Classical Search Algorithm Using Nature Inspired

Computing
Name: Bhagyashree S.B USN: 4PA07IS013
Metaheuristic designates a computational method that optimizes a problem by
iteratively trying to improve a candidate in a set of possible solution for a given problem with
regard to a given measure of quality. Metaheuristics make few or no assumptions about the
problem being optimized and can search very large spaces of candidate solutions.
Metaheuristics do not guarantee an optimal solution is ever found.

Metaheuristics are used for combinatorial optimization in which an optimal solution is sought
over a discrete search-space. An example problem is the travelling salesman problem where
the search-space of candidate solutions grows more than exponentially as the size of the
problem increases which makes an exhaustive search for the optimal solution infeasible. The
metaheuristics for combinatorial problems include simulated annealing, genetic algorithms,
ant colony optimization and tabu search. Metaheuristics are also used for problems over real-
valued search-spaces, where the classic way of optimization is to derive the gradient of the
function to be optimized and then employ gradient descent or a quasi-Newton method.
Metaheuristics do not use the gradient or Hessian matrix so their advantage is that the
function to be optimized need not be continuous or differentiable and it can also have
constraints. Popular metaheuristic optimizers for real-valued search-spaces include particle
swarm optimization, differential evolution and evolution strategies.

Genetic algorithm (GA) is a search heuristic that mimics the process of natural evolution.
This heuristic is used to generate useful solutions to optimization and search problems.
Genetic algorithms generate solutions to optimization problems using techniques inspired by
natural evolution, such as inheritance, mutation, selection, and crossover. The stages in
genetic algorithm are as follows: initialization, selection, reproduction and termination.

Genetic algorithms find application in bioinformatics, phylogenetics, computational science,

engineering, economics, chemistry, manufacturing, mathematics, physics etc.