ALNS: a Python implementation of the adaptive large neighbourhood search metaheuristic

Benchmarking heuristic algorithms is vital to understand under which conditions and on what kind of problems certain algorithms perform well. In most current research into heuristic optimization algorithms, only a very limited number of scenarios, algorithm configurations and hyper-parameter settings are explored, leading to incomplete and often biased insights and results. This paper presents a novel approach we call explainable benchmarking. Introducing the IOH-Xplainer software framework, for analyzing and understanding the performance of various optimization algorithms and the impact of their different components and hyper-parameters. We showcase the framework in the context of two modular optimization frameworks. Through this framework, we examine the impact of different algorithmic components and configurations, offering insights into their performance across diverse scenarios. We provide a systematic method for evaluating and interpreting the behaviour and efficiency of iterative optimization heuristics in a more transparent and comprehensible manner, allowing for better benchmarking and algorithm design.

pdf/explainable-benchmarking-for-iterative-optimization-3b5516beix.pdf

Explainable Benchmarking for Iterative Optimization Heuristics

A metaheuristic is a collection of algorithmic concepts that can be used to define heuristic methods applicable to a wide set of optimization problems for which exact/analytical approaches are either limited or impractical. In other words, a metaheuristic can be considered a general algorithmic framework that can be easily adapted to different optimization problems. In this article, we discuss the two main approaches used to create new metaheuristics: manual design, which is based on the designer’s “intuition” and often involves looking for inspiration in other fields of knowledge, and automatic design, which seeks to reduce human involvement in the design process by harnessing recent advances in automatic algorithm configuration methods. In this context, we discuss the trend of manually designed “novel” metaphor-based metaheuristics inspired by natural, artificial, and even supernatural behaviors. In recent years, this trend has been strongly criticized due to the uselessness of new metaphors in devising truly novel algorithms and the confusion such metaheuristics have created in the literature. We then present automatic design as a powerful alternative to manual design that has the potential to render the “novel” metaphor-based metaheuristics trend obsolete. Finally, we examine several fundamental aspects of the field of metaheuristics and offer suggestions for improving them. 

Designing New Metaheuristics: Manual versus Automatic Approaches

New contributions in the field of iterative optimisation heuristics are often made in an iterative manner. Novel algorithmic ideas are not proposed in isolation, but usually as an extension of a preexisting algorithm. Although these contributions are often compared to the base algorithm, it is challenging to make fair comparisons between larger sets of algorithm variants. This happens because even small changes in the experimental setup, parameter settings, or implementation details can cause results to become incomparable. Modular algorithms offer a way to overcome these challenges. By implementing the algorithmic modifications into a common framework, many algorithm variants can be compared, while ensuring that implementation details match in all versions. In this work, we propose a version of a modular framework for the popular Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm. We show that this modular approach not only aids in comparison, but also allows for a much more detailed exploration of the space of possible DE variants. This is illustrated by showing that tuning the settings of modular DE vastly outperforms a set of commonly used DE versions which have been recreated in our framework. We then investigate these tuned algorithms in detail, highlighting the relation between modules and performance on particular problems.

pdf/modular-differential-evolution-3mgekzbk.pdf

Modular Differential Evolution

New contributions in the field of iterative optimisation heuristics are often made in an iterative manner. Novel algorithmic ideas are not proposed in isolation, but usually as extensions of a preexisting algorithm. Although these contributions are often compared to the base algorithm, it is challenging to make fair comparisons between larger sets of algorithm variants. This happens because even small changes in the experimental setup, parameter settings, or implementation details can cause results to become incomparable. Modular algorithms offer a way to overcome these challenges. By implementing the algorithmic modifications into a common framework, many algorithm variants can be compared, while ensuring that implementation details match in all versions. 

The success of metaheuristic optimization methods has led to the development of a large variety of algorithm paradigms. However, no algorithm clearly dominates all its competitors on all problems. Instead, the underlying variety of landscapes of optimization problems calls for a variety of algorithms to solve them efficiently. It is thus of prior importance to have access to mature and flexible software frameworks which allow for an efficient exploration of the algorithm design space. Such frameworks should be flexible enough to accommodate any kind of metaheuristics, and open enough to connect with higher-level optimization, monitoring and evaluation softwares. This article summarizes the features of the Paradiseo framework, a comprehensive C++ free software which targets the development of modular metaheuristics. Paradiseo provides a highly modular architecture, a large set of components, speed of execution and automated algorithm design features, which are key to modern approaches to metaheuristics development.

Paradiseo: from a modular framework for evolutionary computation to the automated design of metaheuristics: 22 years of Paradiseo

The success of metaheuristic optimization methods has led to the development of a large variety of algorithm paradigms. However, no algorithm clearly dominates all its competitors on all problems. Instead, the underlying variety of landscapes of optimization problems calls for a variety of algorithms to solve them efficiently. It is thus of prior importance to have access to mature and flexible software frameworks which allow for an efficient exploration of the algorithm design space. Such frameworks should be flexible enough to accommodate any kind of metaheuristics, and open enough to connect with higher-level optimization, monitoring and evaluation softwares. This article summarizes the features of the ParadisEO framework, a comprehensive C++ free software which targets the development of modular metaheuristics. ParadisEO provides a highly modular architecture, a large set of components, speed of execution and automated algorithm design features, which are key to modern approaches to metaheuristics development.

Paradiseo: From a Modular Framework for Evolutionary Computation to the Automated Design of Metaheuristics ---22 Years of Paradiseo---

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Paradiseo: from a modular framework for evolutionary computation to the automated design of metaheuristics: 22 years of Paradiseo

Paradiseo: From a Modular Framework for Evolutionary Computation to the Automated Design of Metaheuristics ---22 Years of Paradiseo---