Layout strengths and weaknesses
We've walked through an overview of many layouts in this chapter and provided a number of external links for those who wish to learn the full technical details of a specific algorithm. What we have not done to this point is compare these approaches to give you a bit of guidance in how and when to use various layouts, and what their relative strengths and weaknesses are. The following table will attempt to remedy this, giving you a fairly high level overview across a few broad categories. Remember, there are few absolutes in this space, and there are no substitutes for trial and error and visual evaluation, but it is hoped that the following will provide some guidance as you evaluate various layouts:
|
Algorithm name |
Type |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
When to use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ARF |
Force-directed | |||
|
Circular layout |
Circular |
This is simple, easy to interpret, and easy to set parameters |
This is limited to small networks for easy viewing; it has potential for excessive edge... |
