{"id":3729,"date":"2025-06-23T14:34:19","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T18:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/matlab\/?p=3729"},"modified":"2025-06-25T07:12:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T11:12:39","slug":"do-these-3-things-to-increase-the-reach-of-your-open-source-matlab-toolbox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/matlab\/2025\/06\/23\/do-these-3-things-to-increase-the-reach-of-your-open-source-matlab-toolbox\/","title":{"rendered":"Do these 3 things to increase the reach of your open source MATLAB toolbox"},"content":{"rendered":"
We all develop code for different reasons. However, once we decide to start sharing it with others, we tend to have one thing in common: We'd like as many people as possible to use it; and maybe even contribute.<\/span><\/div>
I believe that there are three things that every MATLAB developer can do in order to attract more users and contributors to their project. The best part? These steps will make your life easier as a developer too.<\/span><\/div>

1. Develop on GitHub<\/span><\/h2>
Ideally, you're already using <\/span>Git for version control<\/span><\/a>. Even if you are not, <\/span>GitHub<\/span><\/a> is a great place to host your project. You'll instantly have all of the supporting infrastructure of GitHub at your disposal.<\/span><\/div>
Your code is backed up for a start; and not just the current version. Every version you've ever committed to the project will also be there too. You'll also get access to tools like GitHub issues, where users can discuss problems, request features or make suggestions about your code. This helps you manage your project and begin building a community around it. <\/span><\/div>
GitHub is where many developers expect to find open-source code these days and its collaboration model is well known. As the developer, you'll always be in full control of what goes into your project and the pathway for others to engage with you is clear.<\/span><\/div>
MATLAB's integration with Git and GitHub has improved dramatically in recent releases, making it easier than ever to adopt these tools into your workflow.<\/span><\/div>
Bonus tip: <\/span>Don't forget to create a solid <\/span>README.md<\/span> file. Since R2025a, MATLAB has <\/span>much better support for Markdown<\/span><\/a>, so take advantage of that to clearly explain what your toolbox does and how to use it.<\/span><\/div>

2. Publish to File Exchange (automatically!)<\/span><\/h2>
Developers expect to find your code on GitHub but MATLAB users expect to see it on File Exchange. Since 2001,<\/span> File Exchange<\/span><\/a> has been the place MATLAB users go to in order to look for code to help them solve their problems but it is so much more than a website.<\/span><\/div>
In MATLAB, in the <\/span>Home->Environment<\/span> panel, you'll find the add-ons icon. Click on this and you'll get <\/span>Add-on explorer<\/span><\/a> where you can find and install everything available on File Exchange without ever leaving MATLAB. <\/span><\/div>
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The practical upshot is this: Put your code on File Exchange and it's available to MATLAB users from within MATLAB itself; making it much easier for users to discover and install your project. Here I am installing the FSDA toolbox:<\/span><\/div>