In this paper, reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) of structures is addressed. For this purpose, the global search and optimization capabilities of genetic algorithm (GA) are combined with the efficiency and reasonable accuracy of an advanced moment-based finite element reliability method. For performing RBDO, three variants of GA including a real-coded, a binary-coded and an improved binary-coded GA are developed. In these methods, GA performs (finite element) reliability analyses to evaluate reliability constraints. For truss structures which include finite element modeling, reliability constraints are evaluated using finite element reliability analysis. Response sensitivity required for finite element reliability analysis is obtained by direct differentiation method (DDM) rather than finite difference method (FDM). The proposed methods are examined within four standard test examples and real-world design problems. The results illustrate the superiority and efficiency of the improved binary-coded GA. Results also illustrate that DDM significantly reduces the computational cost and improves the efficiency of the optimization procedure.