Network Representation Learning: From Preprocessing, Feature Extraction to Node Embedding

Dozens of NRL algorithms have been reported in the literature. Most of them focus on learning node embeddings for homogeneous networks, but they differ in the specific encoding schemes and specific types of node semantics captured and used for learning node embedding.

This article reviews the design principles and the different node embedding techniques for NRL over homogeneous networks. To facilitate the comparison of different node embedding algorithms, we introduce a unified reference framework to divide and generalize the node embedding learning process on a given network into preprocessing steps, node feature extraction steps, and node embedding model training for an NRL task such as link prediction and node clustering.