An Optimization Technique for Subgraph Matching Strategies

  • Author(s): Gernot Veit Batz
  • Source: Internal Report 2006-7 of the Fakultät für Informatik, Universität Karlsruhe (TH); October 2006; ISSN: 1432-7864
  • Subgraph matching (aka graph pattern matching or the subgraph
    isomorphism problem) is NP-complete. But in practice subgraph
    matching should be performed in reasonable time if possible.

    In this work a heuristically optimizing approach to subgraph
    matching on labeled graphs is described. It relies on the fact
    that the runtime of the matching process can vary significantly
    for different matching strategies. The finding of a good
    matching strategy is stated as an optimization problem which is
    solved heuristically. The cost model for the possible matching
    strategies takes the structure of the present host graph into
    account. The necessary information can be obtained by an
    analysis of the host graph.