The first R package to work with GEXF graph files (used in Gephi and
others). rgexf allows reading and writing graph files, including:
Nodes/edges attributes,
GEXF viz attributes (such as color, size, and position),
Network dynamics (for both edges and nodes, including spells) and
Edges weighting.
Users can build/handle graphs element-by-element or through data-frames, visualize the graph on a web browser through ~~sigmajs javascript~~ gexf-js library and interact with the igraph package.
plot.gexf() now renders graphs as an interactive htmlwidget powered
by sigma.js v3 and
graphology. Node positions, colours,
and sizes are read from the viz:* attributes in the GEXF document.
New sigmajs() function creates a sigma.js htmlwidget from a gexf
object or a path to a .gexf file. Shiny helpers sigmajsOutput()
and renderSigmajs() are also available.
The legacy gexf-js file-server renderer is preserved as
plot_gexfjs(). The gexfjs() htmlwidget (inline iframe approach) is
likewise kept for backward compatibility.
gexfjs() now accepts a gexf object in addition to a file path,
matching sigmajs().
gexfjs() has an explicit sizing policy: the widget now defaults to
the full available width and a height of 600px (50% taller than
before) in knitr documents, the browser, and Shiny alike. Both
gexfjs() and sigmajs() honor user-supplied width/height, and
their documented defaults were clarified.
The gexfjs() widget rendered an empty main canvas: the bundled
config.js (which sets zoomLevel, showEdges, and other gexf-js
defaults) was never loaded into the iframe, making every screen
coordinate NaN.
Icons and images in the gexfjs() widget (zoom, lens, edge buttons,
search icon, Gephi logo) did not display: relative url(...)
references in the CSS cannot resolve inside a srcdoc iframe, so
images are now inlined as base64 data URIs.
The gexfjs() widget’s node-attribute panel was blank and search did
not work: the generated DOM was missing the #leftcontent element,
the search form id had a typo (reacherche), and the autocomplete
list was clipped by the title bar.
More in the NEWS.md file.
To install the latest version of rgexf, you can use devtools
library(devtools)
install_github("gvegayon/rgexf")
The more stable (but old) version of rgexf can be found on CRAN too:
install.packages("rgexf")
citation(package="rgexf")
To cite rgexf in publications use the following paper:
Vega Yon G (2021). "Building, Importing, and Exporting GEXF Graph
Files with rgexf." _Journal of Open Source Software_, *6*, 3456.
doi:10.21105/joss.03456 <https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.03456>,
<https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.03456>.
And the actual R package:
Vega Yon G, Fábrega Lacoa J, Kunst J (????). _netdiffuseR: Build,
Import and Export GEXF Graph Files_. doi:10.5281/zenodo.5182708
<https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5182708>, R package version 0.16.4,
<https://github.com/gvegayon/rgexf>.
To see these entries in BibTeX format, use 'print(<citation>,
bibtex=TRUE)', 'toBibtex(.)', or set
'options(citation.bibtex.max=999)'.
We can use the read.gexf function to read GEXF files into R:
# Loading the package
library(rgexf)
g <- system.file("gexf-graphs/lesmiserables.gexf", package="rgexf")
g <- read.gexf(g)
head(g) # Taking a look at the first handful
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gexf xmlns="http://www.gexf.net/1.3" xmlns:viz="http://www.gexf.net/1.3/viz" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.3" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.gexf.net/1.3 http://www.gexf.net/1.3/gexf.xsd">
<meta lastmodifieddate="2016-11-09">
<creator>Gephi 0.9</creator>
<description/>
</meta>
<graph defaultedgetype="undirected" mode="static">
<attributes class="node" mode="static">
<attribute id="modularity_class" title="Modularity Class" type="integer"/>
</attributes>
<nodes>
<node id="11" label="Valjean">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="modularity_class" value="1"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:size value="100.0"/>
<viz:position x="-87.93029" y="6.8120565"/>
<viz:color r="245" g="91" b="91"/>
</node>
<node id="48" label="Gavroche">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="modularity_class" value="8"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:size value="61.600006"/>
<viz:position x="387.89572" y="-110.462326"/>
<viz:color r="91" g="245" b="91"/>
</node>
<node id="55" label="Marius">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="modularity_class" value="6"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:size value="53.37143"/>
<viz:position x="206.44687" y="13.805411"/>
<viz:color r="194" g="91" b="245"/>
</node>
<node id="27" label="Javert">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="modularity_class" value="7"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:size value="47.88571"/>
<viz:position x="-81.46074" y="204.20204"/>
<viz:color r="91" g="245" b="194"/>
</node>
<node id="25" label="Thenardier">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="modularity_class" value="7"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:size value="45.142853"/>
<viz:position x="82.80825" y="203.1144"/>
<viz:color r="91" g="245" b="194"/>
</node>
<node id="23" label="Fantine">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="modularity_class" value="2"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:size value="42.4"/>
<viz:position x="-313.42786" y="289.44803"/>
<viz:color r="91" g="194" b="245"/>
</node>
...
