Table of metaheuristics

This is a chronological table of metaheuristic algorithms that only contains fundamental computational intelligence algorithms. Hybrid algorithms and multi-objective algorithms are not listed in the table below.

Categories

• Evolutionary-based
• Trajectory-based
• Nature-inspired
  • Swarm-based
  • Bio-inspired
  • Physics/Chemistry-based
  • Human-based
  • Plant-based
• Art-inspired
• Ancient-inspired

The table

Name	Abbreviation	Main category	Subcategory	Year published	Ref.
Simulated Annealing	SA	Trajectory-based	-	1983	[1]
Tabu Search	TS	Trajectory-based	-	1989	[2]
Genetic Algorithm	GA	Evolutionary-based	-	1992	[3]
Evolutionary Algorithm	EA	Evolutionary-based	-	1994
Cultural Algorithm	CA			1994	[4]
Particle Swarm Optimization	PSO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	1995	[5]
Differential Evaluation	DE	Evolutionary-based	-	1997	[6]
Local Search	LS			1997
Variable neighborhood search	VNS	Trajectory-based	-	1997	[7]
Guided Local Search	GLS	Trajectory-based	-	1998	[8]
Clonal Selection Algorithm	CSA	Evolutionary-based	-	2000	[9]
Harmony Search	HS	Evolutionary-based	-	2001	[10]
Memetic Algorithm	MA	Evolutionary-based	-	2002
Iterative Local Search	ILS	Trajectory-based	-	2003	[11]
Artificial Bee Colony	ABC	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2005	[12]
Ant Colony Optimization	ACO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2006	[13]
Glowworm Swarm Optimization	GSO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2006	[14]
Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm	SFLA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2006	[15]
Invasive Weed Optimization	IWO	Nature-inspired	Plant-based	2006	[16]
Seeker Optimization Algorithm	SOA	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2006	[17]
Imperialistic Competitive Algorithm	ICA	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2007	[18]
Central Force Optimization	CFO			2007	[19]
Biogeography Based Optimization	BBO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2008	[20]
Firefly Algorithm	FA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2008	[21]
Intelligent Water Drops	IWD	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2008	[22]
Monkey Algorithm	MA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2008	[23]
Cuckoo Search	CS	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2009	[24]
Group Search Optimizer	GSO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2009	[25]
Key Cutting Algorithm	KCA			2009	[26]
Hunting Search	HS	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2009	[27]
Chemical Reaction Optimization	CRO	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2009	[28]
Bat Algorithm	BA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2010	[29]
Charged System Search	CSS	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2010	[30]
Eagle Strategy	ES	Nature-inspired		2010
Fireworks Algorithm	FWA			2010	[31]
Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm	COA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2011	[32]
Stochastic Diffusion Search	SDS			2011
Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization	TLBO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2011	[33]
Bacterial Colony Optimization	BCO			2012	[34]
Fruit Fly Optimization	FFO			2012
Krill Herd Algorithm	KHA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2012	[35]
Migrating Birds Optimization	MBO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2012	[36]
Water Cycle Algorithm	WCA			2012
Backtracking Search Algorithm	BSA	Evolutionary-based	-	2013	[37]
Black Hole Algorithm	BH	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2013	[38]
Dolphin Echolocation	DE	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2013	[39]
Animal Migration Optimization	AMO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2013	[40]
Keshtel Algorithm	KA	Nature-inspired		2014	[41]
SDA Optimization Algorithm	SDA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2014	[42]
Artificial Root Foraging Algorithm	ARFA	Nature-inspired	Plant-based	2014	[43]
Bumble Bees Mating Optimization	BBMO			2014
Chicken Swarm Optimization	CSO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2014	[44]
Colliding Bodies Optimization	CBO			2014	[45]
Coral Reefs Optimization Algorithm	CROA			2014
Flower Pollination Algorithm	FPA	Nature-inspired	Plant-based	2014	[46]
Radial Movement Optimization	RMO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2014	[47]
Spider Monkey Optimization	SMO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2014	[48]
