# Rewiring graph

**URL:** <https://igraph.discourse.group/t/rewiring-graph/1197>\
**Category:** Usage\
**Tags:** Python\
**Created:** [25 April 2022 08:14 UTC](https://igraph.discourse.group/t/rewiring-graph/1197 "2022-04-25T08:14:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Katterrina](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/igraph.discourse.group/katterrina/32/704_2.png) [@Katterrina](https://igraph.discourse.group/u/Katterrina)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2022 08:14 UTC](https://igraph.discourse.group/t/rewiring-graph/1197/1 "2022-04-25T08:14:14Z")

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Hello!

It might be an unnecessary question, but I can not find it in the documentation. How the function Graph.rewire() works? Does it take any argument? I found just this [Graph analysis](https://igraph.org/python/tutorial/latest/analysis.html#simplification-permutations-and-rewiring), and it is not very explanatory.

Thank you,  
Kateřina

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**Author:** ![szhorvat](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/igraph.discourse.group/szhorvat/32/3_2.png) [@szhorvat](https://igraph.discourse.group/u/szhorvat)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2022 08:33 UTC](https://igraph.discourse.group/t/rewiring-graph/1197/2 "2022-04-25T08:33:59Z")

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For an explanation, see **Edge-switching Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods** and the associated figure in this paper:

[https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2632-072X/abced5](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2632-072X/abced5)

As for “does it take an argument?”, see the documentation:

[https://igraph.org/python/api/latest/igraph.\_igraph.GraphBase.html#rewire](https://igraph.org/python/api/latest/igraph._igraph.GraphBase.html#rewire)

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**Author:** ![Katterrina](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/igraph.discourse.group/katterrina/32/704_2.png) [@Katterrina](https://igraph.discourse.group/u/Katterrina)\
**Post date:** [26 April 2022 08:08 UTC](https://igraph.discourse.group/t/rewiring-graph/1197/3 "2022-04-26T08:08:30Z")

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Thank you! I have one more question. Am I right that the rewire function does not keep weights? Or is it somehow possible?

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**Author:** ![szhorvat](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/igraph.discourse.group/szhorvat/32/3_2.png) [@szhorvat](https://igraph.discourse.group/u/szhorvat)\
**Post date:** [26 April 2022 08:56 UTC](https://igraph.discourse.group/t/rewiring-graph/1197/4 "2022-04-26T08:56:40Z")

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That is correct: weights are discarded.

It is not a trivial question whether there is a reasonable and useful way to retain weights during such a rewiring. If you can formulate such a way, or are aware of a paper discussing one, feel free to open a feature request. This would likely be a new and separate function though.