Three Ways to Identify Program Dependencies in MATLAB — inmem function, matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts function, and MATLAB APP Dependency Analyzer
Jul. 21, 2025 • Updated Aug. 06, 2025
Introduction
In MATLAB, there are three ways to identify program dependencies1:
inmemfunctionmatlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProductsfunction, and- MATLAB APP Dependency Analyzer.
In this post, I would learn and record how to use them.
Method 1: inmem function
MATLAB inmem function is to return “names of functions, MEX files, and classes in memory”2, so it can help us figure out what functions etc. are called when running the script. Here is an official example:
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clc, clear all
X = magic(100);
[F, M, C] = inmem
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F =
25×1 cell array
{'desktop' }
{'workspacefunc' }
{'Logger' }
{'Manager' }
{'EventSource' }
{'Channel' }
{'MessageHandler' }
{'InputStream' }
{'OutputStream' }
{'EditorViewBreakpointStore' }
{'getSetWeakSubscriptions' }
{'getSetStrongSubscriptions' }
{'Subscription' }
{'getSettingsRoot' }
{'RedefinesParen.RedefinesParen'}
{'DocumentAction' }
{'ReqData.getInstance' }
{'EODataStore' }
{'VEFactory' }
{'FigurePoolManager' }
{'ToolstripSubscriber' }
{'ExecutionStateTracker' }
{'script1' }
{'magic' }
{'MainManager.getInstance' }
M =
0×1 empty cell array
C =
32×1 cell array
{'string' }
{'message' }
{'inputParser' }
{'asyncioimpl.MessageHandler' }
{'asyncioimpl.Channel' }
{'asyncioimpl.InputStream' }
{'asyncioimpl.OutputStream' }
{'event.listener' }
{'containers.Map' }
{'matlab.settings.SettingsGroup' }
{'matlab.internal.UrlManager' }
{'matlab.internal.webservices.HTTPConnectionAdapter' }
{'matlab.display.internal.CompactDisplayProvider' }
{'matlab.graphics.GraphicsPlaceholder' }
{'matlab.internal.language.ExecutionTracker' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.EntityPrecision' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.ReferenceRequest' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.EntityNameMatchComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.ProductMatchComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.EntityTypeOrderComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.PreferredOrderComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.CompoundReferenceComparator'}
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.EntityCaseSensitivity' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.ReferenceDataRetriever' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.database.SqlDbConnector' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.WhichCache' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.ExistCache' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.SymbolResolver' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.MFileParser' }
{'matlab.internal.container.graph.Graph' }
{'dictionary' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.property.RefEntityType' }
in which F, M, and C are the list of names of functions, MEX files, and classes that are currently loaded. We can also use inmem("-completenames") to get their full name, which includes file path and extension:
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clc, clear all
X = magic(100);
[F, M, C] = inmem("-completenames")
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F =
25×1 cell array
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\general\desktop.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\codetools\workspacefunc.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\logger\+connector\+internal\Logger.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\deviceplugindetection\+internal\+deviceplugindetection\Manager.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\hotpluglib\+internal\+hotplug\EventSource.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\Channel.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\MessageHandler.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\InputStream.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\OutputStream.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\debugger\+matlab\+internal\+debugger\+breakpoints\EditorViewBreakpointStore.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\messageservice\+message\+internal\getSetWeakSubscriptions.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\messageservice\+message\+internal\getSetStrongSubscriptions.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\messageservice\+message\+internal\Subscription.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\configtools\+matlab\+internal\getSettingsRoot.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\indexing\+matlab\+mixin\+indexing\@RedefinesParen\RedefinesParen.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\system\editor\+matlab\+system\+editor\+internal\DocumentAction.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\reqmgt\+slreq\+data\@ReqData\getInstance.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\embeddedoutputs\outpututilities\+matlab\+internal\+editor\EODataStore.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\datatools\variableeditor\matlab\+internal\+matlab\+variableeditor\+peer\VEFactory.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\embeddedoutputs\figureoutputs\+matlab\+internal\+editor\+figure\FigurePoolManager.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\embeddedoutputs\figureoutputs\+matlab\+internal\+editor\+figure\ToolstripSubscriber.p'}
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\codetools\embeddedoutputs\+matlab\+internal\+editor\ExecutionStateTracker.p' }
{'C:\Users\whatastarrynight\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\script1.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\elmat\magic.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\reqmgt\+slreq\+app\@MainManager\getInstance.p' }
M =
0×1 empty cell array
C =
32×1 cell array
{'string' }
{'message' }
{'inputParser' }
{'asyncioimpl.MessageHandler' }
{'asyncioimpl.Channel' }
{'asyncioimpl.InputStream' }
{'asyncioimpl.OutputStream' }
{'event.listener' }
{'containers.Map' }
{'matlab.settings.SettingsGroup' }
{'matlab.internal.UrlManager' }
{'matlab.internal.webservices.HTTPConnectionAdapter' }
{'matlab.display.internal.CompactDisplayProvider' }
{'matlab.graphics.GraphicsPlaceholder' }
{'matlab.internal.language.ExecutionTracker' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.EntityPrecision' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.ReferenceRequest' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.EntityNameMatchComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.ProductMatchComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.EntityTypeOrderComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.PreferredOrderComparator' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.comparator.CompoundReferenceComparator'}
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.EntityCaseSensitivity' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.api.ReferenceDataRetriever' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.database.SqlDbConnector' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.WhichCache' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.ExistCache' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.SymbolResolver' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.MFileParser' }
