An adjacency matrix represents a network as a table. Nodes appear as both rows and columns, and each cell indicates whether a connection exists between the corresponding pair of nodes.
Purpose
The purpose is to show network structure without edge crossings. Matrices are especially useful for dense networks where node-link diagrams become unreadable.
Design Notes
- Node ordering is crucial.
- Use color intensity for edge weight.
- Cluster related nodes to reveal block structure.
- Provide labels or interaction for large matrices.
Summary
Adjacency matrices are precise and scalable network representations. They are less intuitive than node-link diagrams at first, but much clearer for dense graphs.
