# PRIMA: a package for solving general nonlinear optimization problems without using derivatives

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/prima-a-package-for-solving-general-nonlinear-optimization-problems-without-using-derivatives/105134
**Category:** Optimization (Mathematical)
**Tags:** package, optim, optimization, scientific-computing, nonlinear-optimizati
**Created:** [October 18, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/prima-a-package-for-solving-general-nonlinear-optimization-problems-without-using-derivatives/105134 "2023-10-18T17:33:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
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### Author: ![Zaikun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/zaikun/32/44262_2.png) [@Zaikun](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Zaikun)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/prima-a-package-for-solving-general-nonlinear-optimization-problems-without-using-derivatives/105134/1 "2023-10-18T17:33:01Z")

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Hi everyone,

I am very glad to announce [PRIMA](http://libprima.net), a package for solving general nonlinear optimization problems without using derivatives.

PRIMA provides the reference implementation for [M.J.D. Powell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._D._Powell)’s renowned derivative-free optimization methods, i.e., COBYLA, UOBYQA, NEWUOA, BOBYQA, and LINCOA. The “P” in the name stands for [**P** owell](https://www.zhangzk.net/powell.html), and “RIMA” is an acronym for “Reference Implementation with Modernization and Amelioration”.

Powell’s solvers are widely used by engineers and scientists. For instance, see Section 1 of [a recent paper on Powell’s solvers](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2302.13246.pdf) as well as the Google searches of [COBYLA](https://www.google.com/search?q=cobyla) and [BOBYQA](https://www.google.com/search?q=bobyqa).

The current version of PRIMA is implemented in modern Fortran (F2008 or above). Interfaces to [Julia](https://github.com/libprima/prima/#julia), [MATLAB](https://github.com/libprima/prima/#matlab), [Python](https://github.com/libprima/prima/#python), and [C](https://github.com/libprima/prima/#c) are available. Native implementations in these languages will also be provided in the future.

If you are interested in PRIMA, you may check its GitHub repository at

[libprima / prima](https://github.com/libprima/prima)

and its Julia interface [PRIMA.jl](https://github.com/libprima/prima.jl):

[JuliaRegistries / General / P /PRIMA](https://github.com/JuliaRegistries/General/tree/master/P/PRIMA).

The Julia interface of PRIMA is mainly due to the efforts of [Éric Thiébaut](https://github.com/emmt) and [Alexis Montoison](https://github.com/amontoison), who should receive all the credits.

Thanks and regards,  
Zaikun ZHANG  
Ph.D. and Assistant Professor  
Dept. App. Math., Hong Kong Polytechnic University

* * *

PS: **Who was Powell?**

[Michael James David Powell FRS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._D._Powell) was [“a British numerical analyst who was among the pioneers of computational mathematics”](https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbm.2017.0023). He was the inventor/early contributor of [quasi-Newton method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasi-Newton_method), [trust region method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trust_region), [augmented Lagrangian method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_Lagrangian_method), and [SQP method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequential_quadratic_programming). Each of them is a pillar of modern numerical optimization. He also made significant contributions to [approximation theory and methods](https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/approximation-theory-and-methods/66FD8CD6F18FE1ED499A8CA9A05F2A5A#overview).

Among numerous honors, Powell was one of the two recipients of the first [Dantzig Prize](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantzig_Prize) from the Mathematical Programming Society (MOS) and Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). This is considered the highest award in optimization.

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