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+# Knapsack Heuristics Evolution
+
+This example aims to discover efficient heuristics for the classic 0/1 Knapsack problem.
+
+## Problem Description
+
+The [0/1 Knapsack problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knapsack_problem) involves selecting a subset of items, each with a weight and a value, such that the total weight does not exceed a given capacity and the total value is maximized.
+
+While the problem is NP-hard, many heuristics exist. This example challenges the LLM to find novel heuristics that might outperform basic greedy approaches on various problem instances.
+
+## Structure
+
+- `initial_program.py`: A basic greedy heuristic that picks items based on their value-to-weight ratio.
+- `evaluator.py`: Tests the heuristics on a suite of instances, measuring value achievement (`combined_score`) and constraint satisfaction (`correctness`).
+- `config.yaml`: Configuration for the evolution process.
+
+## How to Run
+
+You can start the evolution from the root of the OpenEvolve repository:
+
+```bash
+python openevolve-run.py examples/knapsack_heuristics/initial_program.py \
+  examples/knapsack_heuristics/evaluator.py \
+  --config examples/knapsack_heuristics/config.yaml \
+  --iterations 50
+```
+
+## Metrics
+
+- `combined_score`: Normalized value achieved across all test instances. Solutions that exceed capacity for an instance receive zero score for that instance.
+- `correctness`: The percentage of instances solved without exceeding the knapsack capacity.
diff --git a/examples/knapsack_heuristics/config.yaml b/examples/knapsack_heuristics/config.yaml
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+# General settings
+max_iterations: 20
+checkpoint_interval: 5
+log_level: "INFO"
+language: "python"
+
+# LLM settings
+llm:
+  primary_model: "gemini-2.5-flash"
+  api_base: "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/openai/"
+  api_key: "${OPENAI_API_KEY}"
+  temperature: 0.7
+  max_tokens: 2048
+
+# Evolution settings
+diff_based_evolution: true
+
+# Database settings
+database:
+  population_size: 20
+  num_islands: 2
+  feature_dimensions: ["complexity", "combined_score"]
+
+# Evaluator configuration
+evaluator:
+  cascade_evaluation: false
+  parallel_evaluations: 1
+
+# Prompt settings
+prompt:
+  num_top_programs: 3
+  system_message: |
+    You are an expert algorithm designer. Your task is to evolve a heuristic for the 0/1 Knapsack problem.
+    The goal is to select a subset of items that maximizes the total value without exceeding the weight capacity.
+    
+    CRITICAL: You MUST use the Search & Replace format for all code modifications:
+    <<<<<<< SEARCH
+    [exact code to find]
+    =======
+    [replacement code]
+    >>>>>>> REPLACE
+    
+    Focus on implementation strategies that can outperform simple greedy approaches:
+    1. Consider multi-objective sorting criteria (value, weight, ratio, squared terms).
+    2. Implement look-ahead or local search steps.
+    3. Use probabilistic selection or adaptive weights.
+    4. Explore dynamic programming approximations suitable for heuristics.
+    
+    Ensure your `solve_knapsack` function:
+    - Takes `items` (list of dicts with 'value' and 'weight') and `capacity` (float).
+    - Returns a list of integer indices of the selected items.
+    - Is robust and handles edge cases.
+
+    For your reference, here is the evaluator code used to test your programs:
+    ```python
+    import importlib.util
+    import os
+    import sys
+    import random
+
+    def solve_knapsack_dp(items, capacity):
+        """Solves the 0/1 knapsack problem using dynamic programming to find the optimal value."""
