WiGis: A framework for scalable web-based interactive graph visualizations

Abstract

Traditional network visualization tools inherently suffer from scalability problems, particularly when such tools are interactive and web-based. In this paper we introduce WiGis -Web-based Interactive Graph Visualizations. WiGis exemplify a fully web-based framework for visualizing large-scale graphs natively in a user's browser at interactive frame rates with no discernible associated startup costs. We demonstrate fast, interactive graph animations for up to hundreds of thousands of nodes in a browser through the use of asynchronous data and image transfer. Empirical evaluations show that our system outperforms traditional web-based graph visualization tools by at least an order of magnitude in terms of scalability, while maintaining fast, high-quality interaction. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.