Visualization Modes
The same universe can be shown in several ways. Each view emphasizes a different kind of relationship.
The views available can vary by universe and by the data it contains.
The globe arranges nodes around a sphere. A properties layout groups nodes by values such as date and category, while a links layout pulls connected nodes together. Drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a dot or connection to navigate.
Similarity cloud
Section titled “Similarity cloud”UMAP and PaCMAP views place similar nodes near one another. They are useful for discovering related items even when those relationships are not obvious from labels or categories.
Timeline
Section titled “Timeline”The one-dimensional timeline arranges nodes along an axis, usually date, and can group them into lanes. Use it to read chronology and compare categories side by side.
Graph layouts emphasize explicit connections. Connected nodes pull together into clusters, making communities and highly connected items easier to spot.
First-person view
Section titled “First-person view”First-person view places the camera inside the visualization near the selected node. Move through visible connections to experience the universe as a navigable space.
Tree of Knowledge
Section titled “Tree of Knowledge”The Tree of Knowledge view reveals a network in stages, allowing you to watch nodes and connections accumulate over time.
Inverted view
Section titled “Inverted view”The inverted view promotes category values to nodes. For example, games can collapse into genre nodes so you can inspect relationships between categories rather than individual records.
Saved views and the starting view
Section titled “Saved views and the starting view”Use the saved-view picker to save a layout and its filters. Owners and editors of cloud universes can choose the star beside a saved view to Make default for everyone. The Default badge identifies the starting view; the checkmark identifies the view you are currently exploring. Updating the saved default also updates future visits.
A shared default applies when someone opens the universe without explicit view settings. Links to a particular view or layout keep their settings. Existing exploration sessions stay in place when the default changes. Choose Use original universe default to reset it. Deleting the saved default also restores the original starting view.
For local universes, Make default on this device saves the choice in this browser.