IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/phsmap/v678y2025ics0378437125005746.html

A link prediction algorithm based on convolutional neural network

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Weilun
  • Zou, Huangrong
  • Zhou, Yinzuo

Abstract

Link prediction is a fundamental problem in complexity science, focusing on forecasting the emergence of new links or identifying missing links within a given network. In this paper, we propose a novel link prediction method named Link Prediction Based on Convolutional Neural Networks (LPCNN). The approach introduces an innovative feature construction technique and leverages the LeNet-LP convolutional neural network architecture, specifically tailored for link prediction tasks. To assess the performance of LPCNN, extensive experiments were conducted on four publicly available datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly enhances link prediction accuracy, highlighting its effectiveness and practical applicability.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Weilun & Zou, Huangrong & Zhou, Yinzuo, 2025. "A link prediction algorithm based on convolutional neural network," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 678(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:678:y:2025:i:c:s0378437125005746
    DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2025.130922
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378437125005746
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only. Journal offers the option of making the article available online on Science direct for a fee of $3,000

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.physa.2025.130922?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Liben‐Nowell & Jon Kleinberg, 2007. "The link‐prediction problem for social networks," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 58(7), pages 1019-1031, May.
    2. Aaron Clauset & Cristopher Moore & M. E. J. Newman, 2008. "Hierarchical structure and the prediction of missing links in networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 453(7191), pages 98-101, May.
    3. Lü, Linyuan & Zhou, Tao, 2011. "Link prediction in complex networks: A survey," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 390(6), pages 1150-1170.
    4. Mingzhou Yang & Yongqi He, 2025. "A Link Prediction Algorithm Based on Layer Attention Mechanism for Multiplex Networks," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Zhou, Yinzuo & Chen, Weilun & Zou, Huangrong, 2025. "A link prediction algorithm based on support vector machine," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 673(C).
    6. Tao Zhou & Linyuan Lü & Yi-Cheng Zhang, 2009. "Predicting missing links via local information," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 71(4), pages 623-630, October.
    7. Kart, Ozge & Ulucay, Oguzhan & Bingol, Berkay & Isik, Zerrin, 2020. "A machine learning-based recommendation model for bipartite networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 553(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lee, Yan-Li & Zhou, Tao, 2021. "Collaborative filtering approach to link prediction," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 578(C).
    2. Zhou, Tao & Lee, Yan-Li & Wang, Guannan, 2021. "Experimental analyses on 2-hop-based and 3-hop-based link prediction algorithms," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 564(C).
    3. Yueran Duan & Qing Guan, 2021. "Predicting potential knowledge convergence of solar energy: bibliometric analysis based on link prediction model," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(5), pages 3749-3773, May.
    4. Park, Ji Hwan & Chang, Woojin & Song, Jae Wook, 2020. "Link prediction in the Granger causality network of the global currency market," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 553(C).
    5. Lee, Yan-Li & Dong, Qiang & Zhou, Tao, 2021. "Link prediction via controlling the leading eigenvector," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 411(C).
    6. Jiao, Yang & Wu, Jianshe & Xiang, Peng & Wang, Fang, 2023. "Link prediction from fusion information," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 618(C).
    7. Wang, Jun & Zhang, Qian-Ming & Zhou, Tao, 2019. "Tag-aware link prediction algorithm in complex networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 523(C), pages 105-111.
    8. Huang, Lu & Chen, Xiang & Ni, Xingxing & Liu, Jiarun & Cao, Xiaoli & Wang, Changtian, 2021. "Tracking the dynamics of co-word networks for emerging topic identification," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    9. Wan, Shuyan & Bi, Yilin & Jiao, Xinshan & Zhou, Tao, 2025. "Quantifying discriminability of evaluation metrics in link prediction for real networks," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 199(P3).
    10. repec:plo:pone00:0081727 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Chen, Xing & Wu, Tao & Xian, Xingping & Wang, Chao & Yuan, Ye & Ming, Guannan, 2020. "Enhancing robustness of link prediction for noisy complex networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 555(C).
    12. Zhou, Tao, 2023. "Discriminating abilities of threshold-free evaluation metrics in link prediction," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 615(C).
    13. Lingling Zhang & Jing Li & Qiuliu Zhang & Fan Meng & Weili Teng, 2019. "Domain Knowledge-Based Link Prediction in Customer-Product Bipartite Graph for Product Recommendation," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(01), pages 311-338, January.
    14. Chunning Wang & Fengqin Tang & Xuejing Zhao, 2023. "LPGRI: A Global Relevance-Based Link Prediction Approach for Multiplex Networks," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-15, July.
    15. Tofighy, Sajjad & Charkari, Nasrollah Moghadam & Ghaderi, Foad, 2022. "Link prediction in multiplex networks using intralayer probabilistic distance and interlayer co-evolving factors," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 606(C).
    16. Lang Chai & Rui Huang, 2025. "Link prediction of heterogeneous complex networks based on an improved embedding learning algorithm," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, January.
    17. Karimi, Fatemeh & Lotfi, Shahriar & Izadkhah, Habib, 2021. "Community-guided link prediction in multiplex networks," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 15(4).
    18. Andreas Spitz & Anna Gimmler & Thorsten Stoeck & Katharina Anna Zweig & Emőke-Ágnes Horvát, 2016. "Assessing Low-Intensity Relationships in Complex Networks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, April.
    19. Liu, Chuang & Zhou, Wei-Xing, 2012. "Heterogeneity in initial resource configurations improves a network-based hybrid recommendation algorithm," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 391(22), pages 5704-5711.
    20. Xia, Yongxiang & Pang, Wenbo & Zhang, Xuejun, 2021. "Mining relationships between performance of link prediction algorithms and network structure," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 153(P2).
    21. Qiaoran Yang & Zhiliang Dong & Yichi Zhang & Man Li & Ziyi Liang & Chao Ding, 2021. "Who Will Establish New Trade Relations? Looking for Potential Relationship in International Nickel Trade," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-15, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:678:y:2025:i:c:s0378437125005746. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/physica-a-statistical-mechpplications/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.