PyVRP¶
The top-level pyvrp
module exposes several core classes needed to run the VRP solver.
These include the core GeneticAlgorithm
, and the Population
that manages a Solution
pool.
Most classes take parameter objects that allow for advanced configuration - but sensible defaults are also provided.
Finally, after running, the GeneticAlgorithm
returns a Result
object.
This object can be used to obtain the best observed solution, and detailed runtime statistics.
Hint
Have a look at the examples to see how these classes relate!
- class Model¶
A simple interface for modelling vehicle routing problems with PyVRP.
- Attributes:¶
locations
Returns all locations (depots and clients) in the current model.
vehicle_types
Returns the vehicle types in the current model.
Methods
add_client
(x, y[, demand, service_duration, ...])Adds a client with the given attributes to the model.
add_depot
(x, y[, tw_early, tw_late])Adds a depot with the given attributes to the model.
add_edge
(frm, to, distance[, duration])Adds an edge \((i, j)\) between
frm
(\(i\)) andto
(\(j\)).add_vehicle_type
(capacity, num_available)Adds a vehicle type with the given number of available vehicles of given capacity to the model.
data
()Creates and returns a
ProblemData
instance from this model's attributes.from_data
(data)Constructs a model instance from the given data.
solve
(stop[, seed])Solve this model.
- property locations : list[Client]¶
Returns all locations (depots and clients) in the current model. The clients in the routes of the solution returned by
solve()
can be used to index these locations.
- property vehicle_types : list[VehicleType]¶
Returns the vehicle types in the current model. The routes of the solution returned by
solve()
have a propertyvehicle_type()
that can be used to index these vehicle types.
- classmethod from_data(data: ProblemData) Model ¶
Constructs a model instance from the given data.
-
add_client(x: int, y: int, demand: int =
0
, service_duration: int =0
, tw_early: int =0
, tw_late: int =0
, release_time: int =0
, prize: int =0
, required: bool =True
) Client ¶ Adds a client with the given attributes to the model. Returns the created
Client
instance.
-
add_depot(x: int, y: int, tw_early: int =
0
, tw_late: int =0
) Client ¶ Adds a depot with the given attributes to the model. Returns the created
Client
instance.Warning
PyVRP does not yet support multi-depot VRPs. For now, only one depot can be added to the model.
-
add_edge(frm: Client, to: Client, distance: int, duration: int =
0
) Edge ¶ Adds an edge \((i, j)\) between
frm
(\(i\)) andto
(\(j\)). The edge can be given distance and duration attributes. Distance is required, but the default duration is zero. Returns the created edge.- Raises:¶
ValueError
When either distance or duration is a negative value.
- add_vehicle_type(capacity: int, num_available: int) VehicleType ¶
Adds a vehicle type with the given number of available vehicles of given capacity to the model. Returns the created vehicle type.
- Raises:¶
ValueError
When the number of available vehicles or capacity is not a positive value.
- data() ProblemData ¶
Creates and returns a
ProblemData
instance from this model’s attributes.
- class Edge(frm: Client, to: Client, distance: int, duration: int)¶
Stores an edge connecting two locations.
- Attributes:¶
- distance
- duration
- frm
- to
-
class GeneticAlgorithmParams(repair_probability: float =
0.8
, nb_iter_no_improvement: int =20000
)¶ Parameters for the genetic algorithm.
- Parameters:¶
- repair_probability
Probability (in \([0, 1]\)) of repairing an infeasible solution. If the reparation makes the solution feasible, it is also added to the population in the same iteration.
- nb_iter_no_improvement
Number of iterations without any improvement needed before a restart occurs.
- Raises:¶
ValueError
When
repair_probability
is not in \([0, 1]\), ornb_iter_no_improvement
is negative.
- Attributes:¶
- repair_probability
Probability of repairing an infeasible solution.
- nb_iter_no_improvement
Number of iterations without improvement before a restart occurs.
-
class GeneticAlgorithm(data: ProblemData, penalty_manager: PenaltyManager, rng: RandomNumberGenerator, population: Population, search_method: SearchMethod, crossover_op: CrossoverOperator, initial_solutions: Collection[Solution], params: GeneticAlgorithmParams =
GeneticAlgorithmParams(repair_probability=0.8, nb_iter_no_improvement=20000)
)¶ Creates a GeneticAlgorithm instance.
