# 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 |
| Simulated Annealing | SA | Trajectory-based | - | 1983 |
| Tabu Search | TS | Trajectory-based | - | 1989 |
| Genetic Algorithm | GA | Evolutionary-based | - | 1992 |
| Evolutionary Algorithm | EA | Evolutionary-based | - | 1994 |
| Cultural Algorithm | CA | | | 1994 |
| Particle Swarm Optimization | PSO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 1995 |
| Differential Evaluation | DE | Evolutionary-based | - | 1997 |
| Local Search | LS | | | 1997 |
| Variable neighborhood search | VNS | Trajectory-based | - | 1997 |
| Guided Local Search | GLS | Trajectory-based | - | 1998 |
| Clonal Selection Algorithm | CSA | Evolutionary-based | - | 2000 |
| Harmony Search | HS | Evolutionary-based | - | 2001 |
| Memetic Algorithm | MA | Evolutionary-based | - | 2002 |
| Iterative Local Search | ILS | Trajectory-based | - | 2003 |
| Artificial Bee Colony | ABC | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2005 |
| Ant Colony Optimization | ACO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2006 |
| Glowworm Swarm Optimization | GSO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2006 |
| Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm | SFLA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2006 |
| Invasive Weed Optimization | IWO | Nature-inspired | Plant-based | 2006 |
| Seeker Optimization Algorithm | SOA | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2006 |
| Imperialistic Competitive Algorithm | ICA | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2007 |
| Central Force Optimization | CFO | | | 2007 |
| Biogeography Based Optimization | BBO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2008 |
| Firefly Algorithm | FA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2008 |
| Intelligent Water Drops | IWD | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2008 |
| Monkey Algorithm | MA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2008 |
| Cuckoo Search | CS | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2009 |
| Group Search Optimizer | GSO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2009 |
| Key Cutting Algorithm | KCA | | | 2009 |
| Hunting Search | HS | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2009 |
| Chemical Reaction Optimization | CRO | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2009 |
| Bat Algorithm | BA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2010 |
| Charged System Search | CSS | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2010 |
| Eagle Strategy | ES | Nature-inspired | | 2010 |
| Fireworks Algorithm | FWA | | | 2010 |
| Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm | COA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2011 |
| Stochastic Diffusion Search | SDS | | | 2011 |
| Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization | TLBO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2011 |
| Bacterial Colony Optimization | BCO | | | 2012 |
| Fruit Fly Optimization | FFO | | | 2012 |
| Krill Herd Algorithm | KHA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2012 |
| Migrating Birds Optimization | MBO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2012 |
| Water Cycle Algorithm | WCA | | | 2012 |
| Backtracking Search Algorithm | BSA | Evolutionary-based | - | 2013 |
| Black Hole Algorithm | BH | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2013 |
| Dolphin Echolocation | DE | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2013 |
| Animal Migration Optimization | AMO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2013 |
| Keshtel Algorithm | KA | Nature-inspired | | 2014 |
| SDA Optimization Algorithm | SDA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2014 |
| Artificial Root Foraging Algorithm | ARFA | Nature-inspired | Plant-based | 2014 |
| Bumble Bees Mating Optimization | BBMO | | | 2014 |
| Chicken Swarm Optimization | CSO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2014 |
| Colliding Bodies Optimization | CBO | | | 2014 |
| Coral Reefs Optimization Algorithm | CROA | | | 2014 |
| Flower Pollination Algorithm | FPA | Nature-inspired | Plant-based | 2014 |
| Radial Movement Optimization | RMO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2014 |
| Spider Monkey Optimization | SMO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2014 |
| Soccer League Competition | SLC | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2014 |
| Artificial Algae Algorithm | AAA | | | 2015 |
| 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 |
| Cricket Algorithm | CA | | | 2015 |
| Elephant Search Algorithm | ESA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2015 |
| Grey Wolf Optimizer | GWO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2015 |
| Jaguar Algorithm | JA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2015 |
| Locust Swarm Algorithm | LSA | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2015 |
| Moth-Flame Optimization | MFO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2015 |
| Stochastic Fractal Search | SFF | Evolutionary-based | - | 2015 |
| Vortex Search Algorithm | VSA | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2015 |
| Water Wave Optimization | WWA | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2015 |
| Ant Lion Optimizer | ALO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2015 |
| African Buffalo Optimization | ABO | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2015 |
| Lightning Search Algorithm | LSA | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2015 |
| Across Neighborhood Search | ANS | Evolutionary-based | - | 2016 |
| Crow Search Algorithm | CSA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2016 |
| Electromagnetic Field Optimization | EFO | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2016 |
| Joint Operations Algorithm | JOA | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2016 |
| Lion Optimization Algorithm | LOA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2016 |
| Sine Cosine Algorithm | SCA | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2016 |
| Virus Colony Search | VCS | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2016 |
| Whale Optimization Algorithm | WOA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2016 |
| Red Deer Algorithm | RDA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2016 |
| Phototropic Optimization Algorithm | POA | Nature-inspired | Plant-based | 2018 |
| Coyote Optimization Algorithm | COA | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2018 |
| Owl Search Algorithm | OSA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2018 |
| Squirrel Search Algorithm | SSA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2018 |
| Social Engineering Optimizer | SEO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2018 |
| Emperor Penguin Optimizer | EPO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2018 |
| Socio Evolution and Learning Optimization | SELO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2018 |
| Future Search Algorithm | FSA | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2019 |
| Emperor Penguins Colony | EPC | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2019 |
| Thermal Exchange Optimization | TEO | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2019 |
| Harris Hawks Optimization | HHO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2019 |
| Political Optimizer | PO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2020 |
| Heap-Based Optimizer | HBO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2020 |
| Color Harmony Algorithm | CHA | Art-inspired | Color-based | 2020 |
| Stochastic Paint Optimizer | SPO | Art-inspired | Color-based | 2020 |
| Mayfly Optimization Algorithm | MOA | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2020 |
| Giza Pyramids Construction | GPC | Ancient-inspired | - | 2020 |
| Fire Hawk Optimizer | FHO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2022 |
| Flying Fox Optimization Algorithm | FFO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2023 |
| Waterwheel Plant Algorithm | WWPA | Nature-inspired | Plant-based | 2023 |
| Energy Valley Optimizer | EVO | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2023 |
| Special Forces Algorithm | SFA | Nature-inspired | Swarm-based | 2023 |
| Squid Game Optimizer | SGO | Nature-inspired | Human-based | 2023 |
| Snow Ablation Optimizer | SAO | Nature-inspired | Physics/Chemistry-based | 2023 |
| Spider Wasp Optimization | SWO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2023 |
| Dujiangyan Irrigation System | DISO | Ancient-inspired | - | 2023 |
| Great Wall Construction Algorithm | GWCA | Ancient-inspired | - | 2023 |
| Puma Optimizer | PO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2024 |
| Walrus Optimizer | WO | Nature-inspired | Bio-inspired | 2024 |