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For a strictly feasible primal-dual conic optimization problem and a logarithmically homogeneous barrier, the central path consists of solutionsThe primal-dual gap is $⟨s,y⟩=\nu \mu$. Existence requires appropriate feasibility and boundedness hypotheses, rather than merely a full-rank constraint matrix. Linearizing these equations gives a central-path Newton system.

Conic optimization using the completely positive cone. For a real symmetric matrix $Q$, the trace-normalized program $\min \{⟨Q,X{⟩}_F:X\in {\mathrm{CP}}_n,\mathrm{tr}X=1\}$ minimizes a weighted average of nonnegative-unit-vector Rayleigh quotients. The weights are the squared norms of the factors in $X={\sum }_j{x}_j{x}_j^T$. Hence a minimizing rank-one factor attains the same value as the original orthant minimum.

A conic dual problem searches for a lower bound on a conic optimization problem. A feasible point exhibits an attainable cost; a feasible dual variable explains why every allowed decision costs at least a specified amount. If the two costs agree, the pair certifies a global minimum without relying on how the points were found.

Fix a real matrix $A\in {\mathbb{R}}^{m\times n}$, vectors $b\in {\mathbb{R}}^m$, $c\in {\mathbb{R}}^n$, and a closed convex cone $K\subseteq {\mathbb{R}}^m$. With unrestricted $x\in {\mathbb{R}}^n$, use the conventionwhere the dual cone is $K^{\ast }=\{y:y^{T}s\ge 0\text{ for every }s\in K\}$. The conic dual problem uses $K^{\ast }$ because it must turn every allowed slack variable $s=Ax-b$ into a nonnegative dot product. Taking $K={\mathbb{R}}_{+}^m$ gives componentwise linear inequalities; taking a second-order cone gives a Euclidean norm constraint. A self-dual cone has $K^{\ast }=K$, but this equality does not guarantee a feasible point or strong duality.

The Lagrangian supplies a short derivation. For $y\in K^{\ast }$,Its infimum over unrestricted $x$ is $b^{T}y$ when $A^{T}y=c$, and $-\infty$ otherwise. Maximizing the resulting Lagrange dual function gives the stated conic dual problem. The minus sign matches the convention $Ax-b\in K$.

Conic optimization using the copositive cone. The constraint $Q-\lambda I\in {\mathrm{COP}}_n$ supplies an exact reformulation of a Rayleigh quotient minimum on the nonnegative orthant. Exact conic formulation does not itself provide an efficient membership algorithm.

In conic optimization, a proper cone is a closed convex cone that is a pointed cone and has nonempty interior in its ambient finite-dimensional space. These conditions permit strict cone feasibility and nondegenerate barrier geometry.