- Parameters:¶
- data
Data object describing the problem to be solved.
- penalty_manager
Penalty manager to use.
- rng
Random number generator.
- population
Population to use.
- search_method
Search method to use.
- crossover_op
Crossover operator to use for generating offspring.
- initial_solutions
Initial solutions to use to initialise the population.
- params
Genetic algorithm parameters. If not provided, a default will be used.
- Raises:¶
ValueError
When the population is empty.
Methods
run
(stop)Runs the genetic algorithm with the provided stopping criterion.
- run(stop: StoppingCriterion)¶
Runs the genetic algorithm with the provided stopping criterion.
-
class PenaltyParams(init_capacity_penalty: int =
20
, init_time_warp_penalty: int =6
, repair_booster: int =12
, num_registrations_between_penalty_updates: int =50
, penalty_increase: float =1.34
, penalty_decrease: float =0.32
, target_feasible: float =0.43
)¶ The penalty manager parameters.
- Parameters:¶
- init_capacity_penalty
Initial penalty on excess capacity. This is the amount by which one unit of excess load capacity is penalised in the objective, at the start of the search.
- init_time_warp_penalty
Initial penalty on time warp. This is the amount by which one unit of time warp (time window violations) is penalised in the objective, at the start of the search.
- repair_booster
A repair booster value \(r \ge 1\). This value is used to temporarily multiply the current penalty terms, to force feasibility. See also
get_booster_cost_evaluator()
.- num_registrations_between_penalty_updates
Number of feasibility registrations between penalty value updates. The penalty manager updates the penalty terms every once in a while based on recent feasibility registrations. This parameter controls how often such updating occurs.
- penalty_increase
Amount \(p_i \ge 1\) by which the current penalties are increased when insufficient feasible solutions (see
target_feasible
) have been found amongst the most recent registrations. The penalty values \(v\) are updated as \(v \gets p_i v\).- penalty_decrease
Amount \(p_d \in [0, 1]\) by which the current penalties are decreased when sufficient feasible solutions (see
target_feasible
) have been found amongst the most recent registrations. The penalty values \(v\) are updated as \(v \gets p_d v\).- target_feasible
Target percentage \(p_f \in [0, 1]\) of feasible registrations in the last
num_registrations_between_penalty_updates
registrations. This percentage is used to update the penalty terms: when insufficient feasible solutions have been registered, the penalties are increased; similarly, when too many feasible solutions have been registered, the penalty terms are decreased. This ensures a balanced population, with a fraction \(p_f\) feasible and a fraction \(1 - p_f\) infeasible solutions.
- Attributes:¶
- init_capacity_penalty
Initial penalty on excess capacity.
- init_time_warp_penalty
Initial penalty on time warp.
- repair_booster
A repair booster value.
- num_registrations_between_penalty_updates
Number of feasibility registrations between penalty value updates.
- penalty_increase
Amount \(p_i \ge 1\) by which the current penalties are increased when insufficient feasible solutions (see
target_feasible
) have been found amongst the most recent registrations.- penalty_decrease
Amount \(p_d \in [0, 1]\) by which the current penalties are decreased when sufficient feasible solutions (see
target_feasible
) have been found amongst the most recent registrations.- target_feasible
Target percentage \(p_f \in [0, 1]\) of feasible registrations in the last
num_registrations_between_penalty_updates
registrations.
-
class PenaltyManager(params: PenaltyParams =
PenaltyParams(init_capacity_penalty=20, init_time_warp_penalty=6, repair_booster=12, num_registrations_between_penalty_updates=50, penalty_increase=1.34, penalty_decrease=0.32, target_feasible=0.43)
)¶ Creates a PenaltyManager instance.
This class manages time warp and load penalties, and provides penalty terms for given time warp and load values. It updates these penalties based on recent history, and can be used to provide a temporary penalty booster object that increases the penalties for a short duration.
- Parameters:¶
- params, optional
PenaltyManager parameters. If not provided, a default will be used.
