Using NetworkX with matplotlib.ArtistAnimation

Question

What I want to do is create an animation in which the nodes of a graph change color with time. When I search for information on animation in matplotlib, I usually see exampl

Answer 1

import numpy as np
import networkx as nx
import matplotlib
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.animation import FuncAnimation

G = nx.Graph()
G.add_edges_from([(0,1),(1,2),(2,0)])
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(8,8))
pos=nx.graphviz_layout(G)
nc = np.random.random(3)
nodes = nx.draw_networkx_nodes(G,pos,node_color=nc)
edges = nx.draw_networkx_edges(G,pos) 


def update(n):
  nc = np.random.random(3)
  nodes.set_array(nc)
  return nodes,

anim = FuncAnimation(fig, update, interval=50, blit=True)

nx.draw does not return anything, hence why your method didn't work. The easiest way to do this is to draw the nodes and edges using nx.draw_networkx_nodes and nx.draw_networkx_edges which return PatchCollection and LineCollection objects. You can then update the color of the nodes using set_array.

Using the same general frame work you can also move the nodes around (via set_offsets for the PatchCollection and set_verts or set_segments for LineCollection)

best animation tutorial I have seen: http://jakevdp.github.io/blog/2012/08/18/matplotlib-animation-tutorial/