Genetic programming (another name for evolutionary systems) creates generations of computer programs "using the principles of Darwinian natural selection and biologically inspired operations. The operations include reproduction, crossover (sexual recombination), mutation, and architecture-altering operations patterned after gene duplication and gene deletion in nature." – Genetic Programming, Inc.
However, only the smooth setting was considered. To close this gap, we introduce and analyze O-ZD, the first structured finite-difference algorithm for non-smooth black-box optimization.
Withaback-offstrategyin the SGD step and an elitist strategy in the evolution step, it guarantees that the best fitness in the population will never degrade.