So in my bachelors and throughout my engineering degree, we did everything in MATLAB. But I've heard that many companies use python over matlab. Trying Python out for myself, it seems harder to use in every way; you have to load in modules while in MATLAB they're included by default, plotting is not included by default, indexing starts at 0 (okay cool, but why?), there is no transfer functions by default, and there is no nice way of carrying everything over between MATLAB and something like SIMULINK... So MATLAB pretty much seems superior in every way, why do so many companies apparently use Python instead?
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$\begingroup$ They're just diffetent. If you are in a unix environment, you can mix and match them freely. $\endgroup$– Pete WCommented Feb 8, 2021 at 0:19
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While I agree that MATLAB is far easier to use than Python with having a bunch of 'extensions' (if you will) already included, variable sharing / incorporation with simscape and SIMULINK (for control of multibody systems you're going to have a far harder time in python).. I think you are overlooking one major factor, and that is price:
https://nl.mathworks.com/pricing-licensing.html
On what I can find directly on the mathworks site, 800-2000 euros for 1 license key; for company wide licensing you need to request a quote. If your company is small, and multiple people will have to share files/data, the cost will start piling up. Python... is completely free, and you won't have to mess around with any licenses. So if you're not using specific toolboxes that MATLAB only has / don't have the capital, and you can get by with Python, it is the more practical alternative.
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$\begingroup$ Man... I feel like a doofus now. That is so simple I did not even consider it, and I've been re-filling in my license key every year... $\endgroup$– J DoeCommented Feb 8, 2021 at 0:03
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$\begingroup$ To be fair, there is a free (open source) equivalent to Matlab, called Octave, which has been around for over 20 years. It is not bad at all. $\endgroup$– Pete WCommented Feb 8, 2021 at 0:18
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$\begingroup$ still octave doesn't have SIMULINK and a lot of the toolboxes of matlab. For most users though it's a solid choice $\endgroup$– NMech ♦Commented Feb 8, 2021 at 6:31