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How to Run Octave on Android


Install the Octave app from Google Play. It runs GNU Octave on your device (not in the cloud), so you can run MATLAB-style scripts and make 2D and 3D plots anywhere, with no restrictions.

How to do it

  1. Install the app from Google Play. Search Google Play for Octave by UserLAnd Technologies. It is a one-time purchase.
  2. Open it and let it set up. The first launch downloads and sets up the Linux files the app needs. Stay on Wi-Fi; this only happens once.
  3. Run your first command. Use the Octave GUI or the command window. Try x = linspace(0, 2*pi); plot(x, sin(x)) to draw a plot.
  4. Use touch as a mouse. Tap with one finger to click, two-finger tap to right-click, pinch to zoom, slide two fingers to scroll, and hold and slide to pan. Tap the screen and choose the keyboard icon to type.

What you get

  • A high-level numerical language that is mostly MATLAB-compatible
  • Built-in 2D and 3D plotting and visualization
  • Command-line and graphical interfaces
  • Runs entirely on your device, so it works offline once set up

What you need

  • An Android phone or tablet with Google Play
  • Free storage for the Linux files (a tablet or a phone with a large screen is most comfortable)
  • Internet for the first-time setup
  • Optional: a Bluetooth or USB keyboard and mouse

Prefer free?

UserLAnd is free, and you can install GNU Octave in it yourself: in UserLAnd, set up Debian, choose Graphical, open a terminal and run sudo apt install octave. Octave does all of that for you in one tap, and buying it supports UserLAnd development.

This app adapts the Linux desktop edition of GNU Octave for Android. It is not made by the GNU Octave team.

Get Octave on Google Play ($1.99) · Full guide and FAQ on userland.tech

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