--- name: "gvgen" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "graphviz" version: "16.1.0-2" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/gvgen" --- # gvgen(1) generate graphs ## NAME gvgen - generate graphs ## SYNOPSIS **gvgen** \[ **-dv?** \] \[ **-i***n* \] \[ **-c***n* \] \[ **-C***x,y* \] \[ **-g***\[**f**\]x,y* \] \[ **-G***\[**f**\]x,y* \] \[ **-h***n* \] \[ **-k***n* \] \[ **-b***x,y* \] \[ **-B***x,y* \] \[ **-m***n* \] \[ **-M***x,y* \] \[ **-p***n* \] \[ **-r***x,y* \] \[ **-R***x* \] \[ **-s***n* \] \[ **-S***n* \] \[ **-S***n,d* \] \[ **-t***n* \] \[ **-t***d,n* \] \[ **-T***x,y* \] \[ **-T***x,y,u,v* \] \[ **-u***seed* \] \[ **-w***n* \] \[ **-n***prefix* \] \[ **-N***name* \] \[ **-o***outfile* \] ## DESCRIPTION **gvgen** generates a variety of simple, regularly-structured abstract graphs. ## OPTIONS The following options are supported: - **-c** *n* Generate a cycle with *n* vertices and edges. - **-C** *x,y* Generate an *x* by *y* cylinder. This will have *x\*y* vertices and *2\*x\*y - y* edges. - **-g** *\[**f**\]x,y* Generate an *x* by *y* grid. If **f** is given, the grid is folded, with an edge attaching each pair of opposing corner vertices. This will have *x\*y* vertices and *2\*x\*y - y - x* edges if unfolded and *2\*x\*y - y - x + 2* edges if folded. - **-G** *\[**f**\]x,y* Generate an *x* by *y* partial grid. If **f** is given, the grid is folded, with an edge attaching each pair of opposing corner vertices. This will have *x\*y* vertices. - **-h** *n* Generate a hypercube of degree *n*. This will have *2^n* vertices and *n\*2^(n-1)* edges. - **-k** *n* Generate a complete graph on *n* vertices with *n\*(n-1)/2* edges. - **-b** *x,y* Generate a complete *x* by *y* bipartite graph. This will have *x+y* vertices and *x\*y* edges. - **-B** *x,y* Generate an *x* by *y* ball, i.e., an *x* by *y* cylinder with two "cap" nodes closing the ends. This will have *x\*y + 2* vertices and *2\*x\*y + y* edges. - **-m** *n* Generate a triangular mesh with *n* vertices on a side. This will have *(n+1)\*n/2* vertices and *3\*(n-1)\*n/2* edges. - **-M** *x,y* Generate an x by y Moebius strip. This will have *x\*y* vertices and *2\*x\*y - y* edges. - **-p** *n* Generate a path on *n* vertices. This will have *n-1* edges. - **-r** *x,y* Generate a random graph. The number of vertices will be the largest value of the form *2^n-1* less than or equal to *x*. Larger values of *y* increase the density of the graph. - **-R** *x* Generate a random rooted tree on *x* vertices. - **-s** *n* Generate a star on *n* vertices. This will have *n-1* edges. - **-S** *n* Generate a Sierpinski graph of order *n*. This will have *3\*(3^(n-1) + 1)/2* vertices and *3^n* edges. - **-S** *n,d* Generate a *d*-dimensional Sierpinski graph of order *n*. At present, *d* must be 2 or 3. For d equal to 3, there will be *4\*(4^(n-1) + 1)/2* vertices and *6 \* 4^(n-1)* edges. - **-t** *n* Generate a binary tree of height *n*. This will have *2^n-1* vertices and *2^n-2* edges. - **-t** *h,n* Generate a n-ary tree of height *h*. - **-T** *x,y* - **-T** *x,y,u,v* Generate an *x* by *y* torus. This will have *x\*y* vertices and *2\*x\*y* edges. If *u* and *v* are given, they specify twists of that amount in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. - **-u** *seed* Specify the initial state for the random number generator. If this option is not given, the current time is used to derive a seed. - **-w** *n* Generate a path on *n* vertices. This will have *n-1* edges. - **-i** *n* Generate *n* graphs of the requested type. At present, only available if the **-R** flag is used. - **-n** *prefix* Normally, integers are used as node names. If *prefix* is specified, this will be prepended to the integer to create the name. - **-N** *name* Use *name* as the name of the graph. By default, the graph is anonymous. - **-o** *outfile* If specified, the generated graph is written into the file *outfile.* Otherwise, the graph is written to standard out. - **-d** Make the generated graph directed. - **-v** Verbose output. - **-?** Print usage information. ## EXIT STATUS **gvgen** exits with 0 on successful completion, and exits with 1 if given an ill-formed or incorrect flag, or if the specified output file could not be opened. ## AUTHOR Emden R. Gansner \ ## SEE ALSO [gc(1)](/gc/1.md), [acyclic(1)](/acyclic/1.md), [gvpr(1)](/gvpr/1.md), [gvcolor(1)](/gvcolor/1.md), [ccomps(1)](/ccomps/1.md), [sccmap(1)](/sccmap/1.md), [tred(1)](/tred/1.md), libgraph(3)