2. Installation and configuration

2.1. Software requirements

Packaged versions of Dynare are available for Windows (8.1, 10 and 11), several GNU/Linux distributions (Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Arch Linux), macOS (12 “Monterey”), and FreeBSD. Dynare should work on other systems, but some compilation steps are necessary in that case.

In order to run Dynare, you need one of the following:

• MATLAB, any version ranging from 8.3 (R2014a) to 9.13 (R2022b);

• GNU Octave, any version ranging from 5.2.0 to 7.3.0, with the statistics package from Octave-Forge. Note however that the Dynare installer for Windows requires a more specific version of Octave, as indicated on the download page.

The following optional extensions are also useful to benefit from extra features, but are in no way required:

• If under MATLAB: the Optimization Toolbox, the Statistics Toolbox, the Control System Toolbox;

• If under Octave, the following Octave-Forge packages: optim, io, control.

2.2. Installation of Dynare

After installation, Dynare can be used in any directory on your computer. It is best practice to keep your model files in directories different from the one containing the Dynare toolbox. That way you can upgrade Dynare and discard the previous version without having to worry about your own files.

2.2.1. On Windows

Execute the automated installer called dynare-x.y-win.exe (where x.y is the version number), and follow the instructions. The default installation directory is c:\dynare\x.y.

After installation, this directory will contain several sub-directories, among which are matlab, mex and doc.

The installer will also add an entry in your Start Menu with a shortcut to the documentation files and uninstaller.

Note that you can have several versions of Dynare coexisting (for example in c:\dynare), as long as you correctly adjust your path settings (see see Some words of warning).

Also note that it is possible to do a silent installation, by passing the /S flag to the installer on the command line. This can be useful when doing an unattended installation of Dynare on a computer pool.

2.2.2. On GNU/Linux

On Debian, Ubuntu and Linux Mint, the Dynare package can be installed with: apt install dynare. This will give a fully-functional Dynare installation usable with Octave. If you have MATLAB installed, you should also do: apt install dynare-matlab (under Debian, this package is in the contrib section). Documentation can be installed with apt install dynare-doc. The status of those packages can be checked at those pages:

• Package status in Debian

• Package status in Ubuntu

• Package status in Linux Mint

On Arch Linux, the Dynare package is not in the official repositories, but is available in the Arch User Repository. The needed sources can be downloaded from the package status in Arch Linux.

Dynare will be installed under /usr/lib/dynare. Documentation will be under /usr/share/doc/dynare (only on Debian, Ubuntu and Linux Mint).

2.2.3. On macOS

2.2.3.1. With MATLAB

To install Dynare for use with MATLAB, execute the automated installer called dynare-x.y.pkg (where x.y is the version number), and follow the instructions. The default installation directory is /Applications/Dynare/x.y. After installation, this directory will contain several sub-directories, among which are matlab, mex, and doc.

Note that several versions of Dynare can coexist (by default in /Applications/Dynare), as long as you correctly adjust your path settings (see Some words of warning).

By default, the installer installs a version of GCC (for use with use_dll) in the installation directory, under the .brew folder. To do so, it also installs a version of Homebrew in the same folder and Xcode Command Line Tools (this is an Apple product) in a system folder.

All of this requires a bit of time and hard disk space. The amount of time it takes will depend on your computing power and internet connection. To reduce the time the Dynare installer takes, you can install Xcode Command Line Tools yourself (see Prerequisites on macOS). Dynare, Homebrew, and GCC use about 600 MB of disk space while the Xcode Command Line Tools require about 400 MB.

If you do not use the use_dll option, you have the choice to forgo the installation of GCC and hence Dynare will only take about 50 MB of disk space.

2.2.3.2. With Octave

We don’t provide Dynare packages for macOS with Octave support, but there is a Dynare package with Octave support in Homebrew.

Once Homebrew is installed, run a terminal and install Dynare (and Octave) by typing the following:

brew install dynare

Then open Octave by running the following in the same terminal:

octave --gui

Finally, at the Octave prompt, install some add-ons (you only have to do it once):

octave:1> pkg install -forge io statistics control struct optim

2.2.4. On FreeBSD

A FreeBSD port for Dynare is available. It can be installed with:

pkg install dynare

2.2.5. For other systems

You need to download Dynare source code from the Dynare website and unpack it somewhere.

