diff --git a/src/apex/genetic_search.cpp b/src/apex/genetic_search.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..40b18158
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/apex/genetic_search.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#include "genetic_search.hpp"
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <iomanip>
+
+namespace apex {
+
+namespace random {
+
+double inline myrand() {
+    return ((double) rand() / (RAND_MAX));
+}
+
+size_t GeneticSearch::get_max_iterations() {
+    size_t max_iter{1};
+    for (auto& v : vars) {
+        switch (v.second.vtype) {
+            case VariableType::doubletype: {
+                max_iter = max_iter * v.second.dvalues.size();
+                break;
+            }
+            case VariableType::longtype: {
+                max_iter = max_iter * v.second.lvalues.size();
+                break;
+            }
+            case VariableType::stringtype: {
+                max_iter = max_iter * v.second.svalues.size();
+                break;
+            }
+            default: {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    // want to see multiple values of each one
+    //return max_iter;
+    return std::min(max_iterations, (std::max(min_iterations, max_iter)));
+}
+
+class log_wrapper {
+    private:
+        std::ofstream myfile;
+    public:
+        log_wrapper(const std::map<std::string, Variable>& vars) {
+            myfile.open("tuning.csv");
+            myfile << "iter,";
+            for (auto& v : vars) { myfile << v.first << ","; }
+            myfile << "time" << std::endl;
+        }
+        ~log_wrapper() {
+            myfile.close();
+        }
+        std::ofstream& getstream() {
+            return myfile;
+        }
+};
+
+void GeneticSearch::evaluate(double new_cost) {
+    static log_wrapper log(vars);
+    static size_t count{0};
+    if (++count % 10000 == 0) { std::cout << count << std::endl; }
+    log.getstream() << count << ",";
+    for (auto& v : vars) { log.getstream() << v.second.toString() << ","; }
+    log.getstream() << new_cost << std::endl;
+    if (new_cost < cost) {
+        if (new_cost < best_cost) {
+            best_cost = new_cost;
+            std::cout << "New best! " << new_cost << " k: " << k;
+            for (auto& v : vars) { v.second.save_best(); }
+            for (auto& v : vars) { std::cout  << ", value: " << v.second.toString(); }
+            std::cout << std::endl;
+        }
+        cost = new_cost;
+    }
+    //for (auto& v : vars) { v.second.choose_neighbor(); }
+    k++;
+    return;
+}
+
+} // random
+
+} // apex
+
+
diff --git a/src/apex/genetic_search.hpp b/src/apex/genetic_search.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cde3beb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/apex/genetic_search.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <vector>
+#include <string>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cmath>
+#include <random>
+#include <limits>
+#include <map>
+#include "apex_types.h"
+#include "apex_assert.h"
+
+namespace apex {
+
+namespace random {
+
+enum class VariableType { doubletype, longtype, stringtype } ;
+
+class Variable {
+public:
+    std::vector<double> dvalues;
+    std::vector<long> lvalues;
+    std::vector<std::string> svalues;
+    VariableType vtype;
+    size_t current_index;
+    size_t best_index;
+    void * value; // for the client to get the values
+    size_t maxlen;
+    Variable () = delete;
+    Variable (VariableType vtype, void * ptr) : vtype(vtype), current_index(0),
+        best_index(0), value(ptr), maxlen(0) { }
+    void set_current_value() {
+        if (vtype == VariableType::doubletype) {
+            *((double*)(value)) = dvalues[current_index];
+        }
+        else if (vtype == VariableType::longtype) {
+            *((long*)(value)) = lvalues[current_index];
+        }
+        else {
+            *((const char**)(value)) = svalues[current_index].c_str();
+        }
+    }
+    size_t get_next_neighbor() {
+        current_index = (rand() % maxlen);
+        APEX_ASSERT(current_index < maxlen);
+        set_current_value();
+        return current_index;
+    }
+    void save_best() { best_index = current_index; }
+    void set_init() {
+        maxlen = (std::max(std::max(dvalues.size(),
+            lvalues.size()), svalues.size())) - 1;
+        current_index = 0;
+        set_current_value();
+    }
+    std::string getBest() {
+        if (vtype == VariableType::doubletype) {
+            *((double*)(value)) = dvalues[best_index];
+            return std::to_string(dvalues[best_index]);
+        }
+        else if (vtype == VariableType::longtype) {
+            *((long*)(value)) = lvalues[best_index];
+            return std::to_string(lvalues[best_index]);
+        }
+        //else if (vtype == VariableType::stringtype) {
+        *((const char**)(value)) = svalues[best_index].c_str();
+        return svalues[best_index];
+    }
+    std::string toString() {
+        if (vtype == VariableType::doubletype) {
+            return std::to_string(dvalues[current_index]);
+        }
+        else if (vtype == VariableType::longtype) {
+            return std::to_string(lvalues[current_index]);
+        }
+        //else if (vtype == VariableType::stringtype) {
+        return svalues[current_index];
+        //}
+    }
+};
+
+class GeneticSearch {
+private:
+    double cost;
+    double best_cost;
+    size_t kmax;
+    size_t k;
+    std::map<std::string, Variable> vars;
+    const size_t max_iterations{1000};
+    const size_t min_iterations{100};
+public:
+    void evaluate(double new_cost);
+    GeneticSearch() :
+        kmax(0), k(1) {
+        cost = std::numeric_limits<double>::max();
+        best_cost = cost;
+        //std::cout << "New Session!" << std::endl;
+        //srand (1);
+        srand (time(NULL));
+    }
+    double getEnergy() { return best_cost; }
+    bool converged() { return (k > kmax); }
+    void getNewSettings() {
+        /*   Increment neighbour */
+        for (auto& v : vars) { v.second.get_next_neighbor(); }
+    }
+    void saveBestSettings() {
+        for (auto& v : vars) { v.second.getBest(); }
+    }
+    void printBestSettings() {
+        std::string d("[");
+        for (auto v : vars) {
+            std::cout << d << v.second.getBest();
+            d = ",";
+        }
+        std::cout << "]" << std::endl;
+    }
+    size_t get_max_iterations();
+    std::map<std::string, Variable>& get_vars() { return vars; }
+    void add_var(std::string name, Variable var) {
+        vars.insert(std::make_pair(name, var));
+        kmax = get_max_iterations();
+        /* get max iterations */
+        //std::cout << "Max iterations : " << kmax << std::endl;
+    }
+};
+
+} // random
+
+} // apex