Why Mathematica?

Because principles matter.

Over 20 years of building on bold design principles make Mathematica the world’s ultimate computation platform.

Automation

Automation is the key to productive computing. Unlike other systems, Mathematica applies intelligent automation in every part of the system, from algorithm selection to plot layout and user interface design. You get reliable, high-quality results without needing algorithm expertise—and even if you’re an expert, you get results faster.

Mathematica’s advanced adaptive methods, feature detection, and automatic layout and styles yield visualizations that are both technically correct and visually appealing.

Integrated All-in-One Platform

Specialized software and add-on toolboxes discourage the creative exploration of new ideas and areas—an even greater cost than their purchase price. Mathematica requires no add-ons. It has built-in specialized functionality for many technical areas, from computational biology to wavelet analysis, all tightly integrated with the rest of the system.

Mathematica immediately enables development across technical areas without costly add-ons.

Hybrid Symbolic-Numeric Methodology

Symbolic and numerical computation are traditionally thought of as separate, to the detriment of users. In Mathematica, they are seamlessly integrated, enabling unique hybrid methods for many problems and ensuring consistent results whenever quantities of any precision are combined.

Mathematica uses controlled high-precision numbers and symbolic analysis to solve problems that are intractable with traditional numerical methods and limited-precision numbers.

Multiparadigm Language

No one programming style is ideally suited to every problem. Mathematica stands out from traditional computer languages by simultaneously supporting many programming paradigms, such as procedural, functional, rule-based, pattern-based, and more.

Mathematica lets you program in the style you prefer.

Built-in Knowledge

Searching and updating standard datasets shouldn’t interrupt your workflow. Mathematica is unique among technical computing platforms because it includes a vast collection of carefully curated data of all kinds, continuously updated and expanded.

Access standard data without any overhead, including Wolfram|Alpha, the world’s largest collection of computable data.

Document-Based Workflow

You shouldn’t need one program to process your data, another to visualize it, and a third to interactively present it. Mathematica does everything in a single workflow, keeping all elements of a project—calculations, visualizations, data, documentation, and even interactive applications—together, in uniquely flexible documents.

Mathematica notebooks and Computable Document Format (CDF) files consolidate your calculations, interactive visualizations, data, text, and more.