Start and Stop MATLAB Engine for Python

Start Python^® at the operating system prompt.
Import the matlab.engine package into your Python session.
Start a new MATLAB^® process by calling start_matlab. The start_matlab function returns a Python object, eng, which enables you to pass data and call functions executed by MATLAB.

import matlab.engine
eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab()

Start each engine separately. Each engine starts and communicates with its own MATLAB process.

eng1 = matlab.engine.start_matlab()
eng2 = matlab.engine.start_matlab()

Call either the exit or the quit function.

eng.quit()

If you exit Python with an engine still running, then Python automatically stops the engine and its MATLAB process.

Start the engine and pass the options as an input argument string to matlab.engine.start_matlab. For example, start MATLAB with the desktop.

eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab("-desktop")

You can define multiple startup options with a single string. For example, start the desktop and set the numeric display format to short.

eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab("-desktop -r 'format short'")

You also can start the desktop after you start the engine.

import matlab.engine
eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab()
eng.desktop(nargout=0)

Start the engine asynchronously. While MATLAB starts, you can enter commands at the Python command line.

import matlab.engine
future = matlab.engine.start_matlab(background=True)

Create the MATLAB instance so you can perform computations in MATLAB.

eng = future.result()

See Also