Then you will need to recompile the pre-processor and the dynamic loadable libraries. Please refer to README.md.

2.3. Compiler installation

2.3.1. Prerequisites on Windows

There are no prerequisites on Windows. Dynare now ships a compilation environment that can be used with the use_dll option.

2.3.2. Prerequisites on GNU/Linux

Users of MATLAB under GNU/Linux need a working compilation environment installed. Under Debian, Ubuntu or Linux Mint, it can be installed via apt install build-essential.

Users of Octave under GNU/Linux should install the package for MEX file compilation (under Debian, Ubuntu or Linux Mint, it can be done via apt install liboctave-dev).

2.3.3. Prerequisites on macOS

2.3.3.1. With MATLAB

Dynare now ships a compilation environment that can be used with the use_dll option. To install this environment correctly, the Dynare installer ensures that the Xcode Command Line Tools (an Apple product) have been installed on a system folder. To install the Xcode Command Line Tools yourself, simply type xcode-select --install into the Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app) prompt.

2.3.3.2. With Octave

The compiler can be installed via Homebrew. In a terminal, run:

brew install gcc-12

2.4. Configuration

2.4.1. For MATLAB

You need to add the matlab subdirectory of your Dynare installation to MATLAB path. You have two options for doing that:

• Using the addpath command in the MATLAB command window:

  Under Windows, assuming that you have installed Dynare in the standard location, and replacing x.y with the correct version number, type:

  >> addpath c:/dynare/x.y/matlab
  

  Under GNU/Linux, type:

  >> addpath /usr/lib/dynare/matlab
  

  Under macOS, assuming that you have installed Dynare in the standard location, and replacing x.y with the correct version number, type:

  >> addpath /Applications/Dynare/x.y/matlab
  

  MATLAB will not remember this setting next time you run it, and you will have to do it again.

• Via the menu entries:

  Select the “Set Path” entry in the “File” menu, then click on “Add Folder…”, and select the matlab subdirectory of ‘your Dynare installation. Note that you should not use “Add with Subfolders…”. Apply the settings by clicking on “Save”. Note that MATLAB will remember this setting next time you run it.

2.4.2. For Octave

You need to add the matlab subdirectory of your Dynare installation to Octave path, using the addpath at the Octave command prompt.

Under Windows, assuming that you have installed Dynare in the standard location, and replacing “x.y” with the correct version number, type:

octave:1> addpath c:/dynare/x.y/matlab

Under Debian, Ubuntu or Linux Mint, there is no need to use the addpath command; the packaging does it for you. Under Arch Linux, you need to do:

octave:1> addpath /usr/lib/dynare/matlab

Under macOS, assuming you have installed Dynare via Homebrew:

octave:1> addpath /usr/local/lib/dynare/matlab

If you don’t want to type this command every time you run Octave, you can put it in a file called .octaverc in your home directory (under Windows this will generally be c:\Users\USERNAME while under macOS it is /Users/USERNAME/). This file is run by Octave at every startup.

2.4.3. Some words of warning

You should be very careful about the content of your MATLAB or Octave path. You can display its content by simply typing path in the command window.

The path should normally contain system directories of MATLAB or Octave, and some subdirectories of your Dynare installation. You have to manually add the matlab subdirectory, and Dynare will automatically add a few other subdirectories at runtime (depending on your configuration). You must verify that there is no directory coming from another version of Dynare than the one you are planning to use.

You have to be aware that adding other directories (on top of the dynare folders) to your MATLAB or Octave path can potentially create problems if any of your M-files have the same name as a Dynare file. Your routine would then override the Dynare routine, making Dynare unusable.

Warning

Never add all the subdirectories of the matlab folder to the MATLAB or Octave path. You must let Dynare decide which subdirectories have to be added to the MATLAB or Octave path. Otherwise, you may end up with a non optimal or un-usable installation of Dynare.