Methods
Get a cost evaluator for the boosted current penalty values.
Get a cost evaluator for the current penalty values.
register_load_feasible
(is_load_feasible)Registers another capacity feasibility result.
register_time_feasible
(is_time_feasible)Registers another time feasibility result.
- register_load_feasible(is_load_feasible: bool)¶
Registers another capacity feasibility result. The current load penalty is updated once sufficiently many results have been gathered.
- Parameters:¶
- is_load_feasible
Boolean indicating whether the last solution was feasible w.r.t. the capacity constraint.
- register_time_feasible(is_time_feasible: bool)¶
Registers another time feasibility result. The current time warp penalty is updated once sufficiently many results have been gathered.
- Parameters:¶
- is_time_feasible
Boolean indicating whether the last solution was feasible w.r.t. the time constraint.
- get_cost_evaluator() CostEvaluator ¶
Get a cost evaluator for the current penalty values.
- Returns:¶
CostEvaluator
A CostEvaluator instance that uses the current penalty values.
- class PopulationParams¶
- Attributes:¶
- generation_size
- lb_diversity
- max_pop_size
- min_pop_size
- nb_close
- nb_elite
- ub_diversity
- class Population(diversity_op: Callable[[Solution, Solution], float], params: PopulationParams = <pyvrp._pyvrp.PopulationParams object>)¶
Creates a Population instance.
- Parameters:¶
- diversity_op
Operator to use to determine pairwise diversity between solutions. Have a look at
pyvrp.diversity
for available operators.- params, optional
Population parameters. If not provided, a default will be used.
Methods
add
(solution, cost_evaluator)Adds the given solution to the population.
clear
()Clears the population by removing all solutions currently in the population.
get_tournament
(rng, cost_evaluator[, k])Selects a solution from this population by k-ary tournament, based on the (internal) fitness values of the selected solutions.
Returns the number of feasible solutions in the population.
Returns the number of infeasible solutions in the population.
select
(rng, cost_evaluator[, k])Selects two (if possible non-identical) parents by tournament, subject to a diversity restriction.
- __iter__() Generator[Solution, None, None] ¶
Iterates over the solutions contained in this population.
- add(solution: Solution, cost_evaluator: CostEvaluator)¶
Adds the given solution to the population. Survivor selection is automatically triggered when the population reaches its maximum size.
- Parameters:¶
- solution
Solution to add to the population.
- cost_evaluator
CostEvaluator to use to compute the cost.
- clear()¶
Clears the population by removing all solutions currently in the population.
-
select(rng: RandomNumberGenerator, cost_evaluator: CostEvaluator, k: int =
2
) tuple[Solution, Solution] ¶ Selects two (if possible non-identical) parents by tournament, subject to a diversity restriction.
-
get_tournament(rng: RandomNumberGenerator, cost_evaluator: CostEvaluator, k: int =
2
) Solution ¶ Selects a solution from this population by k-ary tournament, based on the (internal) fitness values of the selected solutions.
- read(where: str | ~pathlib.Path, instance_format: str = 'vrplib', round_func: str | ~typing.Callable[[~numpy.ndarray], ~numpy.ndarray] = <function no_rounding>) ProblemData ¶
Reads the VRPLIB file at the given location, and returns a ProblemData instance.
- Parameters:¶
- where
File location to read. Assumes the data on the given location is in VRPLIB format.
- instance_format, optional
File format of the instance to read, one of
'vrplib'
(default) or'solomon'
.- round_func, optional
Optional rounding function. Will be applied to round data if the data is not already integer. This can either be a function or a string:
'round'
rounds the values to the nearest integer;'trunc'
truncates the values to be integral;'trunc1'
or'dimacs'
scale and truncate to the nearest decimal;'none'
does no rounding. This is the default.
- Returns:¶
ProblemData
Data instance constructed from the read data.
- Raises:¶
TypeError
When
round_func
does not name a rounding function, or is not callable.ValueError
When the data file does not provide information on the problem size.
- read_solution(where: str | Path) list[list[int]] ¶
Reads a solution in VRPLIB format from file at the given location, and returns the routes contained in it.
