BRKGA-MP-IPR Guide and Documentation - Python version¶
BRKGA-MP-IPR provides a _very easy-to-use_ framework for the Multi-Parent Biased Random-Key Genetic Algorithm with Implict Path Relink (BRKGA-MP-IPR). Assuming that your have a decoder to your problem, we can setup, run, and extract the value of the best solution in less than 5 commands (obvisiously, you may need few other lines fo code to do a proper test).
This Python version is very flexible and suitable for prototyping. However, it is not as fast as the C++ version or the Julia version. Moreover, due to Python Interpreter limitations (see https://wiki.python.org/moin/GlobalInterpreterLock), real multithread is not possible, defeating the BRKGA’s capability of parallel decoding, which speeds up the optimization by large paces.
If Python is not suitable to you, we may find useful the C++ version or the Julia version of this framework. At this moment, we have no plans to implement the BRKGA-MP-IPR in other languages such as Java or C#. But if you want to do so, you are must welcome. But please, keep the API as close as possible to the C++ API (or Julia API in case you decide go C), and use the best coding and documentation practices of your chosen language/framework.
If you are not familiar with how BRKGA works, take a look on Standard BRKGA and Multi-Parent BRKGA. In the future, we will provide a Prime on BRKGA-MP section. If you know what elite set, decoder, and so means, we can get to the guts on the Guide.
License and Citing¶
BRKGA-MP-IPR uses a permissive BSD-like license and it can be used as it pleases you. And since this framework is also part of an academic effort, we kindly ask you to remember to cite the originating paper of this work. Indeed, Clause 4 estipulates that “all publications, softwares, or any other materials mentioning features or use of this software (as a whole package or any parts of it) and/or the data used to test it must cite the following article explicitly:”:
C.E. Andrade. R.F. Toso, J.F. Gonçalves, M.G.C. Resende. The Multi-Parent Biased Random-key Genetic Algorithm with Implicit Path Relinking. European Journal of Operational Research, volume 289, number 1, pages 17–30, 2021. DOI 10.1016/j.ejor.2019.11.037
About the logo¶
The logo is just a play with 3 chromosomes crossing with each other (multi-parent) during the mating process. The lines also represent solutions paths that encounter with each other generating new solutions during the path-relink