Licensing system for MATLAB apps

This project is still a work in progress 🚧. Issues and pull requests are highly appreciated

Do you have an app developed using MATLAB App Designer that you want to distribute but wish to control who can use it?
In simple words, you wish to grant app licenses to specific users.

Important notes

• This system is dependent on GitHub. You will need to have a GitHub account and a private repository dedicated for your app.
• By integrating this licensing system, your app will need to be connected to the Internet every time the user starts it (during the startup only).

Step 1: Set up license database

1. Create a GitHub account if you don't have one yet.
2. Create a private repository. If you already have a repository that you use as the codebase of the app development, you can use that instead. This repository will be referred to as app-development.
3. Add matlab-app-licensing repository as a submodule of app-development (read more).
4. Run LicenseManager.mlapp and follow the instructions in the app (note: you must have MATLAB installed).

Step 2: Integrate license activation component

1. In your app's mlapp file, add the following code block at the very beginning of the StartupFcn(app) function:

   addpath(genpath('matlab-app-licensing'));
   IsCloseSelected = checkDeviceRegistration(app, 'my-username', 'my-repo-name', 'my-personal-access-token');
   if IsCloseSelected
       delete(app);
       return;
   end

   Replace my-username, my-repo-name and my-personal-access-token with your username, the app-development repository's name and your Personal Access Token (PAT, see no. 2), respectively.

2. Refer here for the guide to generate a PAT. Only repo needs to be selected. Set the PAT to never expires.

   

Step 3: Integrate license deactivation component

1. In the App Designer, add a Button or Menu, name/label it as License Info or something similar.

2. Add the following code block at the very beginning of the Button/Menu's callback function:

   AppDeactivation(app, 'my-username', 'my-repo-name', 'my-personal-access-token');

   The same PAT can be used.