What is a gene in GA?

Updated May 16, 2026

Short answer

A gene is a single unit of a chromosome representing one feature of the solution.

Deep explanation

Genes are individual elements within a chromosome. They hold specific values that define part of a solution.

Real-world example

In route optimization, a gene may represent a city index.

Common mistakes

  • Mixing gene-level and chromosome-level operations.

Follow-up questions

  • Can genes be continuous values?
  • Do genes have dependencies?

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