Review of the metaheuristic algorithms in applications: Visual analysis based on bibliometrics

Abstract

Metaheuristic algorithms have gradually become the mainstream way to solve complex optimization problems with their streamlined structure and robust performance. Innovative achievements have increasingly emerged with the development and widespread application of metaheuristic algorithms. In order to provide a better overview of relevant work in this field and clarify its prospects, this paper analyzed 1676 literature on the application of metaheuristic algorithms from 1994 to 2023, based on the Web of Science database. Firstly, utilizing a large amount of literature data, the overall trend of the application field development of metaheuristic algorithms, core authors, and mainstream journals was analyzed from the perspective of bibliometrics. Secondly, combined with the visualization software CiteSpace, major cooperation maps in the application field of metaheuristic algorithms were drawn, and the correlation relationships between authors, countries, and institutions in the area were obtained. Thirdly, co-word and cluster analyses were used to explore the research hotspots of applying metaheuristic algorithms, and six prevalent research topics in this field were obtained. Finally, through the co-cited literature cluster map and time-zone map, vital citing literature in the metaheuristic algorithms’ application field and the evolution of time-based development frontiers were summarized, and three development stages of this field were obtained. The overall review of the application of metaheuristic algorithms can provide assistance for researchers interested in this field.