MATLAB Now Available on ARC OnDemand

March 3, 2026

Advanced Research Computing (ARC) is pleased to announce that MATLAB has been added to the suite of accessible tools on ARC OnDemand, joining RStudio, JupyterHub, and Virtual Desktop. 

Enhanced Accessibility 
Previously, MATLAB access on UBC Sockeye was limited to the command line. This update introduces the ability to launch an interactive MATLAB GUI directly from a web form. By removing the requirement for command-line navigation, this update significantly lowers the barriers to entry, allowing researchers to:  

  • Interact with the full MATLAB desktop environment. 

  • Immediately generate and visualize plots, figures, and graphical outputs. 

  • Utilize a familiar, user-friendly interface for complex data analysis. 

UBC ARC’s Commitment 
This update reflects UBC ARC’s commitment to expanding service offerings, simplifying tool access for the research community, and furthering the advancement of innovative Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) technologies at UBC. 

Getting Started 
To access: 

  1. Log into ARC OnDemand; 

  2. Navigate to the Interactive Apps menu; 

  3. Select MATLAB to begin a session.  

Detailed technical instructions can be found in the updated documentation 



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