We build and analyze in this paper Markov chains for the random sampling of some one-dimensional lattice paths with constraints, for various constraints. These chains are easy to implement, and sample an "almost" uniform path of length $n$ in $n^{3+\epsilon}$ steps. This bound makes use of a certain $\textit{contraction property}$ of the Markov chain, and is proved with an approach inspired by optimal transport.
Discrete Mathematics & Theoretical Computer Science