Gephi provides a wide range of network generators that can be used to better understand the formation and growth patterns forecast by some of the most prominent models in the network literature. These generators are valuable for building some knowledge for how different models work, and what happens to a network when we change various assumptions. In this section, we'll cover several of the most prominent models from the network graph literature, and then share examples from Gephi that will help further our understanding for how each model works.

If you're familiar with some of the network literature from Easley and Kleinberg, Barabasi, Strogatz and Watts, Newman, or any other good source, you will be familiar with most, if not all, of the following methods. Do not be concerned if you are not familiar with these sources. We will not be discussing the methods at any sort of deep technical level; that is both beyond the scope of this book and can be better learned from...