Is there a MATLAB package manager?

I cannot find any MathWorks endorsed package managers. The user-built solutions I have found do not seem to be popular (PackMan, DepMat, mpm) or regularly maintained. What do people recommend? Is there a reason for the lack of package manager in comparison to pip (python), npm (JavaScript)? How does MathWorks recommend I organise seperate but interdependent code?

[Rik]

There are continuous improvements for the FileExchange, which you could access through the AddOn manager from R2017a. I don't know if there are plans to extend this further and allow submissions to specify versioned dependencies on other submissions.

I vaguely remember seeing such a request, but I can't find it here (nor in the old thread), so feel free to post it there.

[James Bland]

Hi Rik,

Thanks for your repsonse. Im not particular familiar with FileExchange apart from to download the odd matlab script. Is there a particular workflow that you would recommend using, or you use yourself, in packaging up your own code via FileExchange?

[Munin]

I am stabilising MPM in https://github.com/mobeets/mpm/pull/76 you may just use that

[Matt Cooper]

mpm looks promising but here is how to roll your own: install matlab source code (file exchange, github, etc) into a "toolboxes" folder, and manage projects in a "projects" folder. Use setenv() to define these paths in startup.m. Write a function that uses getenv() and dir() to list all subdirectories in these folders and (optionally) save it as a registry. Write a function called activate.m that accepts as input the name of a toolbox or project, reads the registry or uses dir() on the fly, addpath() to 'activate' the toolbox or (for a project) cd into it. Write a function called deactivate.m that does the opposite. Pro tip: put a functionSignatures.json file with activate.m and deactivate.m and populate the 'choices={}' field with the toolbox and project names. Now you have autocomplete, simply type activate <toolboxname> and viola. You can add utilities that integrate with remote source control, like mpm provides, but activate/deactivate will solve 99% of your daily need to navigate from project to project with a clean namespace and a centralized registry of available source code.

[James Bland]

hi Matt,

Thanks for your clear answer, although i still feel that this is code i shouldnt have to reinvent myself

Answer 1

[Sean de Wolski]

Right now there is no package manager like the ones you listed in that everything in MATLAB is tied to the path. Using MATLAB Add-ons with the File Exchange and MATLAB Projects with reference projects are the two best current solutions. You can minimize namespace collisions with namespace packages in MATLAB (note the terminology here does not imply package like in other languages).

[James Bland]

hi sean,

thanks for your answer. If you could point me to any good examples of matlab workflows/ code organisation that would be appreciated!

[Stephen]

@James Bland there is no such thing. Hope this helps

Answer 2

[Rob Campbell]

The fact that this still does not exist is not only real pain but it's arguably holding back the whole MATLAB ecosystem. The lack of a package manager disourages teams of people from building interconnected projects and so makes MATLAB a less attractive platform for serious development.

[James Bland]

yeah i agree

[Maverick]

Did you look at?

https://github.com/mathworks-ref-arch/matlab-dockerfile/blob/main/MPM.md

[Rob Campbell]

That seems to be for Mathworks' Toolboxes and MATLAB as a whole. I am talking about an ecosystem for users and third party code. Something like pip.