Graph auto-layout algorithm

algorithm layout graph nodes edges
Cheetah picture Cheetah · Feb 17, 2011 · Viewed 39.9k times · Source

To simplify the problem, I have a graph that contains nodes and edges which are on a 2D plane.

What I want to be able to do is click a button and it make the automatically layout the graph to look clean. By that I mean minimal crossing of edges, nice space between nodes, maybe even represent the graph scale (weighted edges).

I know this is completely subjective of what is a clean looking graph, but does anyone know of an algorithm to start with, rather than reinventing the wheel?

Thanks.

Answer

ypercubeᵀᴹ picture ypercubeᵀᴹ · Feb 17, 2011

You will find http://graphdrawing.org/ and this tutorial, by Roberto Tamassia, professor at Brown University, quite helpful.

I like a lot Force-Directed Techniques (pp. 66-72 in the tutorial) like the Spring Embedder.

You assume there is a spring or other force between any two adjacent nodes and let nature (simulation) do the work :)

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