- class Result(best: Solution, stats: Statistics, num_iterations: int, runtime: float)¶
Stores the outcomes of a single run. An instance of this class is returned once the GeneticAlgorithm completes.
- Parameters:¶
- best
The best observed solution.
- stats
A Statistics object containing runtime statistics.
- num_iterations
Number of iterations performed by the genetic algorithm.
- runtime
Total runtime of the main genetic algorithm loop.
- Raises:¶
ValueError
When the number of iterations or runtime are negative.
Methods
cost
()Returns the cost (objective) value of the best solution.
Returns whether the best solution is feasible.
- show_versions()¶
This function prints version information that is useful when filing bug reports.
Examples
Calling this function should print information like the following (dependency versions in your local installation will likely differ):
>>> import pyvrp >>> pyvrp.show_versions() INSTALLED VERSIONS ------------------ pyvrp: 1.0.0 numpy: 1.24.2 matplotlib: 3.7.0 vrplib: 1.0.1 tqdm: 4.64.1 tomli: 2.0.1 Python: 3.9.13
- class Statistics(runtimes: ~typing.List[float] = <factory>, num_iterations: int = 0, feas_stats: ~typing.List[~pyvrp.Statistics._Datum] = <factory>, infeas_stats: ~typing.List[~pyvrp.Statistics._Datum] = <factory>)¶
The Statistics object tracks various (population-level) statistics of genetic algorithm runs. This can be helpful in analysing the algorithm’s performance.
Methods
collect_from
(population, cost_evaluator)Collects statistics from the given population object.
from_csv
(where[, delimiter])Reads a Statistics object from the CSV file at the given filesystem location.
to_csv
(where[, delimiter, quoting])Writes this Statistics object to the given location, as a CSV file.
- collect_from(population: Population, cost_evaluator: CostEvaluator)¶
Collects statistics from the given population object.
- Parameters:¶
- population
Population instance to collect statistics from.
- cost_evaluator
CostEvaluator used to compute costs for solutions.
-
classmethod from_csv(where: Path | str, delimiter: str =
','
, **kwargs)¶ Reads a Statistics object from the CSV file at the given filesystem location.
- Parameters:¶
- where
Filesystem location to read from.
- delimiter
Value separator. Default comma.
- kwargs
Additional keyword arguments. These are passed to
csv.DictReader
.
- Returns:¶
Statistics
Statistics object populated with the data read from the given filesystem location.
-
to_csv(where: Path | str, delimiter: str =
','
, quoting: int =0
, **kwargs)¶ Writes this Statistics object to the given location, as a CSV file.
- Parameters:¶
- where
Filesystem location to write to.
- delimiter
Value separator. Default comma.
- quoting
Quoting strategy. Default only quotes values when necessary.
- kwargs
Additional keyword arguments. These are passed to
csv.DictWriter
.
- class CostEvaluator(capacity_penalty: int, tw_penalty: int)¶
Creates a CostEvaluator instance.
This class contains time warp and load penalties, and can compute penalties for a given time warp and load.
- Parameters:¶
- capacity_penalty
The penalty for each unit of excess load over the vehicle capacity.
- tw_penalty
The penalty for each unit of time warp.
Methods
cost
(self, solution)Evaluates and returns the cost/objective of the given solution.
load_penalty
(self, load, capacity)Computes the total excess capacity penalty for the given load.
penalised_cost
(self, solution)Computes a smoothed objective (penalised cost) for a given solution.
tw_penalty
(self, time_warp)Computes the time warp penalty for the given time warp.
- cost(self, solution: pyvrp._pyvrp.Solution) int ¶
Evaluates and returns the cost/objective of the given solution. Hand-waving some details, let \(x_{ij} \in \{ 0, 1 \}\) indicate if edge \((i, j)\) is used in the solution encoded by the given solution, and \(y_i \in \{ 0, 1 \}\) indicate if client \(i\) is visited. The objective is then given by
\[\sum_{(i, j)} d_{ij} x_{ij} + \sum_{i} p_i (1 - y_i),\]where the first part lists the distance costs, and the second part the prizes of the unvisited clients.
- load_penalty(self, load: int, capacity: int) int ¶
Computes the total excess capacity penalty for the given load.
