Create and Deploy Standalone OPC UA Application

This topic shows how to create and deploy a standalone application that uses OPC UA functionality. Before R2025a, you can use the general workflow to create a standalone application. For more information, see Create Standalone Application from MATLAB (MATLAB Compiler) and Create Standalone Application Using Standalone Application Compiler App (MATLAB Compiler).

Create MATLAB Script File

Create a MATLAB^® script or function that uses OPC UA functionality. All scripts or functions that use OPC UA functionality must include %#function getSecret. For example, write a script to create an OPC UA client and display the client properties. Save the script file as opcUaClient.m.

%#function getSecret
uaClient = opcua("localhost",53530);
connect(uaClient);
disp(uaClient);

Note

Security Considerations: Industrial Communication Toolbox™ does not package the MATLAB OPC UA client application instance certificate and its private key. Instead, a new application instance client certificate is generated for the standalone application.

Create and Package Standalone Application Using `mcc`

Since R2025a

Package secrets with your standalone application.

In the command window, set the private key password with the secret name OPCUAPrivateKeyPassword using the setSecret function.
```
setSecret("OPCUAPrivateKeyPassword")
```
The setSecret function opens a Secret Prompt dialog box. Enter your private key password in the password field and click OK.
Create a secret manifest file named secrets_manifest.json that specifies which secrets in the MATLAB vault to embed in the deployable archive. All OPC UA related applications must embed the secret named OPCUAPrivateKeyPassword.
```
{
   "Embedded": {
     "description": "All secret names specified in this section will be put into the deployed app.",
     "secret": ["OPCUAPrivateKeyPassword"]
     }
}
```
Use the mcc -J (MATLAB Compiler) option to specify the JSON secret manifest file.
```
mcc -m opcUaClient.m -J secrets_manifest.json
```

mcc generates a standalone application named opcUaClient in your working directory. The file extension depends on the platform used to generate the application.

Note

The generated standalone executable does not include MATLAB Runtime or an installer. To create an installer that installs the application and MATLAB Runtime, use the compiler.package.installer (MATLAB Compiler) function.

Run OPC UA Application

Test that the application runs in MATLAB.

!opcUaClient

OPC UA Client:

   Server Information:
                       Name: 'SimulationServer@localhost'
                   Hostname: 'localhost'
                       Port: 53530
                EndpointUrl: 'opc.tcp://localhost:53530/OPCUA/SimulationServer'

   Connection Information:
                    Timeout: 10
                     Status: 'Connected'
                ServerState: 'Running'

   Security Information:
        MessageSecurityMode: SignAndEncrypt
      ChannelSecurityPolicy: Aes256_Sha256_RsaPss
                  Endpoints: [1×11 opc.ua.EndpointDescription]

   Server Limits:
              MinSampleRate: 0 sec
               MaxReadNodes: 0
              MaxWriteNodes: 0
        MaxHistoryReadNodes: 0
    MaxHistoryValuesPerNode: 0

If you want to run the application on another machine, you must install MATLAB Runtime at the same update level or newer. For more information, see Download and Install MATLAB Runtime (MATLAB Compiler).

(Not recommended) Store Private Key Password in Environment Variable

As an alternative to packaging secrets within the archive, you can store secret values in environment variables on the target platform. For instance, if your deployed code runs on a Windows^® machine, set the environment variable as OPCUAPrivateKeyPassword and its corresponding value as the intended private key password. You can expose your system to security risks when you set your password in the environment variable. Use this method only in a trusted environment.

Package only the code into a standalone application using mcc.

mcc -m opcUaClient.m

mcc generates a standalone application named opcUaClient in your working directory. After you set the value for the environment variable OPCUAPrivateKeyPassword on the target machine, you can run this application.