Soccer League Competition	SLC	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2014	[49]
Artificial Algae Algorithm	AAA			2015	[50]
Adaptive Dimensional Search	ADS			2015
Alienated Ant Algorithm	AAA			2015
Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm	AFSA	Nature-inspired		2015
Bottlenose Dolphin Optimization	BDO	Nature-inspired		2015	[51]
Cricket Algorithm	CA			2015	[52]
Elephant Search Algorithm	ESA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2015	[53]
Grey Wolf Optimizer	GWO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2015	[54]
Jaguar Algorithm	JA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2015	[55]
Locust Swarm Algorithm	LSA	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2015	[56]
Moth-Flame Optimization	MFO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2015	[57]
Stochastic Fractal Search	SFF	Evolutionary-based	-	2015	[58]
Vortex Search Algorithm	VSA	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2015	[59]
Water Wave Optimization	WWA	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2015	[60]
Ant Lion Optimizer	ALO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2015	[61]
African Buffalo Optimization	ABO	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2015	[62]
Lightning Search Algorithm	LSA	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2015	[63]
Across Neighborhood Search	ANS	Evolutionary-based	-	2016	[64]
Crow Search Algorithm	CSA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2016	[65]
Electromagnetic Field Optimization	EFO	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2016	[66]
Joint Operations Algorithm	JOA	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2016	[67]
Lion Optimization Algorithm	LOA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2016	[68]
Sine Cosine Algorithm	SCA	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2016	[69]
Virus Colony Search	VCS	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2016	[70]
Whale Optimization Algorithm	WOA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2016	[71]
Red Deer Algorithm	RDA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2016	[72]
Phototropic Optimization Algorithm	POA	Nature-inspired	Plant-based	2018	[73]
Coyote Optimization Algorithm	COA	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2018	[74]
Owl Search Algorithm	OSA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2018	[75]
Squirrel Search Algorithm	SSA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2018	[76]
Social Engineering Optimizer	SEO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2018	[77]
Emperor Penguin Optimizer	EPO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2018	[78]
Socio Evolution and Learning Optimization	SELO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2018	[79]
Future Search Algorithm	FSA	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2019	[80]
Emperor Penguins Colony	EPC	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2019	[81]
Thermal Exchange Optimization	TEO	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2019	[82]
Harris Hawks Optimization	HHO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2019	[83]
Political Optimizer	PO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2020	[84]
Heap-Based Optimizer	HBO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2020	[85]
Color Harmony Algorithm	CHA	Art-inspired	Color-based	2020	[86]
Stochastic Paint Optimizer	SPO	Art-inspired	Color-based	2020	[87]
Mayfly Optimization Algorithm	MOA	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2020	[88]
Giza Pyramids Construction	GPC	Ancient-inspired	-	2020	[89]
Fire Hawk Optimizer	FHO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2022	[90]
Flying Fox Optimization Algorithm	FFO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2023	[91]
Waterwheel Plant Algorithm	WWPA	Nature-inspired	Plant-based	2023	[92]
Energy Valley Optimizer	EVO	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2023	[93]
Special Forces Algorithm	SFA	Nature-inspired	Swarm-based	2023	[94]
Squid Game Optimizer	SGO	Nature-inspired	Human-based	2023	[95]
Snow Ablation Optimizer	SAO	Nature-inspired	Physics/Chemistry-based	2023	[96]
Spider Wasp Optimization	SWO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2023	[97]
Dujiangyan Irrigation System	DISO	Ancient-inspired	-	2023	[98]
Great Wall Construction Algorithm	GWCA	Ancient-inspired	-	2023	[99]
Puma Optimizer	PO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2024	[100]
Walrus Optimizer	WO	Nature-inspired	Bio-inspired	2024	[101]