</nodes>
<edges>
<edge id="0" source="1" target="0"/>
<edge id="1" source="2" target="0" weight="8.0"/>
<edge id="2" source="3" target="0" weight="10.0"/>
<edge id="3" source="3" target="2" weight="6.0"/>
<edge id="4" source="4" target="0"/>
<edge id="5" source="5" target="0"/>
...
</edges>
</graph>
</gexf>
Moreover, we can use the gexf.to.igraph() function to convert the
gexf object into an igraph object:
library(igraph)
Attaching package: 'igraph'
The following objects are masked from 'package:stats':
decompose, spectrum
The following object is masked from 'package:base':
union
ig <- gexf.to.igraph(g)
op <- par(mai = rep(0, 4)) # Making room
plot(ig)

par(op)
Using the plot.gexf method–which uses the gexf-js JavaScript
library–results in a Web visualization of the graph, like this:
plot(g)

# Creating a group of individuals and their relations
people <- data.frame(matrix(c(1:4, 'juan', 'pedro', 'matthew', 'carlos'),ncol=2))
people
X1 X2
1 1 juan
2 2 pedro
3 3 matthew
4 4 carlos
# Defining the relations structure
relations <- data.frame(matrix(c(1,4,1,2,1,3,2,3,3,4,4,2), ncol=2, byrow=T))
relations
X1 X2
1 1 4
2 1 2
3 1 3
4 2 3
5 3 4
6 4 2
# Getting things done
write.gexf(people, relations)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gexf xmlns="http://www.gexf.net/1.3" xmlns:viz="http://www.gexf.net/1.3/viz" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.gexf.net/1.3 http://www.gexf.net/1.3/gexf.xsd" version="1.3">
<meta lastmodifieddate="2026-07-08">
<creator>NodosChile</creator>
<description>A GEXF file written in R with "rgexf"</description>
<keywords>GEXF, NodosChile, R, rgexf, Gephi</keywords>
</meta>
<graph mode="static" defaultedgetype="undirected">
<nodes>
<node id="1" label="juan">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="163.952692888871" y="100.415277363797" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="2" label="pedro">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="250" y="235.61426657648" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="3" label="matthew">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="189.744021945668" y="250" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="4" label="carlos">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="-250" y="-250" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
