# Graphviz — Open-Source Graph Visualization Software

> A mature open-source graph visualization toolkit that renders structural information as diagrams from a simple text-based DOT language description.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Graphviz — Open-Source Graph Visualization Software

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install
brew install graphviz   # macOS
apt install graphviz   # Debian/Ubuntu

# Render a graph
echo 'digraph { A -> B -> C; A -> C; }' | dot -Tpng -o graph.png
```

## Introduction
Graphviz is an open-source graph visualization toolkit originally developed at AT&T Labs. It takes descriptions of graphs in the DOT text language and automatically computes layouts, rendering them as SVG, PNG, PDF, and other formats. It has been a standard tool in software engineering, networking, and data science for over two decades.

## What Graphviz Does
- Renders directed and undirected graphs from DOT language descriptions
- Automatically computes node positions using multiple layout algorithms
- Outputs to SVG, PNG, PDF, PostScript, and other image formats
- Provides programmatic APIs for C, Python, Java, and other languages
- Supports subgraphs, clusters, custom node shapes, and edge styling

## Architecture Overview
Graphviz consists of several layout engines, each implementing a different graph drawing algorithm. The ``dot`` engine handles hierarchical directed graphs using a layered approach. ``neato`` and ``fdp`` use force-directed placement for undirected graphs. ``circo`` creates circular layouts and ``twopi`` produces radial layouts. All engines read the same DOT input format and share the same rendering backend.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install from system package managers on Linux, macOS, or Windows
- Use the command-line tools directly: dot, neato, fdp, circo, twopi, sfdp
- Integrate via Python bindings (graphviz package on PyPI)
- Customize graph appearance with DOT attributes for nodes, edges, and clusters
- Generate DOT files programmatically from any language and pipe to Graphviz

## Key Features
- Multiple layout algorithms for different graph topologies
- DOT language provides a readable text-based graph description format
- Extensive output format support including SVG and PDF
- Language bindings for Python, C, Java, and more
- Battle-tested reliability across decades of production use

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Mermaid** — Markdown-embedded diagrams rendered in browsers; Graphviz provides more layout algorithms and output formats
- **D2** — Modern declarative diagram language; Graphviz has broader ecosystem support and more layout engines
- **PlantUML** — UML-focused diagramming; Graphviz handles arbitrary graph structures beyond UML
- **draw.io** — Interactive visual editor; Graphviz is code-first with automatic layout computation

## FAQ
**Q: What is the DOT language?**
A: DOT is a plain-text graph description language. You define nodes and edges, and Graphviz computes the layout automatically.

**Q: Can Graphviz handle large graphs?**
A: Yes. The sfdp engine is designed for graphs with thousands of nodes. For very large graphs, use sfdp or the sparse mode in neato.

**Q: Is Graphviz still maintained?**
A: Yes. Graphviz is actively maintained on GitLab and GitHub with regular releases.

**Q: Can I use Graphviz in a web application?**
A: Yes. Use the Viz.js or @hpcc-js/wasm libraries that compile Graphviz to WebAssembly for in-browser rendering.

## Sources
- https://github.com/graphviz/graphviz
- https://graphviz.org

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-f9566caf
Author: Script Depot