keys either at an empty command line or after you type the first few characters of a command. For example, to recall the command b = 2, type b, and then press the up-arrow key.

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