NDlib: a Python Library to Model and Analyze Diffusion Processes Over Complex Networks

TL;DR

NDlib is a comprehensive Python library that facilitates modeling, simulation, and visualization of diffusion processes over complex networks, supporting diverse user needs from researchers to educators.

Contribution

It introduces NDlib, a versatile framework with a remote simulation server and user-friendly visualization tools for analyzing network diffusion dynamics.

Findings

Supports multi-level user engagement

Enables remote diffusion simulations

Provides accessible visualization interface

Abstract

Nowadays the analysis of dynamics of and on networks represents a hot topic in the Social Network Analysis playground. To support students, teachers, developers and researchers in this work we introduce a novel framework, namely NDlib, an environment designed to describe diffusion simulations. NDlib is designed to be a multi-level ecosystem that can be fruitfully used by different user segments. For this reason, upon NDlib, we designed a simulation server that allows remote execution of experiments as well as an online visualization tool that abstracts its programmatic interface and makes available the simulation platform to non-technicians.