{'matlab.internal.container.graph.Graph' }
{'dictionary' }
{'matlab.internal.reference.property.RefEntityType' }
Method 2: matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts function
MATLAB function matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts can “return a list of the MATLAB program files required to run the program files specified by files”3. Take two built-in functions for example, for magic:
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clc, clear all
[fList, pList] = matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts("magic.m")
{pList.Name}'
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fList =
0×0 empty cell array
pList =
struct with fields:
Name: 'MATLAB'
Version: '23.2'
ProductNumber: 1
Certain: 1
ans =
1×1 cell array
{'MATLAB'}
and for edge:
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clc, clear all
[fList, pList] = matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts("edge.m")
{pList.Name}'
{pList.Version}'
{pList.ProductNumber}'
{pList.Certain}'
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fList =
0×0 empty cell array
pList =
1×2 struct array with fields:
Name
Version
ProductNumber
Certain
ans =
2×1 cell array
{'MATLAB' }
{'Image Processing Toolbox'}
ans =
2×1 cell array
{'23.2'}
{'23.2'}
ans =
2×1 cell array
{[ 1]}
{[17]}
ans =
2×1 cell array
{[1]}
{[1]}
Furthermore, we can try another case where functions are user-defined. Create two function files getRandomNumber.m and displayNumber.m3:
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function a = getRandomNumber
rng shuffle
a = rand;
end
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function displayNumber
a = getRandomNumber;
disp(['Your number is ' num2str(a)])
end
then, let’s see the dependencies of functions getRandomNumber and displayNumber, respectively:
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clc, clear all
[fList, pList] = matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts("getRandomNumber.m");
fList', pList
[fList, pList] = matlab.codetools.requiredFilesAndProducts("displayNumber.m");
fList', pList
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ans =
1×1 cell array
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\getRandomNumber.m'}
pList =
struct with fields:
Name: 'MATLAB'
Version: '23.2'
ProductNumber: 1
Certain: 1
ans =
2×1 cell array
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\displayNumber.m' }
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\getRandomNumber.m'}
pList =
struct with fields:
Name: 'MATLAB'
Version: '23.2'
ProductNumber: 1
Certain: 1
We can also use the inmem function at this case (the following script file is named as script.m):
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clc, clear all
displayNumber
[F, M, C] = inmem("-completenames")
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Your number is 0.98567
F =
31×1 cell array
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\general\desktop.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\debugger\+matlab\+internal\+debugger\+breakpoints\EditorViewBreakpointStore.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\logger\+connector\+internal\Logger.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\messageservice\+message\+internal\getSetWeakSubscriptions.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\messageservice\+message\+internal\getSetStrongSubscriptions.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\strfun\num2str.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\connector2\messageservice\+message\+internal\Subscription.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\configtools\+matlab\+internal\getSettingsRoot.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\reqmgt\+slreq\+app\@MainManager\getInstance.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\reqmgt\+slreq\+data\@ReqData\getInstance.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\timefun\datenum.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\codetools\workspacefunc.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\timefun\now.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\deviceplugindetection\+internal\+deviceplugindetection\Manager.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\hotpluglib\+internal\+hotplug\EventSource.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\Channel.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\MessageHandler.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\InputStream.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+matlabshared\+asyncio\+internal\OutputStream.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\indexing\+matlab\+mixin\+indexing\@RedefinesParen\RedefinesParen.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\system\editor\+matlab\+system\+editor\+internal\DocumentAction.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\embeddedoutputs\outpututilities\+matlab\+internal\+editor\EODataStore.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\datatools\variableeditor\matlab\+internal\+matlab\+variableeditor\+peer\VEFactory.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\embeddedoutputs\figureoutputs\+matlab\+internal\+editor\+figure\FigurePoolManager.p' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\embeddedoutputs\figureoutputs\+matlab\+internal\+editor\+figure\ToolstripSubscriber.p'}
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\codetools\embeddedoutputs\+matlab\+internal\+editor\ExecutionStateTracker.p' }
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\script.m' }
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\getRandomNumber.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\randfun\rng.m' }
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\displayNumber.m' }
{'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\toolbox\matlab\randfun\@RandStream\RandStream.m' }
M =
0×1 empty cell array
C =
23×1 cell array
{'string' }
{'containers.Map' }
{'inputParser' }
{'matlab.settings.SettingsGroup' }
{'message' }
{'asyncioimpl.MessageHandler' }
{'asyncioimpl.Channel' }
{'asyncioimpl.InputStream' }
{'asyncioimpl.OutputStream' }
{'event.listener' }
{'matlab.internal.UrlManager' }
{'matlab.internal.webservices.HTTPConnectionAdapter'}
{'matlab.depfun.internal.database.SqlDbConnector' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.WhichCache' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.ExistCache' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.SymbolResolver' }
{'matlab.depfun.internal.MFileParser' }
{'dictionary' }
{'matlab.display.internal.CompactDisplayProvider' }
{'matlab.graphics.GraphicsPlaceholder' }
{'matlab.internal.language.ExecutionTracker' }
{'matlab.internal.container.graph.Graph' }
{'RandStream' }
We can find above two function files and the script file in the variable M:
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......
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\script.m' }
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\getRandomNumber.m' }
......
{'C:\Users\xxxxxxx\Desktop\MATLAB identify dependencies\displayNumber.m' }
......
So, as can be seen, by using inmem function we can get more fundamental functions that are called.
Method 3: MATLAB APP Dependency Analyzer
At last, we can also use MATLAB APP Dependency Analyzer to analyze dependencies1. Still take the above simple example, we have:
References