Optimization is a scientific discipline that deals with the detection of optimal solutions for a problem, among alternatives. The optimality of solutions is based on one or several criteria that are usually problem- and user-dependent. Constraints can be posed by the user or the problem itself, thereby reducing the number of prospective solutions. If a solution fulfills all constraints, it is called a feasible solution.
Among all feasible solutions, the global optimization problem concerns the detection of the optimal one. However, this is not always possible or necessary. Indeed, there are cases where suboptimal solutions are acceptable, depending on their quality compared to the optimal one. This is usually described as local optimization, although the same term has been also used to describe local search in a strict vicinity of the search space.
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