Barabási–Albert (BA) Network Simulator

Building and Running a Barabási–Albert (BA) Network Simulator

This guide is a comprehensive reference on how to set up, run, and extend a Barabási–Albert preferential attachment network simulator. It consolidates everything into one place so that if you (or anyone else) ever gets stuck, you can simply revisit this log.

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🔹 What Is the Barabási–Albert (BA) Model?

The Barabási–Albert model is a scale-free network model that generates graphs using a process called preferential attachment. This results in networks with a few highly connected hubs and many low-degree nodes, mimicking real-world networks such as:

• The internet

• Power grids

• Social networks

• Airline routes

Understanding and simulating BA networks is useful for studying:

• Vulnerability to attacks (removal of hubs)

• Information spreading (rumors, viruses, malware)

• Resilience under random failures

• Emergent properties of complex systems

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🔹 Two Ways to Run the Simulator

You can run the simulator either directly in a web browser (simplest), or package it as a Node.js standalone app with Express. Both options are covered here.

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1. Running in a Browser (Static Mode)

Steps

1. Save your code as index.html.

2. Open it in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

3. Done — it runs fully offline in the browser.

This mode is ideal for:

• Quick experimentation

• Sharing via GitHub Pages, Netlify, or static hosting

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2. Running as a Node.js Standalone App (Dynamic Mode)

📂 Folder Structure

ba-simulator/
 ├── app.js
 ├── public/
 │    └── index.html

app.js (Express Server)

// Minimal Node.js + Express server for BA Simulator
const express = require('express');
const path = require('path');
const app = express();
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;

// Serve static files (HTML, CSS, JS)
app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public')));

// Default route
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, 'public', 'index.html'));
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`🚀 Barabási–Albert simulator running at http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

Steps to Run

# Install dependencies
npm init -y
npm install express

# Start server
node app.js

Now visit: http://localhost:3000

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3. Making It Truly Standalone

• Offline: Works by double-clicking index.html.

• Online: Works by running node app.js.

• Deployable: You can host it easily on:

  • GitHub Pages (static browser mode)

  • Netlify or Vercel (static hosting)

  • Heroku or Render (Node.js mode)

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4. Optional Enhancements

(a) Add an npm script for convenience

"scripts": {
  "start": "node app.js"
}

Then run:

npm start

(b) Package as a Desktop App with Electron

If you want a clickable app for Windows, macOS, or Linux:

1. Install Electron:

   npm install electron --save-dev

2. Add to package.json:

   "main": "app.js",
   "scripts": {
     "start": "electron ."
   }

3. Run:

   npm start

This wraps your BA simulator into a full desktop GUI application.

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5. Recommended Frontend Enhancements

From the provided software stack references, you can upgrade the visualization and interactivity:

• Tailwind CSS → clean, modern UI styling

• Chart.js → degree distribution histograms, infection curves

• D3.js or vis.js → animated interactive network visualization

• jQuery / core-js → cross-browser support and dynamic UI controls

• Squarespace / Netlify / Vercel hosting → quick web deployment

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6. Practical Use Cases for Electrical Engineers

• Power Grids: Identify critical substations (hubs) vulnerable to targeted attacks.

• Communication Networks: Model malware/worm propagation in SCADA/telemetry systems.

• Microgrids: Study synchronization stability with hub-based vulnerabilities.

• Sensor Networks: Optimize monitoring placement using network centrality measures.

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✅ Final Notes

• Use browser-only mode if you just want a simple, portable simulation.

• Use Node.js mode if you want to integrate backend logic or expose simulation APIs.

• Use Electron packaging if you want a fully standalone desktop app.

This log serves as a complete reference: from BA network theory → coding → running → packaging → real-world applications.