- penalised_cost(self, solution: pyvrp._pyvrp.Solution) int ¶
Computes a smoothed objective (penalised cost) for a given solution.
- class Route(data: ProblemData, visits: list[int], vehicle_type: int)¶
A simple class that stores the route plan and some statistics.
Methods
centroid
(self)Center point of the client locations on this route.
demand
(self)Total client demand on this route.
distance
(self)Total distance travelled on this route.
duration
(self)Total route duration, including travel, service and waiting time.
end_time
(self)End time of the route.
excess_load
(self)Demand in excess of the vehicle's capacity.
has_excess_load
(self)has_time_warp
(self)is_feasible
(self)prizes
(self)Total prize value collected on this route.
release_time
(self)Earliest time at which this route can leave the depot.
service_duration
(self)Total duration of service on this route.
slack
(self)Time by which departure from the depot can be delayed without resulting in (additional) time warp or increased route duration.
start_time
(self)Start time of this route.
time_warp
(self)Amount of time warp incurred on this route.
travel_duration
(self)Total duration of travel on this route.
vehicle_type
(self)Index of the type of vehicle used on this route.
visits
(self)Route visits, as a list of clients.
wait_duration
(self)Total waiting duration on this route.
- end_time(self) int ¶
End time of the route. This is equivalent to
start_time + duration - time_warp
.
- release_time(self) int ¶
Earliest time at which this route can leave the depot. Follows from the release times of clients visited on this route.
Note
The route’s release time should not be later than its start time, unless the route has time warp.
- slack(self) int ¶
Time by which departure from the depot can be delayed without resulting in (additional) time warp or increased route duration.
- start_time(self) int ¶
Start time of this route. This is the earliest possible time at which the route can leave the depot and have a minimal duration and time warp. If there is positive
slack()
, the start time can be delayed by at mostslack()
time units without increasing the total (minimal) route duration, or time warp.Note
It may be possible to leave before the start time (if the depot time window allows for it). That will introduce additional waiting time, such that the route duration will then no longer be minimal. Delaying departure by more than
slack()
time units always increases time warp, which could turn the route infeasible.
- class Solution(data: ProblemData, routes: list[Route] | list[list[int]])¶
Encodes VRP solutions.
- Parameters:¶
- data
Data instance.
- routes
Route list to use. Can be a list of
Route
objects, or a lists of client visits. In case of the latter, all routes are assigned vehicles of the first type. That need not be a feasible assignment!
- Raises:¶
RuntimeError
When the given solution is invalid in one of several ways. In particular when the number of routes in the
routes
argument exceedsnum_vehicles
, when an empty route has been passed as part ofroutes
, when too many vehicles of a particular type have been used, or when a client is visited more than once.
Methods
distance
(self)Returns the total distance over all routes.
excess_load
(self)Returns the total excess load over all routes.
get_neighbours
(self)Returns a list of neighbours for each client, by index.
get_routes
(self)The solution's routing decisions.
has_excess_load
(self)Returns whether this solution violates capacity constraints.
has_time_warp
(self)Returns whether this solution violates time window constraints.
is_complete
(self)Returns whether this solution is complete, which it is when it has all required clients.
is_feasible
(self)Whether this solution is feasible.
make_random(
num_clients
(self)Number of clients in this solution.
num_routes
(self)Number of routes in this solution.
prizes
(self)Returns the total collected prize value over all routes.
time_warp
(self)Returns the total time warp load over all routes.
uncollected_prizes
(self)Total prize value of all clients not visited in this solution.
- get_neighbours(self) list[tuple[int, int]] ¶
Returns a list of neighbours for each client, by index. Also includes the depot at index 0, which only neighbours itself.
- get_routes(self) list[pyvrp._pyvrp.Route] ¶
The solution’s routing decisions.
- is_complete(self) bool ¶
Returns whether this solution is complete, which it is when it has all required clients.
- is_feasible(self) bool ¶
Whether this solution is feasible. This is a shorthand for checking
has_excess_load()
,has_time_warp()
, andis_complete()
.
- make_random()¶
- make_random(
data: ProblemData, rng: RandomNumberGenerator,
) -> Solution
Creates a randomly generated solution.
