Rlab
Encyclopedia
Rlab is an interactive, interpreted numerical computation program
and its core programming language
, written by Ian Searle. Rlab (the language) is very high level and is intended to provide fast prototyping and program development, as well as easy data-visualization, and processing.
Rlab was not designed as a clone of MATLAB
. However, as Rlab (the program) is intended to provide a good experimental environment (or laboratory) in which to do matrix
math, the programming language possesses similar operators and concepts and could be called MATLAB-like.
Rlab borrows some of the best features of the MATLAB language but provides them through a different syntax
that has been modified in order to be more expressive while reducing ambiguity. The variable scoping rules facilitate the creation of larger programs and re-usable program libraries. A heterogeneous associative array
datatype has been added to allow users to create and operate on arbitrary data structures. The fundamental data type is the dense floating point
matrix (either real or complex), though string and sparse numerical matrices (both real and complex) are also provided.
Rlab 2.1 is no longer under active development. Binary versions are available for Linux
and for Windows
, and source code
is available under the GPL
.
Rlab 2.2 has been released as a part of the project rlabplus by Marijan Koštrun.
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
and its core programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
, written by Ian Searle. Rlab (the language) is very high level and is intended to provide fast prototyping and program development, as well as easy data-visualization, and processing.
Rlab was not designed as a clone of MATLAB
MATLAB
MATLAB is a numerical computing environment and fourth-generation programming language. Developed by MathWorks, MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages,...
. However, as Rlab (the program) is intended to provide a good experimental environment (or laboratory) in which to do matrix
Matrix (mathematics)
In mathematics, a matrix is a rectangular array of numbers, symbols, or expressions. The individual items in a matrix are called its elements or entries. An example of a matrix with six elements isMatrices of the same size can be added or subtracted element by element...
math, the programming language possesses similar operators and concepts and could be called MATLAB-like.
Rlab borrows some of the best features of the MATLAB language but provides them through a different syntax
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
that has been modified in order to be more expressive while reducing ambiguity. The variable scoping rules facilitate the creation of larger programs and re-usable program libraries. A heterogeneous associative array
Associative array
In computer science, an associative array is an abstract data type composed of a collection of pairs, such that each possible key appears at most once in the collection....
datatype has been added to allow users to create and operate on arbitrary data structures. The fundamental data type is the dense floating point
Floating point
In computing, floating point describes a method of representing real numbers in a way that can support a wide range of values. Numbers are, in general, represented approximately to a fixed number of significant digits and scaled using an exponent. The base for the scaling is normally 2, 10 or 16...
matrix (either real or complex), though string and sparse numerical matrices (both real and complex) are also provided.
Rlab 2.1 is no longer under active development. Binary versions are available for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, and source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
is available under the GPL
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
.
Rlab 2.2 has been released as a part of the project rlabplus by Marijan Koštrun.