This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Tawhid
Let’s be honest. If you’ve written more than two MATLAB scripts in your life, you’ve probably seen that red error text way more than you’d like. You write some code, hit Run, and boom—nothing works.
But here’s the good news. Debugging MATLAB doesn’t have to be painful. Once you know what to look for, it’s actually kind of satisfying. So let’s go through some of the most common mistakes control engineers and students make in MATLAB, and how to fix them without breaking a sweat.
1. Forgetting to Preallocate Arrays
This is a classic beginner mistake. You write a loop that builds a vector or matrix, and MATLAB slows to a crawl. No error message, just bad performance.
for i = 1:1000
x(i) = i^2;
end
Technically, this works. But MATLAB has to resize the array on every loop iteration, and that gets expensive fast.
Fix it like this:
x = zeros(1, 1000); % Preallocate
for i = 1:1000
x(i) = i^2;
end
Pro tip: If your script feels slower than it should be, check for growing arrays inside loops.
2. Using = Instead of == in Conditionals
This one’s sneaky. You write an if statement and accidentally use = (assignment) instead of == (comparison).
if x = 5
disp('x is 5');
end
MATLAB throws a syntax error immediately, but it’s still one of the most common logic bugs.
Fix:
if x == 5
disp('x is 5');
end
Remember: = assigns a value. == checks for equality.
3. Forgetting to Clear Old Variables
MATLAB holds onto variables between runs. So if you define something once, it can stick around and mess with your next script, especially if variable names overlap.
Let’s say you defined a variable called n in one script and forgot about it. Now it’s interfering with a for loop that also uses n.
Fix:
Start your scripts with a clean slate.
clear all; clc;
Or, better yet:
clearvars; clc;
This clears the workspace without removing breakpoints.
4. Indexing from Zero
If you’re coming from Python, C, or JavaScript, you’re used to arrays starting at zero. Not in MATLAB. Here, array indexing starts at one.
x = [10 20 30];
disp(x(0)); % This will throw an error
Fix:
disp(x(1)); % First element
This mistake is especially common if you’re switching between languages.
5. Mismatched Matrix Dimensions
You try to multiply two matrices and MATLAB flips out about incompatible dimensions.
A = [1 2; 3 4];
B = [5 6];
C = A * B; % Error
Fix:
Double-check dimensions with size() before you do any matrix math.
size(A) % Returns 2x2
size(B) % Returns 1x2
% Maybe you meant:
C = A * B'; % Transpose B to 2x1
If you’re doing a lot of matrix math, make size() and ‘ (transpose) your go-to tools.
6. Not Using the Debugger
If you’re adding 20 disp() calls just to figure out what’s going wrong, there’s a better way. Use MATLAB’s built-in debugger.
You can:
-Set breakpoints by clicking the margin next to a line number.
-Step through the code line by line.
-Inspect variable values as you go.
Or, drop this line into your code to pause execution:
keyboard
Once paused, you can run commands in the Command Window to investigate.
Trust me. Once you use the debugger, you’ll never go back to printing everything manually.
7. Calling Functions That Don’t Exist
You call a function and get this lovely message: Undefined function or variable. This usually means:
You forgot to add the file to your path.
You misspelled the function name.
You’re calling a function that was deleted or renamed.
Fix:
Use the which command to see where MATLAB is looking.
which myFunction
If it says ‘not found’, you probably need to:
Fix the name.
Add the file’s directory using addpath.
Or double-check the function exists at all.
Final Thoughts
MATLAB can be a little quirky, especially if you’re switching between other languages or just starting out. But once you understand these common pitfalls, debugging becomes way less painful.
To recap:
Preallocate your arrays.
Use == for comparisons.
Clear your workspace often.
Index from one.
Always check matrix sizes.
Use the debugger.
And make sure your functions are where MATLAB expects them to be.
Once these habits stick, you’ll find that debugging actually becomes kind of fun. Like solving a puzzle. A frustrating, algebra-covered puzzle, but still a puzzle.
Got your own MATLAB horror story? Drop it in the comments. Misery loves company.
Happy scripting.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Tawhid