# A Bregman forward-backward linesearch algorithm for nonconvex composite optimization: superlinear convergence to nonisolated local minima

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1905.11904 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1905.11904/

## Key facts

- Cited by 6 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 28 May 2019.

## Built on by (most cited first, 6 of 6)

- [Taming Nonconvex Stochastic Mirror Descent with General Bregman Divergence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.17722/) (2024)
- [Bregman Proximal Langevin Monte Carlo via Bregman--Moreau Envelopes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.04387/) (2022)
- [Natural Gradient VI: Guarantees for Non-Conjugate Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.19163/) (2025)
- [Shuffling the Stochastic Mirror Descent via Dual Lipschitz Continuity and Kernel Conditioning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.16042/) (2026)
- [SPIRAL: A superlinearly convergent incremental proximal algorithm for nonconvex finite sum minimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.08195/) (2022)
- [Edge-guided Low-light Image Enhancement with Inertial Bregman Alternating Linearized Minimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.01142/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We introduce Bella, a locally superlinearly convergent Bregman forward backward splitting method for minimizing the sum of two nonconvex functions, one of which satisfying a relative smoothness condition and the other one possibly nonsmooth. A key tool of our methodology is the Bregman forward-backward envelope (BFBE), an exact and continuous penalty function with favorable first- and second-order properties, and enjoying a nonlinear error bound when the objective function satisfies a Lojasiewicz-type property. The proposed algorithm is of linesearch type over the BFBE along candidate update directions, and converges subsequentially to stationary points, globally under a KL condition, and owing to the given nonlinear error bound can attain superlinear convergence rates even when the limit point is a nonisolated minimum, provided the directions are suitably selected.