Graph layout is a set of algorithms that optimize the display of nodes and links with respect to each other in graphs such as network topologies for telecommunications networks and systems management applications.

Many types of complex business data can best be visualized as a set of nodes and interconnecting links, more commonly called a graph or a network. Examples of graphs include business organization charts, workflow diagrams, telecom network displays, and genealogical trees. Whenever these graphs become large or heavily interconnected, it becomes difficult to see the relationships between the various nodes and links (the “edges”). This is where the Rogue Wave® graph layout algorithms help.

Graph layout provides high-level, ready-to-use relationship visualization services. It allows you to take any “messy” graph and apply a sophisticated graph layout algorithm to rearrange the positions of the nodes and links. The result is a more readable and understandable picture.

Take a look at two sample drawings of the same graph.

In the second drawing, the layout algorithm has distributed the nodes quite uniformly, avoiding overlapping nodes and showing the symmetries of the graph. This drawing presents a much more readable layout than the first drawing.