#LibBandit
LibBandit is a C++ library designed for efficiently simulating multi-armed bandit algorithms.
Currently the following algorithms are implemented:
- UCB
- Optimally confident UCB
- Almost optimally confident UCB
- Thompson sampling (Gaussian prior)
- MOSS
- Finite-horizon Gittins index (Gaussian/Gaussian model/prior)
- An approximation of the finite-horizon Gittins index
- Bayesian optimal for two arms (Gaussian/Gaussian model/prior)
Defining new noise models is as simple as extending a base class and implementing the reward function.
##Compiling
You will need a C++11 compliant compiler such as g++ 4.8 or clang 5.
LibBandit uses the Scons build system. With this installed you should be able to compile all sources by typing scons
##Using the Library
LibBandit is easy to use. See the examples/ folder.
##Gittins Index
The library includes code for efficiently generating Gittins indices for a Gaussian prior and noise model. Included is a precomputed table of indices for horizons up to 5,000. See the examples/ folder for details on how to use this data.
To compute the indices yourself use makegittins build <file> <horizon> <tolerance> <maxthreads>
The tolerance should be chosen as small as possible. The pre-computed table used tolerance = 0.000005.
You can lookup the Gittins index in a table with makegittins lookup <file> <horizon> <T>
where is the number of rounds
remaining and is the number of samples from that arm.
A larger pre-computed table for horizon 10,000 and tolerance 0.000005 is available for download from http://downloads.tor-lattimore.com/gittins/10000.zip.
##Contributing
If you implement a new algorithm please (a) test it against existing algorithms and (b) contact me to become a contributor so others can easily test against your algorithm.