Omni-optimizer: A generic evolutionary algorithm for single and multi-objective optimization

Due to the vagaries of optimization problems encountered in practice, users resort to different algorithms for solving different optimization problems. In this paper, we suggest and evaluate an optimization procedure which specializes in solving a wide variety of optimization problems. The proposed algorithm is designed as a generic multi-objective, multi-optima optimizer. Care has been taken while designing the algorithm such that it automatically degenerates to efficient algorithms for solving other simpler optimization problems, such as single-objective uni-optimal problems, single-objective multi-optima problems and multi-objective uni-optimal problems. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm in solving various problems is demonstrated on a number of test problems chosen from the literature. Because of its efficiency in handling different types of problems with equal ease, this algorithm should find increasing use in real-world optimization problems.