Gephi is an open-source software for visualizing and analyzing large networks graphs. Gephi uses a 3D render engine to display graphs in real-time and speed up the exploration. Use Gephi to explore, analyze, spatialize, filter, cluterize, manipulate and export all types of graphs.

I have always enjoyed visualization projects, moving from the tradition excel sheets to a more creative and innovative way to display data. Whilst some may *disagree* with this concept, it’s important to note that not all visualized data must be comprehended at first sight. What is exciting to see that most of these and these and these projects engage viewers to go beyond the obvious. At times, data can reveal inner patterns that can only be reached through various visual analysis, graphic schematics and interaction. We learn about data by visualizing it.

Gephi isn’t a standard graph visualization software. It allows to explore the network that is currently displayed. You can move and zoom in/out inside the 3d representation but that’s not all. You can also visualize what is really going on in the network,  by exploring the topology as well as the data associated to the network. Gephi is based on a visualize-and-manipulate (i.e. Direct Manipuation) interactive methodology for networks analysis. It has been proved that this method, combined with a more classical approach based on statistics, gives the best understanding of networks (in particular scale-free networks).

Gephi is a free/libre software distributed under the GPL 3 (”GNU General Public License”)

You can find out more, get Tutorials and Downloads on Gephi’s website.

Gephi – Dynamic demo from gephi on Vimeo.

How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer – Part 3 from gephi on Vimeo.