For an alternative to COM, consider using Microsoft^® .NET, described in .NET with MATLAB.

The Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) provides a framework for integrating reusable, binary software components into an application. Because components are implemented with compiled code, the source code can be written in programming languages that support COM. Upgrades to applications are simplified, as components can simply be swapped without the need to recompile the entire application. In addition, a component's location is transparent to the application, so components can be relocated to a separate process or even a remote system without having to modify the application. For more information, see Use COM Objects in MATLAB.

Automation is a COM protocol that allows one application (the controller or client) to control objects exported by another application (the server). For more information, see Write COM Applications to Work with MATLAB.

MATLAB supports COM integration on the Microsoft Windows^® platform only.