Force Atlas 2 is another algorithm in the set of force-directed algorithms available in Gephi. Force Atlas 2 attempts to resolve the shortcomings of the Force Atlas algorithm by making a balance between the quality of the final layout and the speed of the computation algorithm. Its performance for large networks is much better when compared to the Force Atlas layout algorithm.
We will begin with the Les Misérables network and explain how to use the Force Atlas 2 layout algorithm on it. The steps remain the same for any other network too. So let's get started.
Load the Les Misérables graph in Gephi.
In the Layout panel, click on the drop-down menu that says ---Choose a layout.
From the drop-down menu, select Force Atlas 2.
Set Scaling to a large value, such as
300.0, otherwise some of the nodes will overlap each other. Hit Run.
The following screenshot shows how the Les Misérables graph will look when the Force Atlas 2 layout algorithm is run...
