Linear $Q$-Learning Does Not Diverge: Convergence Rates to a Bounded Set

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2501.19254v1
• Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2025 16:10:50 GMT
• Title: Linear $Q$-Learning Does Not Diverge: Convergence Rates to a Bounded Set
• Authors: Xinyu Liu, Zixuan Xie, Shangtong Zhang,
• Abstract summary: This paper establishes the first $L2$ convergence rate of linear $Q$-learning to a bounded set. All we need is an $epsilon$-softmax behavior policy with an adaptive temperature.
• Score: 34.129520133741124
• License:
• Abstract: $Q$-learning is one of the most fundamental reinforcement learning algorithms. Previously, it is widely believed that $Q$-learning with linear function approximation (i.e., linear $Q$-learning) suffers from possible divergence. This paper instead establishes the first $L^2$ convergence rate of linear $Q$-learning to a bounded set. Notably, we do not make any modification to the original linear $Q$-learning algorithm, do not make any Bellman completeness assumption, and do not make any near-optimality assumption on the behavior policy. All we need is an $\epsilon$-softmax behavior policy with an adaptive temperature. The key to our analysis is the general result of stochastic approximations under Markovian noise with fast-changing transition functions. As a side product, we also use this general result to establish the $L^2$ convergence rate of tabular $Q$-learning with an $\epsilon$-softmax behavior policy, for which we rely on a novel pseudo-contraction property of the weighted Bellman optimality operator.

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