An Introduction To OptaPlanner and Its Use Cases

ERP Solutions oodles
2 min readNov 14, 2023

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What Is OptaPlanner?

Red Hat created the Java constraint satisfaction solver framework OptaPlanner. Within a predetermined search space, it employs mathematical optimisation algorithms to find the optimal solution to a given problem, given a set of constraints. Applications including resource allocation, labour scheduling, and project planning are among the ones for which OptaPlanner is intended for use.

What Are OptaPlanner Use Cases?

A constraint satisfaction solver called OptaPlanner is employed in many different use cases, such as

1.A constraint satisfaction solver called OptaPlanner is employed in many different use cases, such as

2.OptaPlanner is a tool for scheduling tasks, including production runs, employee shifts, and appointments.

3.Route planning for vehicles: OptaPlanner can be used to determine the most economical routes for cars, accounting for variables like vehicle capacity, travel duration, and delivery deadlines.

4.Staff rostering: By considering variables like skill level, availability, and preferences, OptaPlanner can be used to build equitable and effective schedules for workers.

5.Course scheduling: A school or university can use OptaPlanner to schedule classes, accounting for variables like classroom capacity, instructor availability, and student preferences.

6.Optimisation of the supply chain: OptaPlanner can be used to optimise the supply chain, accounting for variables like lead times, inventory levels, and transportation expenses.

Also, Read OptaPlanner 9: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Java Project In OptaPlanner

An open-source Java library for constraint programming and optimisation is called OptaPlanner. The steps below can be used to create a Java demo project using it:

1.Configure the environment for development: Ensure that Java and an IDE for Java, such as Eclipse or IntelliJ, are installed.

2.Obtain the library of OptaPlanner: OptaPlanner’s most recent version can be downloaded and added to your project’s classpath by visiting the official website at https://www.optaplanner.org/download/.

3.Describe your issue: Determine the issue you wish to address and the limitations you face. Numerous issues, such as scheduling, resource allocation, and vehicle routing, can be handled by OptaPlanner.

4.Simulate the issue: Build Java classes to represent the entities in your problem, then apply OptaPlanner annotations to them to specify the goals and constraints of the problem.

5.Construct a Solver: The solver is in charge of resolving your issue. The OptaPlanner API can be used to specify the solver’s configuration and algorithm in order to create one.

6.Run the solver: Call the “solve” method of the solver, providing the problem model as an argument. The optimal solution found by the solver will be returned.

7.Show the results: After the solver has completed its run, you can print the state of your problem model to see the results of the solver.

These are the fundamental steps involved in creating an OptaPlanner demo project in Java. The particular issue you are attempting to solve will determine the precise implementation details.

Please email us at erp@oodles.io with any questions you may have about our OptaPlanner application development services or projects in general.

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