Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

NetLogo VS MATLAB

Compare NetLogo VS MATLAB and see what are their differences

NetLogo logo NetLogo

NetLogo is a multi-agent programmable modeling environment that is used by many tens of thousands of students, teachers and researchers worldwide.

MATLAB logo MATLAB

A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming
  • NetLogo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-23
  • MATLAB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-30

We recommend LibHunt MATLAB for discovery and comparisons of trending MATLAB projects.

NetLogo features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    NetLogo offers a straightforward and intuitive graphical user interface, making it accessible to users with varying levels of programming experience.
  • Rich Learning Environment
    The platform includes a library of pre-built models across various domains, aiding in educational purposes and providing examples for users to learn from.
  • Agent-Based Modeling
    NetLogo excels in agent-based modeling, allowing users to simulate complex systems using simple agent rules, making it useful for research and educational projects.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    NetLogo is written in Java, which allows it to run on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Extensive Community Support
    The platform has a large user community and extensive documentation, including user manuals and forums that provide support and collaboration opportunities.

Possible disadvantages of NetLogo

  • Performance Limitations
    NetLogo can struggle with performance issues when handling very large numbers of agents or complex calculations, which may limit its use for very large-scale simulations.
  • Limited Graphics Capabilities
    The graphical output options in NetLogo can be somewhat limited and basic compared to other modern simulation tools.
  • Specialized Language
    NetLogo uses its own specialized programming language, which, while simple, may require users to learn new syntax and concepts.
  • Lack of Advanced Analytical Tools
    NetLogo lacks some of the advanced analytical and statistical tools available in other simulation environments, which might necessitate additional software for in-depth analysis.

MATLAB features and specs

  • Versatility
    MATLAB is versatile and can be used across a wide range of applications, including engineering, data analysis, robotics, and image processing.
  • Built-in Functions
    MATLAB comes with a vast library of built-in functions and toolboxes that simplify complex mathematical computations and data visualization tasks.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software offers an intuitive and user-friendly graphical interface that makes it accessible even for those who are not experts in programming.
  • Excellent Visualization
    MATLAB provides high-quality, customizable plots and graphs that facilitate the clear and effective presentation of data.
  • Strong Community and Support
    Users can benefit from extensive documentation, community forums, and customer support from MathWorks, which aids in troubleshooting and learning.
  • Integration Capabilities
    MATLAB integrates well with other programming languages like C, C++, and Java, and supports interfaces to SQL databases.

Possible disadvantages of MATLAB

  • Cost
    MATLAB is expensive to license, making it less accessible for small businesses, individual professionals, and students without institutional access.
  • Memory Usage
    MATLAB can be very memory-intensive, which could be a limitation when dealing with large datasets or running on devices with limited computational resources.
  • Speed
    Although MATLAB is efficient for rapid prototyping, it is generally slower in execution speed compared to compiled languages like C or Fortran, particularly for heavy computations.
  • Proprietary Nature
    Being a proprietary software, MATLAB does not offer the same level of transparency and flexibility that open-source alternatives provide.
  • Learning Curve
    For some new users, especially those who have no prior experience with numerical computing environments, it might have a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Cross-Platform Compatibility
    While MATLAB supports multiple operating systems, not all features and toolboxes are available on each platform, potentially limiting its utility in diverse environments.

NetLogo videos

NetLogo Model Review - Virus on The Network

More videos:

  • Review - PLTW CSP 4.1.3 and 4.2.1 - Introduction to NetLogo

MATLAB videos

Matlab Review Part 1

More videos:

  • Review - The Complete MATLAB Course: Beginner to Advanced!
  • Tutorial - Complete MATLAB Tutorial for Beginners

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to NetLogo and MATLAB)
Technical Computing
13 13%
87% 87
Numerical Computation
14 14%
86% 86
3D
33 33%
67% 67
Architecture
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare NetLogo and MATLAB

NetLogo Reviews

We have no reviews of NetLogo yet.
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MATLAB Reviews

25 Best Statistical Analysis Software
MATLAB is an exceptional choice for individuals seeking to perform advanced statistical analysis and data visualization. Its high-level programming environment and comprehensive range of tools enable users to efficiently process, analyze, and visualize their data.
7 Best MATLAB alternatives for Linux
MATLAB is a programming language and numeric computing environment. It is used for solving mathematical problems and displaying the result graphically. MATLAB is a paid tool, they provide a free trial for one month.
15 data science tools to consider using in 2021
Developed and sold by software vendor MathWorks since 1984, Matlab is a high-level programming language and analytics environment for numerical computing, mathematical modeling and data visualization. It's primarily used by conventional engineers and scientists to analyze data, design algorithms and develop embedded systems for wireless communications, industrial control,...
The 16 Best Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms for 2021
Description: MathWorks MATLAB combines a desktop environment tuned for iterative analysis and design processes with a programming language that expresses matrix and array mathematics directly. It includes the Live Editor for creating scripts that combine code, output, and formatted text in an executable notebook. MATLAB toolboxes are professionally developed, tested, and...
Matlab Alternatives
Matrix Laboratory also known as MATLAB is a high-level programming language. It provides an interactive environment to perform computations in various fields such as mathematics, sciences and engineering streams. The results can be visualized and generated as reports for further analysis. Matlab is the pioneer in combining these things. A team of professionals develop the...
Source: www.educba.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, NetLogo seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 15 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

NetLogo mentions (15)

  • Why Is the Other Lane Always Faster? (2018)
    This is exactly the kind of problem NetLOGO is geared toward modelling and solving. It is very much like the LOGO (turtle graphics) you might have learned as a tween, but multi-agent, so you can model the behaviour of several types of cars (fast, slow, hesitant, etc), design a few multi-lane obstacles, and let 'r rip. There are 3D and 2D versions, but your problem will quite suit the 2D version. Check it out. I'd... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Is there a way to reduce level of detail in 2d TileMap?
    (Patches = Cells, Turtles = Agents) Https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/. Source: about 2 years ago
  • This round of Rock, paper and scissors
    Looks like it wad probably made in netlogo: http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Deploying frontend + backend with NetLogo integration?
    My team has a simulation model in NetLogo that needs a separate UI (data with will flow back and forth between simulation and UI, largely in the form of csv files). How might this be set up in Azure? Any recommendations for UI frameworks (React+Flask, Vue+Express, etc.) or file [system log] storage? I am very new to development so any pointers would be greatly appreciated. Source: over 2 years ago
  • # Freelance
    I have a piece of code in NetLogo programming language that I am unable to run in NetLogo software (https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/) as I am facing some errors while doing so. If anyone can help me, we can discuss the budget. Source: over 2 years ago
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MATLAB mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of MATLAB yet. Tracking of MATLAB recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing NetLogo and MATLAB, you can also consider the following products

Autodesk Fusion 360 - Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE featuring collaborative editing and cloud-based computation.

Wolfram Mathematica - Mathematica has characterized the cutting edge in specialized processing—and gave the chief calculation environment to a large number of pioneers, instructors, understudies, and others around the globe.

GNU Octave - GNU Octave is a programming language for scientific computing.

SimScale - SimScale makes high-fidelity engineering simulation truly accessible. From anywhere. At any scale. In the cloud.

Scilab - Scilab Official Website. Enter your search in the box aboveAbout ScilabScilab is free and open source software for numerical . Thanks for downloading Scilab!

HyperWorks - Founded in 1985, Altair is focused on the development and application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance.