View Image

Rlab is an interactive, interpreted scientific programming environment. Rlab is a very high level language intended to provide fast prototyping and program development, as well as easy data-visualization, and processing. Rlab is not a clone of languages such as those used by tools like Matlab or Matrix-X/Xmath. However, as Rlab focuses on creating a good experimental environment (or laboratory) in which to do matrix math, it can be called ``Matlab-like''; since the programming language possesses similar operators and concepts.

Rlab does not try to be a Matlab clone. Instead, it borrows what I believe are the best features of the Matlab language and provides improved language syntax and semantics. The syntax has been improved to allow users more expression and reduce ambiguities. The variable scoping rules have been improved to facilitate creation of larger programs and program libraries. A heterogeneous associative array has been added to allow users to create and operate on arbitrary data structures. The fundamental data type is a floating point matrix (either real or complex), though RLaB also includes string matrices, and sparse numerical matrices (both real and complex).

Rlab is copyrighted with the GNU General Public License, and is free (in the GNU sense) for all to use. This is the place to find out about it.