Network analysis glossary
Network density
Network density is the share of all possible ties that actually exist. A density of 1 means everyone is tied to everyone; a density of 0.1 means one pair in ten is. It is the quickest single number for how tightly knit a group is, and it falls quickly as a network grows.
Updated · Netgraf
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| People | 10 |
| Ties drawn | 18 |
| Ties possible | 45 |
| Density | 0.400 (40%) |
18 / 45 = 0.400. Computed live from the example map with the same code the Netgraf insights panel runs.
How it's calculated
undirected: density = ties / (n (n - 1) / 2) directed: density = ties / (n (n - 1))
Reading it
Density is only comparable between networks of similar size. A person can keep up only so many relationships, so as n grows the possible ties grow with n squared while the real ones grow roughly with n. A team of eight at 0.6 and a company of eight hundred at 0.02 can both be perfectly healthy.
Average degree often says the same thing more usefully: "each person has about five ties" is easier to picture than "density 0.14". Netgraf shows both.
In Netgraf
Density is one of the tiles at the top of the Insights panel, as a percentage of possible ties drawn, next to Avg. ties each. Its detail line reads "ties drawn over ties possible".