similarity-computer-en.adoc

Creating a network from a table of entities and their attributes

last modified: 2026-03-08

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I organize online workshops and personalized trainings for Gephi, for beginners and experts. To schedule one or to get more information: analysis@exploreyourdata.com.

Update

Tip	This plugin has been replaced by a new and better function available on the web, developed by the same author. It is free, click and point, without registration at this address: https://nocodefunctions.com

Presentation of the plugin

This plugin is created by Clement Levallois.

It converts a spreadsheet or a csv file into a network.

This plugin enables you to:

• Start from a data table in Excel or csv format

• In the data table, nodes are the entities listed in column A

• Nodes' attributes must be listed in columns B, C, D, etc.

• Connections will be created between nodes, when they have identical attributes.

• Attributes can have values, stored in columns right next to the attribute.

1. The input

Figure 1. An Excel file

2. The output

Figure 2. Resulting network

Installing the plugin

Figure 3. Choose the menu Tools then Plugins

Figure 4. Click on the tab Available Plugins

Figure 5. Install the plugin Similarity Computer then restart Gephi

Opening the plugin

Figure 6. Open the plugin via the menu File - Import

Using the plugin

First panel

Figure 7. Select a file

Figure 8. A file without headers

Figure 9. A file with headers

Second panel

Figure 10. Parameter for weight

Third panel

Figure 11. Confirmation panel

How is the similarity computed, exactly?

We use the cosine similarity. Sounds complicated, but it is not. Check here.

The source code for the cosine calculation is in this file, at this place.

FAQ / special notes on the plugin

1. Excel files should be .xlsx, not .xls

Because they represent two slightly different files formats, and the plugin supports only .xlsx

2. csv files are ok.

If you select a csv file, you will be asked to indicate the field delimiter and optionally the text delimiter.

Figure 12. When a csv file is selected

3. You can’t use numerical values in the attributes

Figure 13. Age is a numerical attribute

This is too bad. If there is enough demand for it I’ll add this feature, which is not trivial.

4. Each entity should appear only on one line

Figure 14. An entity appearing twice

David appears on lines 2 and 5 (because he made two purchases). Only the latest line where David appears (line 5) will be taken into account.

to go further

Visit the Gephi group on Facebook to get help,

or visit the website for more tutorials

Give a try to nocodefunctions.com, the web application I develop to create networks for Gephi. Click-and-point, free, no registration needed.