-
class Client(x: int, y: int, demand: int =
0
, service_duration: int =0
, tw_early: int =0
, tw_late: int =0
, release_time: int =0
, prize: int =0
, required: bool =True
)¶ Simple data object storing all client data as (read-only) properties.
- Parameters:¶
- x
Horizontal coordinate of this client, that is, the ‘x’ part of the client’s (x, y) location tuple.
- y
Vertical coordinate of this client, that is, the ‘y’ part of the client’s (x, y) location tuple.
- demand
The amount this client’s demanding. Default 0.
- service_duration
This client’s service duration, that is, the amount of time we need to visit the client for. Service should start (but not necessarily end) within the [
tw_early
,tw_late
] interval. Default 0.- tw_early
Earliest time at which we can visit this client. Default 0.
- tw_late
Latest time at which we can visit this client. Default 0.
- release_time
Earliest time at which this client is released, that is, the earliest time at which a vehicle may leave the depot to visit this client. Default 0.
- prize
Prize collected by visiting this client. Default 0.
- required
Whether this client must be part of a feasible solution. Default True.
- Attributes:¶
- demand
- prize
- release_time
- required
- service_duration
- tw_early
- tw_late
- x
- y
- class VehicleType(capacity: int, num_available: int)¶
Simple data object storing all vehicle type data as properties.
- Attributes:¶
- capacity
Capacity (maximum total demand) of this vehicle type.
- num_available
Number of vehicles of this type that are available.
- depot
Depot associated with these vehicles.
- class ProblemData(clients: list[Client], vehicle_types: list[VehicleType], distance_matrix: list[list[int]], duration_matrix: list[list[int]])¶
Creates a problem data instance. This instance contains all information needed to solve the vehicle routing problem.
- Parameters:¶
- clients
List of clients. The first client (at index 0) is assumed to be the depot. The time window for the depot is assumed to describe the overall time horizon. The depot should have 0 demand and 0 service duration.
- vehicle_types
List of vehicle types in the problem instance.
- distance_matrix
A matrix that gives the distances between clients (and the depot at index 0).
- duration_matrix
A matrix that gives the travel times between clients (and the depot at index 0).
- Attributes:¶
num_clients
Number of clients in this problem instance.
num_vehicle_types
Number of vehicles in this problem instance.
num_vehicles
Number of vehicle types in this problem instance.
Methods
centroid
(self)Center point of all client locations (excluding the depot).
client
(self, client)Returns client data for the given client.
dist
(self, first, second)Returns the travel distance between the first and second argument, according to this instance's travel distance matrix.
duration
(self, first, second)Returns the travel duration between the first and second argument, according to this instance's travel duration matrix.
vehicle_type
(self, vehicle_type)Returns vehicle type data for the given vehicle type.
- client(self, client: int) pyvrp._pyvrp.Client ¶
Returns client data for the given client.
- dist(self, first: int, second: int) int ¶
Returns the travel distance between the first and second argument, according to this instance’s travel distance matrix.
- duration(self, first: int, second: int) int ¶
Returns the travel duration between the first and second argument, according to this instance’s travel duration matrix.
- vehicle_type(self, vehicle_type: int) pyvrp._pyvrp.VehicleType ¶
Returns vehicle type data for the given vehicle type.
- Parameters:¶
- vehicle_type
Vehicle type number whose information to retrieve.
- Returns:¶
VehicleType
A simple data object containing the vehicle type information.
- class RandomNumberGenerator(seed: int)¶
This class implements a XOR-shift pseudo-random number generator (RNG). It generates the next number of a sequence by repeatedly taking the ‘exclusive or’ (the
^
operator) of a number with a bit-shifted version of itself. See here for more details.- Parameters:¶
- seed
Seed used to set the initial RNG state.
Methods
__call__
(self)max
()min
()rand
(self)randint
(self, high)
- exception EmptySolutionWarning¶
Raised when an empty solution is being added to the Population. This is not forbidden, per se, but very odd.
- exception ScalingWarning¶
Raised when the distance or duration values in the problem are very large, which could cause the algorithm to start using forbidden edges as well.