Anytime algorithm

<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a>, an anytime algorithm is an <a href="/facts/Algorithm/fnl5NmRt">algorithm</a> that can return a valid solution to a <a href="/facts/Computational_problem/jQ7bYUVh">problem</a> even if it is interrupted before it ends. The algorithm is expected to find better and better solutions the longer it keeps running.
</p><p>Most algorithms run to completion: they provide a single answer after performing some fixed amount of computation. In some cases, however, the user may wish to terminate the algorithm prior to completion. The amount of computation required may be substantial, for example, and computational resources might need to be reallocated. Most algorithms either run to completion or they provide no useful solution information. Anytime algorithms, however, are able to return a partial answer, whose quality depends on the amount of computation they were able to perform. The answer generated by anytime algorithms is an approximation of the correct answer.
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Anytime algorithm open-in-new

Anytime algorithm