What is MATLAB? Does it generate executables?

Question

What exactly is MATLAB/Simulink? I've tried to understand it but have only gotten more confused in the process.

I know that you can write programs utilizing high-level industry-specific functions and algorithms but:

• Is it a runtime where you can 'build' your code into an exectable program for a Client/Server?
• Is it only a simulation environment, like LabVIEW, not to be used in production software/hardware?
• Is it a code generation software, like compiler-compilers which does not really execute code itself?

Answer 1

It is, mostly, a simulation and mathematical calculation environment.

During my education, we used it for spectrum analyses, sound processing and image processing. It is great for experimenting with such things; and resonably fast if used correctly.

It does have some features, such as the Matlab compiler, that allows you to take Matlab code and compile it to an executable.