Eur. Phys. J. B (2013) 86: 471
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2013-40829-0

Regular Article

A smart local moving algorithm for large-scale modularity-based community detection

Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, 2300 Leiden, The Netherlands

^a e-mail: waltmanlr@cwts.leidenuniv.nl

Received: 13 September 2013
Received in final form: 7 October 2013
Published online: 13 November 2013

Abstract

We introduce a new algorithm for modularity-based community detection in large networks. The algorithm, which we refer to as a smart local moving algorithm, takes advantage of a well-known local moving heuristic that is also used by other algorithms. Compared with these other algorithms, our proposed algorithm uses the local moving heuristic in a more sophisticated way. Based on an analysis of a diverse set of networks, we show that our smart local moving algorithm identifies community structures with higher modularity values than other algorithms for large-scale modularity optimization, among which the popular “Louvain algorithm”. The computational efficiency of our algorithm makes it possible to perform community detection in networks with tens of millions of nodes and hundreds of millions of edges. Our smart local moving algorithm also performs well in small and medium-sized networks. In short computing times, it identifies community structures with modularity values equally high as, or almost as high as, the highest values reported in the literature, and sometimes even higher than the highest values found in the literature.