Book Image

Network Graph Analysis and Visualization with Gephi

By : Ken Cherven
Book Image

Network Graph Analysis and Visualization with Gephi

By: Ken Cherven

Overview of this book

<p>Gephi is an interactive visualization and exploration platform for all kinds of networks and complex systems. Social media data has helped to drive network visualization to new levels of relevance and importance. However, there is far more to network visualization than just social media data. For analyzing and visualizing network graphs, you need to have an excellent platform, and you need to know ways to use your data effectively.</p> <p>Network Graph Analysis and Visualization with Gephi is a practical, hands-on guide that provides you with all the tools you need to begin creating your own network graphs. You will learn how to import data, test multiple graph layouts, and publish your visualizations to the Web.</p> <p>Network Graph Analysis and Visualization with Gephi will teach you how to create your own network graphs using Gephi. The book begins by taking you through the installation of Gephi and configuring the installation options. You will also get acquainted with the Gephi workspace and the various tools in Gephi. Next, you’ll use these tools to create your own graphs. If you need to add more capability to your personal toolkit, you will be learning to Download and install several of the best Gephi layout plugins. You will then use these layouts simultaneously to produce beautiful graphs. Also, you create and import data in Gephi and add some new plugins that extend Gephi even further. You also gain the skills to prepare and customize your network visualization for export.</p> <p>By the end of this book, you will be able to create your own network graphs using Gephi, customize the look and feel of your graphs, and successfully publish them to the Web.</p>
Table of Contents (16 chapters)

Creating our first network graph


So, we have the data loaded and an initial graph to help provide direction. I know you're eager to move forward and produce something more inspiring, and I can guarantee you will. But first, let's take a very brief look at the underlying data, so we have a greater understanding of what we're doing. After all, it's nice to create a pretty graphic, but it's even better if we can explain what it means.

Viewing data in the Data Laboratory

First, click on the Data Laboratory button at the top of the Gephi workspace. You'll now see a few columns of tabular data, assuming you are in the Nodes tab. There are three columns:

  • Nodes

  • Id

  • Label

Simple, right? The Nodes column refers to each node or point in the dataset. The Id column is simply the unique reference to each node, but the Label values may represent a bit more expressive term. In this case, all three columns are identical—it appears we don't have a very imaginative dataset! It would be nice if the Label column...