MATLAB Optimization Workflow

Guide the full optimization lifecycle: classify the problem, formulate it, select and configure a solver, and validate the results.

When to Use

• User is defining an optimization problem in MATLAB (variables, objectives, constraints)
• User asks about optimproblem, optimvar, optimconstr, optimexpr, or fcn2optimexpr
• User is selecting or configuring a solver (optimoptions, algorithm choice, tuning)
• User is interpreting results, debugging convergence, or checking exitflags
• User is deciding between problem-based and solver-based approaches
• User is writing optimization code with for-loops over decision variables or constraints

When NOT to Use

• User is asking to solve a problem that doesn't require numerical optimization solvers (e.g., finding the minimum value in an array or table)
• User is working with non-optimization MATLAB code (data analysis, plotting, signal processing)
• User is using a third-party optimization toolbox (not MathWorks)
• User is solving symbolic equations with solve(eqns, vars), ODE systems, or linear system solves (A\b)