+        n = len(items)
+        dp = [[0 for _ in range(capacity + 1)] for _ in range(n + 1)]
+
+        for i in range(1, n + 1):
+            for w in range(1, capacity + 1):
+                if items[i - 1]["weight"] <= w:
+                    dp[i][w] = max(
+                        items[i - 1]["value"] + dp[i - 1][w - items[i - 1]["weight"]],
+                        dp[i - 1][w],
+                    )
+                else:
+                    dp[i][w] = dp[i - 1][w]
+        return dp[n][capacity]
+
+    def generate_difficult_instance(n, weight_range=(10, 100), correlation="strong"):
+        items = []
+        total_weight = 0
+        for _ in range(n):
+            w = random.randint(*weight_range)
+            if correlation == "strong":
+                v = w + 10
+            elif correlation == "weak":
+                v = max(1, w + random.randint(-5, 5))
+            elif correlation == "uncorrelated":
+                v = random.randint(10, 100)
+            elif correlation == "inverse":
+                v = int(w * (0.8 + random.random() * 0.4))
+            else:
+                v = random.randint(10, 100)
+            items.append({"value": v, "weight": w})
+            total_weight += w
+
+        capacity = int(total_weight * 0.3)
+        optimal_value = solve_knapsack_dp(items, capacity)
+        return {"capacity": capacity, "items": items, "optimal_value": optimal_value}
+
+    def evaluate(module_path):
+        # ... (implementation details for testing solve_knapsack)
+        pass
+    ```
diff --git a/examples/knapsack_heuristics/evaluator.py b/examples/knapsack_heuristics/evaluator.py
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+import importlib.util
+import os
+import sys
+import random
+
+
+def solve_knapsack_dp(items, capacity):
+    """Solves the 0/1 knapsack problem using dynamic programming to find the optimal value."""
+    n = len(items)
+    dp = [[0 for _ in range(capacity + 1)] for _ in range(n + 1)]
+
+    for i in range(1, n + 1):
+        for w in range(1, capacity + 1):
+            if items[i - 1]["weight"] <= w:
+                dp[i][w] = max(
+                    items[i - 1]["value"] + dp[i - 1][w - items[i - 1]["weight"]],
+                    dp[i - 1][w],
+                )
+            else:
+                dp[i][w] = dp[i - 1][w]
+    return dp[n][capacity]
+
+
+def generate_difficult_instance(n, weight_range=(10, 100), correlation="strong"):
+    """
+    Generates a difficult knapsack instance.
+    "strong": value = weight + 10 (hard for some, but greedy ratio still okay)
+    "weak": value = weight + random(-5, 5)
+    "uncorrelated": value and weight independent
+    "inverse": large weights have slightly better value but worse ratio
+    """
+    items = []
+    total_weight = 0
+    for _ in range(n):
+        w = random.randint(*weight_range)
+        if correlation == "strong":
+            v = w + 10
+        elif correlation == "weak":
+            v = max(1, w + random.randint(-5, 5))
+        elif correlation == "uncorrelated":
+            v = random.randint(10, 100)
+        elif correlation == "inverse":
+            # Higher weight, higher value, but ratio might be tricky
+            v = int(w * (0.8 + random.random() * 0.4))
+        else:
+            v = random.randint(10, 100)
+        items.append({"value": v, "weight": w})
+        total_weight += w
+
+    capacity = int(total_weight * 0.3)  # Even tighter capacity
+    optimal_value = solve_knapsack_dp(items, capacity)
+    return {"capacity": capacity, "items": items, "optimal_value": optimal_value}
+
+
+def get_test_instances():
+    """Returns a list of difficult knapsack problem instances."""
+    # Seed for reproducibility
+    random.seed(42)
+
+    instances = [
+        # 1. Tricky small instance (Greedy trap)
+        {
+            "name": "greedy_trap_small",
+            "capacity": 100,
+            "items": [
+                {"value": 10, "weight": 60},
+                {"value": 10, "weight": 60},
+                {"value": 12, "weight": 100},
+            ],
+            "optimal_value": 12,
+        },
+        # 2. Uncorrelated (Medium)
+        {
+            **generate_difficult_instance(30, correlation="uncorrelated"),
+            "name": "uncorrelated_medium",
+        },
+        # 3. Inverse correlated (Hard for greedy)
+        {
+            **generate_difficult_instance(40, correlation="inverse"),
+            "name": "inverse_correlated_hard",
+        },
+        # 4. Strongly correlated (classic hard)
+        {
+            **generate_difficult_instance(20, correlation="strong"),
+            "name": "strongly_correlated_hard",
+        },
+        # 5. Large scale uncorrelated
+        {
+            **generate_difficult_instance(
+                200, weight_range=(5, 50), correlation="uncorrelated"
+            ),
+            "name": "large_scale_unclorrelated",
+        },
+        # 6. Another greedy trap
+        {
+            "name": "greedy_trap_medium",
+            "capacity": 50,
+            "items": [
+                {"value": 31, "weight": 30},
+                {"value": 20, "weight": 25},
+                {"value": 20, "weight": 25},
+            ],
+            "optimal_value": 40,
+        },
+    ]
+    return [i for i in instances if i["optimal_value"] > 0]
+
+
+def evaluate(module_path):
+    """
+    Evaluates the solve_knapsack function in the given module.
