EVE Technology Lab

I extracted the path-finding algorithm from eve-upro and created a dedicated library for reuse in the browser or as a web-service.

The goal is to have the library be capable of finding optimized routes between two systems and a list of waypoints, using any form of travel available to capsuleers as well as a rich set of rules.

Here the hard facts:

• JavaScript library
• Available for Node.js as NPM package
• Available for browsers (Bower info coming, for now as download from repository)
• Open Source on GitHub

Features (planned or existing):

• Utilizing any travel capability available: JumpGates, JumpDrive, JumpBridge, Wormholes, ...
• Free combination of travel rules: TransitCount (= length), Min/Max Security (with fine-grained levels), jump distance, warp distance (for the extra speedy), kills, ...
• Complex search criteria: Not just "Find way to this specific solar system".
• Genetic algorithm for route finding - to produce reasonable results within short amount of time for many waypoints.
• Extensible design - add your own travel rules, such as "Avoid systems of that alliance / faction."

eve-route - the web-service!
If the library is not enough, I packed it up into a web-service as well for example use and proof-of-concept.

• Available on Heroku; see below for example JSON request
• Open Source on GitHub

Note: Heroku stops unused runners after 1 hour. Startup takes a few seconds, so beware of that if you try it out. Furthermore, this is only a proof-of-concept service, used for demonstration.

Current Features (v.0.3.x)

• Search Criteria: single system (per waypoint or destination); optional avoidance list (avoid Jita, ...)
• Travel Capabilities: JumpGate, JumpDrive
• Travel Rules: TransitCount, Min-Security, Max-Security, Jump-Distance
• Extensible Design: Add your own capabilities/rules/... to the library through interface implementations (Most of the missing features will only implement the corresponding interfaces)

I wanted to create a first release to have the base framework out, then add features on the go and collect responses. The major version is 0, so far much can change.
(The entry on 3rdpartyeve.net will follow)

Why did I do this?
For one, the developer of eve-eye approached me to help regarding the routing algorithm. Second, I saw this as a reason to have something worthwhile out of eve-upro. And finally, it is a fun exercise to go back at my very first JavaScript code and re-imagine it with my current state-of-the-art knowledge and tools for JavaScript.

Example request
Use curl, http://www.hurl.it/ or something similar

See the JSON schemata for request and response bodies

• Method: POST
• Address: eve-route.herokuapp.com/route/find
• Content-Type: application/json
• Body:

This requests a route from Bogelek to Sotrenzur, avoiding systems below 0.3 security - so it won't take the path through Katugumur in this instance.
Find further examples in the repository.

Ooh, this looks quite useful! :D

v.0.2.0 released. This adds the functionality of avoiding solar systems in path finding, such as Jita (or Amamake, or any other you don't like ;).
Note: Although the badge on Github says the build is failing, it's all right - the build only fails because coveralls has some issues when deploying the coverage results.


The web service, also v.0.2.0, supports this as well with the new (optional) entry "avoid" in the route request. Here is an example:


This example searches for a path from Odatrik to Frarn, avoiding Rens. The resulting route will go via Abudban/Avesber as transit systems.


Also, Amely Miles, I don't quite understand what you mean - I found a tampermonkey as a Chrome plugin, are you referring to that? How should this be working together?

More precise, it's a userscript manager - and userscripts are some "...that make on-the-fly changes to web page content after or before the page is loaded in the browser" (Wikipedia).

eve-route.js is a library that is meant to be used within an application, most likely some sort of map-related application (such as eve-eye), it doesn't do anything by itself and is not related to web page content. But please describe your use-case how you would see them combined, so far I don't see that possible.

The new released version v.0.3.1 includes support for jump drives!

The good news is the library now can mix and match various capabilities and rules for different effects.

In the following example, a route will be searched (for a Jump Freighter) from Jita to Tararan, which stays as long as possible in High-Sec to have the shortest possible jump into low-sec. (i.e.: Avoid low-sec as much as possible and have the shortest jump, saving on jump fuel)


To read the "rules" entry: The rule with the highest priority (lowest number) is the one for the minimum security. Next comes the jump distance and finally the transit count.
Reordering the rules (or leaving them out) leads to different results, all depending on what you want to achieve.

The not so good news is that the calculation for the jump drives takes time and memory. As a result, I had to limit the possible distances for the test service on Heroku: It currently only supports jumps up to 5 light years. The startup time is still a bit long (about 1 minute). So, if the service was idle and you're not getting a response, give it another try after about two minutes.

There are a few options I am considering regarding this issue, all with pros and cons. It all depends on how the library or service would be used, so, feedback is welcome as always.