Simple Algorithms for Network Visualization: A Tutorial

The graph drawing and information visualization communities have developed many sophisticated techniques for visualizing network data, often involving complicated algorithms that are difficult for the uninitiated to learn. This article is intended for beginners who are interested in programming their own network visualizations, or for those curious about some of the basic mechanics of graph visualization. Four easy-to-program network layout techniques are discussed, with details given for implementing each one: force-directed node-link diagrams, arc diagrams, adjacency matrices, and circular layouts. A Java applet demonstrating these layouts, with open source code, is available at http://www.michaelmcguffin.com/research/simpleNetVis/. The end of this article also briefly surveys research topics in graph visualization, pointing readers to references for further reading.