We introduce MathOptInterface, an abstract data structure for representing mathematical optimization problems based on combining predefined functions and sets. MathOptInterface is significantly more general than existing data structures in the literature, encompassing, for example, a spectrum of problems classes from integer programming with indicator constraints to bilinear semidefinite programming. We also outline an automated rewriting system between equivalent formulations of a constraint. MathOptInterface has been implemented in practice, forming the foundation of a recent rewrite of JuMP, an open-source algebraic modeling language in the Julia language. The regularity of the MathOptInterface representation leads naturally to a general file format for mathematical optimization we call MathOptFormat. In addition, the automated rewriting system provides modeling power to users while making it easy to connect new solvers to JuMP. Summary of Contribution: This paper describes a new abstract data structure for representing mathematical optimization models with a corresponding file format and automatic transformation system. The advances are useful for algebraic modeling languages, allowing practitioners to model problems more naturally and more generally than before.

We present SDDP.jl, an open-source library for solving multistage stochastic programming problems using the stochastic dual dynamic programming algorithm. SDDP.jl is built on JuMP, an algebraic modeling language in Julia. JuMP provides SDDP.jl with a solver-agnostic, user-friendly interface. In addition, we leverage unique features of Julia, such as multiple dispatch, to provide an extensible framework for practitioners to build on our work. SDDP.jl is well tested, and accessible documentation is available at https://github.com/odow/SDDP.jl .

Abstract We propose the policy graph as a structured way of formulating a general class of multistage stochastic programming problems in a way that leads to a natural decomposition. We also propose an extension to the stochastic dual dynamic programming algorithm to solve a subset of problems formulated as a policy graph. This subset includes discrete‐time, convex, infinite‐horizon, multistage stochastic programming problems with continuous state and control variables. To demonstrate the utility of our algorithm, we solve an existing multistage stochastic programming problem from the literature based on pastoral dairy farming. We show that the finite‐horizon model in the literature suffers from end‐of‐horizon effects, which we are able to overcome with an infinite‐horizon model.