
5 Firefly Algorithm (FFA)
5.1 Firefly algorithm (FFA)
FA is a nature-inspired stochastic global optimization method that was developed by
Yang [1]. This algorithm imitates the mechanism of firefly mating and exchange of
information using light flashes. This chapter presents the main behavior of fireflies, the
artificial FFA, and the variants added to the basic algorithm that was proposed in 2008.
Sample applications of FFA are presented at the end of the chapter.
5.1.1 Behavior of fireflies
There are about two thousand firefly species, and most fireflies produce short and rhyth-
mic flashes [2]. The fundamental functions of such flashes are:
• Attraction of mating