An Improved Cuckoo Search Algorithm Utilizing Nonlinear Inertia Weight and Differential Evolution for Function Optimization Problem

This paper proposes an improved cuckoo search (CS) algorithm combining nonlinear inertial weight and differential evolution algorithm (WCSDE) to overcome the shortcomings of the CS algorithm, such as low convergence accuracy, lack of information exchange within the population, and inadequate local search capabilities. Compared with other CS variants, two strategies are proposed in this paper to improve the properties of the WCSDE. On the one hand, a non-linearly decreasing inertia weight with the number of evolutionary iterations is employed in the WCSDE to improve the update method of the bird’s nest position, enhance the balance between the exploration and development capabilities, and strengthen the local optimization capability. On the other hand, the mutation and cross-selection mechanisms of the differential evolution (DE) algorithm are introduced to make up for the lack of the mutual relationship between the populations, avoid the loss of practical information, and increase the convergence accuracy. In the experiment part, 13 classic benchmark functions are selected to execute the function optimization tasks among the standard CS, the WCSDE, and other four CS variants to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm from two aspects. The results and corresponding statistical analysis reveal that the proposed algorithm has better global search ability and strengthener robustness.