Jim Kitchen & Erik Welch - GraphBLAS for Sparse Data and Graphs | SciPy 2023

Join Jim Kitchen and Erik Welch at SciPy 2023 as they introduce GraphBLAS, a Python library for sparse data and graphs, offering fast, stable, and scalable solutions for graph processing and algorithms.

Key takeaways
  • Python GraphBLAS for single-source shortest path: uses adjacency matrix, level, and parents; iterates until converged
  • GraphBLAS is fast, stable, and scalable; uses sparse accelerations and hardware being worked on
  • Key features: semirings, sparse linear algebra API, simple and expressive
  • Math specification: defines a syntax and rules for graph algorithms; allows for expressing complex algorithms in a simple way
  • Example algorithms: page rank, single-source shortest path, breadth-first search
  • Target audience: graph theorists, computer scientists, researchers
  • Python GraphBLAS is designed for longevity and maintainability
  • Need for a graph library: current solutions are not efficient or scalable
  • Example use cases: social networks, biology, genomics, power grids
  • Open-source and community-driven project; collaboration with NetworkX
  • Vision: to accelerate libraries that use NetworkX; create a community around graph processing
  • QGraph is another solution for graph processing, which is designed for scalability and efficiency.