</nodes>
<edges>
<edge id="0" source="1" target="4" weight="1"/>
<edge id="1" source="1" target="2" weight="1"/>
<edge id="2" source="1" target="3" weight="1"/>
<edge id="3" source="2" target="3" weight="1"/>
<edge id="4" source="3" target="4" weight="1"/>
<edge id="5" source="4" target="2" weight="1"/>
</edges>
</graph>
</gexf>
# Defining the dynamic structure, note that there are some nodes that have NA at the end.
time<-matrix(c(10.0,13.0,2.0,2.0,12.0,rep(NA,3)), nrow=4, ncol=2)
time
[,1] [,2]
[1,] 10 12
[2,] 13 NA
[3,] 2 NA
[4,] 2 NA
# Getting things done
write.gexf(people, relations, nodeDynamic=time)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gexf xmlns="http://www.gexf.net/1.3" xmlns:viz="http://www.gexf.net/1.3/viz" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.gexf.net/1.3 http://www.gexf.net/1.3/gexf.xsd" version="1.3">
<meta lastmodifieddate="2026-07-08">
<creator>NodosChile</creator>
<description>A GEXF file written in R with "rgexf"</description>
<keywords>GEXF, NodosChile, R, rgexf, Gephi</keywords>
</meta>
<graph mode="dynamic" start="2" end="13" timeformat="double" defaultedgetype="undirected">
<nodes>
<node id="1" label="juan" start="10" end="12">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="250" y="250" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="2" label="pedro" start="13" end="13">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="-116.286814488559" y="-48.8491528929603" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="3" label="matthew" start="2" end="13">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="193.001175103911" y="-250" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="4" label="carlos" start="2" end="13">
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="-250" y="-174.022122416047" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
</nodes>
<edges>
<edge id="0" source="1" target="4" weight="1"/>
<edge id="1" source="1" target="2" weight="1"/>
<edge id="2" source="1" target="3" weight="1"/>
<edge id="3" source="2" target="3" weight="1"/>
<edge id="4" source="3" target="4" weight="1"/>
<edge id="5" source="4" target="2" weight="1"/>
</edges>
</graph>
</gexf>
First, we define dynamics
time.nodes<-matrix(c(10.0,13.0,2.0,2.0,12.0,rep(NA,3)), nrow=4, ncol=2)
time.nodes
[,1] [,2]
[1,] 10 12
[2,] 13 NA
[3,] 2 NA
[4,] 2 NA
time.edges<-matrix(c(10.0,13.0,2.0,2.0,12.0,1,5,rep(NA,5)), nrow=6, ncol=2)
time.edges
[,1] [,2]
[1,] 10 5
[2,] 13 NA
[3,] 2 NA
[4,] 2 NA
[5,] 12 NA
[6,] 1 NA
Now we define the attribute values
# Defining a data frame of attributes for nodes and edges
node.att <- data.frame(letrafavorita=letters[1:4], numbers=1:4, stringsAsFactors=F)
node.att
letrafavorita numbers
1 a 1
2 b 2
3 c 3
4 d 4
edge.att <- data.frame(letrafavorita=letters[1:6], numbers=1:6, stringsAsFactors=F)
edge.att
letrafavorita numbers
1 a 1
2 b 2
3 c 3
4 d 4
5 e 5
6 f 6
# Getting the things done
write.gexf(nodes=people, edges=relations, edgeDynamic=time.edges,
edgesAtt=edge.att, nodeDynamic=time.nodes, nodesAtt=node.att)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gexf xmlns="http://www.gexf.net/1.3" xmlns:viz="http://www.gexf.net/1.3/viz" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.gexf.net/1.3 http://www.gexf.net/1.3/gexf.xsd" version="1.3">
<meta lastmodifieddate="2026-07-08">
<creator>NodosChile</creator>
<description>A GEXF file written in R with "rgexf"</description>
<keywords>GEXF, NodosChile, R, rgexf, Gephi</keywords>
</meta>
<graph mode="dynamic" start="1" end="13" timeformat="double" defaultedgetype="undirected">
<attributes class="node" mode="static">
<attribute id="att1" title="letrafavorita" type="string"/>
<attribute id="att2" title="numbers" type="integer"/>
</attributes>
<attributes class="edge" mode="static">
<attribute id="att1" title="letrafavorita" type="string"/>
<attribute id="att2" title="numbers" type="integer"/>
</attributes>
<nodes>
<node id="1" label="juan" start="10" end="12">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="a"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="1"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="250" y="241.156927125917" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="2" label="pedro" start="13" end="13">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="b"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="2"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="102.288482685844" y="-250" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="3" label="matthew" start="2" end="13">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="c"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="3"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="-250" y="250" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
<node id="4" label="carlos" start="2" end="13">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="d"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="4"/>
</attvalues>
<viz:color r="255" g="99" b="71" a="1"/>
<viz:position x="42.176120373259" y="-45.0467720735" z="0"/>
<viz:size value="125"/>
</node>
</nodes>
<edges>
<edge id="0" source="1" target="4" start="10" end="5" weight="1">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="a"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="1"/>
</attvalues>
</edge>
<edge id="1" source="1" target="2" start="13" end="13" weight="1">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="b"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="2"/>
</attvalues>
</edge>
<edge id="2" source="1" target="3" start="2" end="13" weight="1">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="c"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="3"/>
</attvalues>
</edge>
<edge id="3" source="2" target="3" start="2" end="13" weight="1">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="d"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="4"/>
</attvalues>
</edge>
<edge id="4" source="3" target="4" start="12" end="13" weight="1">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="e"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="5"/>
</attvalues>
</edge>
<edge id="5" source="4" target="2" start="1" end="13" weight="1">
<attvalues>
<attvalue for="att1" value="f"/>
<attvalue for="att2" value="6"/>
</attvalues>
</edge>
</edges>
</graph>
</gexf>
We welcome contributions to rgexf. Whether reporting a bug, starting a
discussion by asking a question, or proposing/requesting a new feature,
please go by creating a new issue
here so that we can talk
about it.
Please note that the rgexf project is released with a Contributor Code of Conduct. By contributing to this project, you agree to abide by its terms
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