+    """
+    # Load the module dynamically
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("evolved_module", module_path)
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+
+    if not hasattr(module, "solve_knapsack"):
+        return {
+            "combined_score": 0.0,
+            "correctness": 0.0,
+            "error": "Function solve_knapsack not found",
+        }
+
+    test_instances = get_test_instances()
+    total_score = 0
+    correct_count = 0
+    instance_scores = {}
+    for instance in test_instances:
+        instance_score = 0.0
+        try:
+            selected_indices = module.solve_knapsack(
+                instance["items"], instance["capacity"]
+            )
+
+            total_value = 0
+            total_weight = 0
+            valid_indices = True
+
+            if not isinstance(selected_indices, (list, tuple)):
+                valid_indices = False
+            elif len(set(selected_indices)) != len(selected_indices):
+                valid_indices = False
+
+            if valid_indices:
+                for idx in selected_indices:
+                    if not (0 <= idx < len(instance["items"])):
+                        valid_indices = False
+                        break
+                    total_value += instance["items"][idx]["value"]
+                    total_weight += instance["items"][idx]["weight"]
+
+            if valid_indices and total_weight <= instance["capacity"]:
+                correct_count += 1
+                # Normalized by the actual optimal value found by DP
+                instance_score = min(1.0, total_value / instance["optimal_value"])
+            else:
+                instance_score = 0.0
+
+        except Exception:
+            # Failed to execute
+            instance_score = 0.0
+
+        total_score += instance_score
+        instance_scores[instance["name"]] = instance_score
+
+    num_instances = len(test_instances)
+    combined_score = total_score / num_instances if num_instances > 0 else 0
+    correctness = correct_count / num_instances if num_instances > 0 else 0
+
+    return {
+        "combined_score": combined_score,
+        "correctness": correctness,
+        "instance_scores": instance_scores,
+    }
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+        print("Usage: python evaluator.py <module_path>")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    metrics = evaluate(sys.argv[1])
+    print(
+        f"combined_score={metrics['combined_score']:.4f}, correctness={metrics['correctness']:.4f}"
+    )
+    print(f"instance_scores={metrics['instance_scores']}")
diff --git a/examples/knapsack_heuristics/initial_program.py b/examples/knapsack_heuristics/initial_program.py
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+def solve_knapsack(items, capacity):
+    """
+    Solves the 0/1 knapsack problem using a greedy heuristic based on value/weight ratio.
+
+    Args:
+        items: List of dicts, each with 'value' and 'weight'.
+        capacity: Maximum weight capacity of the knapsack.
+
+    Returns:
+        A list of indices of the items selected for the knapsack.
+    """
+    # Calculate value/weight ratio for each item and store with original index
+    ratios = []
+    for i, item in enumerate(items):
+        ratio = item["value"] / item["weight"] if item["weight"] > 0 else float("inf")
+        ratios.append((ratio, i))
+
+    # Sort items by ratio in descending order
+    ratios.sort(key=lambda x: x[0], reverse=True)
+
+    selected_indices = []
+    current_weight = 0
+
+    for ratio, index in ratios:
+        item_weight = items[index]["weight"]
+        if current_weight + item_weight <= capacity:
+            selected_indices.append(index)
+            current_weight += item_weight
+
+    return selected_indices