Free Force-Directed Graph Maker

See it work

Force-directed graph examples.

Same tool, four requests. Every drawing below is a real render.

What you type

A Chicago Public Schools stakeholder network connected to Northside High School, Westside Elementary, Southside Middle School, parents and students, community organizations, city government, the state board of education, the teachers union and local businesses, with links for services, communication, partnership, funding, oversight, bargaining and sponsorship.

Then tryAdd a school board stakeholder.Add a foundation funding link to Chicago Public Schools.

Network topology: School stakeholder network

Network topology · Cisco-convention topology icons · schematex-network

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The drawing

What a force-directed graph is.

A force-directed graph places connected nodes near one another and spreads less connected nodes apart. It is useful when the pattern of relationships matters more than a fixed hierarchy or a physical layout.

Use a graph like this for stakeholders, ecosystems, communities or service relationships. Start with a manageable set of entities and label the meaning of each relationship so clusters and central nodes have context.

Standard: Cisco-convention topology icons
Also follows: Hierarchical / spine-leaf models · ANSI/TIA-606 · ONVIF
Engine: schematex-network
Editable: Double-click text, drag nodes
Export: SVG · PNG · PDF

Network topology: What a force-directed graph is

Who uses it

Who uses force-directed graphs.

Researchers

Labs, partners and shared data services mapped to find central collaboration dependencies.

Community organizations

Institutions, funders, partners and constituent groups mapped around a shared program.

Policy and conservation teams

Organizations, communities and information flows examined for collaboration gaps and central actors.

How it works

How to make a force-directed graph in three steps.

Describe it

One paragraph is enough to start.

“A Chicago Public Schools stakeholder network connected to Northside High School, Westside Elementary, Southside Middle School, parents and students, community organizations, city government, the state board of education, the teachers union and local businesses, with links for services, communication, partnership, funding, oversight, bargaining and sponsorship.”

See the drawing

Drawn by the right engine.

Say what changes

Every edit keeps a version.

Add a school board stakeholder.

V2 · DRAWN FROM V1, NOTHING RETYPED

FAQ

Common questions

What is a force-directed graph?

It is a network visualization that uses a layout algorithm to bring connected nodes together and separate less connected nodes, helping relationship patterns become visible.

When should I use a force-directed graph?

Use one for networks such as stakeholders, organizations, species, systems or social ties where connections and clusters matter more than a fixed reporting hierarchy.

What do nodes and links represent?

Nodes represent the entities being studied, and links represent the relationship between them, such as funding, collaboration, predation, communication or service use.

How do I keep a relationship graph readable?

Use a focused set of entities, short labels and one clear meaning for each link. Split a very dense network into separate views when its relationships cannot be read at a useful size.

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