Quick Start

CDlib is a python library that allows to extract, compare and evaluate network partitions. We designed it to be agnostic w.r.t. the data structure used to represent the network to be clustered: all the algorithms it implements accept interchangeably igraph/networkx objects.

Of course, such a choice comes with advantages as well as drawbacks. Here’s the main ones you have to be aware of:

Advantages - Easy integration of existing/novel (python implementation of) CD algorithms; - Standardization of input and output; - Zero-configuration user interface (e.g., you don’t have to reshape your data!)

Drawbacks - Algorithms performances are not comparable (execution time, scalability… they all depends on how each algorithm was originally implemented); - Memory (in)efficiency: depending by the type of structure each individual algorithm requires memory consumption could be high; - Hidden transformation times: usually not a bottleneck, moving from a graph representation to another can take “some” time (usually linear in the graph size)

Most importantly: remember that i) each algorithm will be able to handle graphs up to a given size, and that ii) that maximum size that may vary greatly across the exposed algorithms.

Tutorial

Extracting communities using CDlib is easy as this:

from cdlib import algorithms
import networkx as nx
G = nx.karate_club_graph()
coms = algorithms.louvain(G, weight='weight', resolution=1., randomize=False)

Of course, you can choose among all the algorithms available (taking care of specifying the correct parameters): in any case, you’ll get as a result a Clustering object (or a more specific subclass).

Clustering objects expose a set of methods to perform evaluation and comparisons. For instance, to get the partition modularity just write

mod = coms.newman_girvan_modularity(g)

or, equivalently

from cdlib import evaluation
mod = evaluation.newman_girvan_modularity(g,communities)

Moreover, you can also visualize networks and communities, plot indicators and similarity matrices… just take a look to the module reference to get a few examples.

I know, plain tutorials are overrated: if you want to explore CDlib functionalities, please start playing around with our interactive Google Colab Notebook!

FAQ

Q1. I developed a novel Community Discovery algorithm/evaluation/visual analytics method and I would like to see it integrated in CDlib. What should I do?

A1. That’s great! Just open an issue on the project GitHub briefly describing the method (provide a link to the paper where it has been firstly introduced) and links to a python implementation (if available). We’ll came back to you as soon as possible to discuss the next steps.

Q2. Can you add method XXX to your library?

A2. It depends. Do you have a link to a python implementation/are you willing to help us in implementing it? If so, that’s perfect. If not, well… everything is possible but it is likely that it will require some time.