ClustOpt: A Clustering-based Approach for Representing and Visualizing the Search Dynamics of Numerical Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithms

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Main Authors: Cenikj, Gjorgjina, Petelin, Gašper, Eftimov, Tome
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Cenikj, Gjorgjina
Petelin, Gašper
Eftimov, Tome
author_facet Cenikj, Gjorgjina
Petelin, Gašper
Eftimov, Tome
contents Understanding the behavior of numerical metaheuristic optimization algorithms is critical for advancing their development and application. Traditional visualization techniques, such as convergence plots, trajectory mapping, and fitness landscape analysis, often fall short in illustrating the structural dynamics of the search process, especially in high-dimensional or complex solution spaces. To address this, we propose a novel representation and visualization methodology that clusters solution candidates explored by the algorithm and tracks the evolution of cluster memberships across iterations, offering a dynamic and interpretable view of the search process. Additionally, we introduce two metrics - algorithm stability and algorithm similarity- to quantify the consistency of search trajectories across runs of an individual algorithm and the similarity between different algorithms, respectively. We apply this methodology to a set of ten numerical metaheuristic algorithms, revealing insights into their stability and comparative behaviors, thereby providing a deeper understanding of their search dynamics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_02337
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle ClustOpt: A Clustering-based Approach for Representing and Visualizing the Search Dynamics of Numerical Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithms
Cenikj, Gjorgjina
Petelin, Gašper
Eftimov, Tome
Neural and Evolutionary Computing
Artificial Intelligence
Understanding the behavior of numerical metaheuristic optimization algorithms is critical for advancing their development and application. Traditional visualization techniques, such as convergence plots, trajectory mapping, and fitness landscape analysis, often fall short in illustrating the structural dynamics of the search process, especially in high-dimensional or complex solution spaces. To address this, we propose a novel representation and visualization methodology that clusters solution candidates explored by the algorithm and tracks the evolution of cluster memberships across iterations, offering a dynamic and interpretable view of the search process. Additionally, we introduce two metrics - algorithm stability and algorithm similarity- to quantify the consistency of search trajectories across runs of an individual algorithm and the similarity between different algorithms, respectively. We apply this methodology to a set of ten numerical metaheuristic algorithms, revealing insights into their stability and comparative behaviors, thereby providing a deeper understanding of their search dynamics.
title ClustOpt: A Clustering-based Approach for Representing and Visualizing the Search Dynamics of Numerical Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithms
topic Neural and Evolutionary Computing
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.02337