Gephi

Though most people wouldn't recognize it unless they were looking for it, data is everywhere. Whether you're looking to track weather patterns, analyze the efficiency of hospital protocol, or improve your company's social media presence, a strong grip of statistics and how they correspond with one another can make a huge difference in people absorbing your information. Spreadsheets full of numbers can be inscrutable. Graphs and charts tell a story. For data scientists who want more tools to analyze their information and spread it to clients, onlookers, and superiors, Gephi provides a number of options. It's not just a way to communicate with others. Twisting and turning and peering deep into data sets can reveal hidden patterns and truths that you might not notice on the surface. When dealing with massive sets of numbers, it can sometimes be hard to see the forest for the trees. Data visualization can help put things back into perspective and narrow the eye onto what matters. Gephi's data visualization software is designed to handle massive loads of information, as it's capable of networking up to 100,000 nodes and 1,000,000 edges. These can be displayed in a number of different visualizations that range from simple and effective bar graphs to complex three dimensional designs. These are further bolstered by Gephi's options for layouts. They employ advanced layout algorithms that run on state of the art mathematical principles. Their algorithmic patterning isn't static either. Operators can use the layout palette to make changes to the algorithm while it runs, offering even greater options to test hypotheses and experiment with new possibilities. Anyone with much background in coding won't have much trouble digging into the nuts and bolts of Gephi. Data visualization software often has a reputation for being obtuse and nontransparent, but Gephi utilizes a clean interface that neatly presents your options in front of you. Two of the highlights of the Gephi experience are integration of information and collaboration among teams. The upload process is mostly a simple affair, with little difficulty properly plugging information into the software, even when you're dealing with large amounts of data points. Unfortunately, Gephi doesn't directly synchronize with databases, meaning users will have to upload the information manually every time. As far as collaboration goes, users can effectively trade data and graphs with anyone else with an installation of Gephi on their machine. This is great for offices and colleagues who use the software, as the process is supremely simple, but the only way to share visualizations with others is exporting them as external image files. The tactics and potentials of data science are vast, and it would be foolish to assume any one program could cover all the bases a scientist would need. But Gephi is built to allow plugins. The community around Gephi has already created a number that you can use to expand the utility of the program.