A hybrid optimizer based on backtracking search and differential evolution for continuous optimization

This paper introduces a novel hybridisation technique combining the Backtracking Search (BS) and Differential Evolution (DE) algorithms. The proposed hybridisation executes diversity loss and stagnation detection mechanisms to maintain the diversity of the populations, in addition, modifications are done over the mutation operators of the component algorithms in order to improve the search capability of the proposal. These modifications are self-adapted and implemented simultaneously. Extensive experiments to establish the optimal configuration of the parameters are also presented through the introduced technique. The proposed hybridisation approach has been applied to five classical versions and two state-of-the-art variants of DE and tested against 28 well-known benchmark functions with different dimensions, each type of which highlights a different set of characteristics and provides a baseline measurement to validate the performance of the algorithms. In order to further test the proposal, the four outstanding algorithms in the state of the art have also been included in the comparisons. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid framework over the compared algorithms.