Cytoscape is an open-source platform for visualizing and analyzing complex networks, originally designed for systems biology but now widely used across digital humanities to explore social, historical, and cultural relationships. With robust data integration features and support for diverse layout algorithms and visual styles, Cytoscape allows researchers to uncover patterns, clusters, and connections in datasets ranging from correspondence networks to literary character interactions. Its plugin ecosystem makes it highly extensible, enabling sophisticated analyses and interactive network storytelling that deepen humanities insights.

Gephi is an open-source network analysis and visualization software that helps digital humanities scholars explore complex relational data—such as correspondence networks, artistic influence, or institutional connections—with powerful graphing tools. Its interactive interface allows users to manipulate network layouts, apply filters, and generate metrics like centrality and modularity to reveal hidden patterns and clusters. Ideal for uncovering the social fabric of historical or cultural phenomena, Gephi turns data into dynamic visual narratives that support interpretation, argumentation, and discovery.

Palladio is a web-based visualization tool designed for exploring complex historical data through network graphs, maps, and timelines—making it a favorite among digital humanities scholars. With an intuitive interface and no need for coding, Palladio enables users to model relationships among people, places, events, and objects using structured datasets. It supports dynamic filtering and layered views, allowing for nuanced analysis of interconnected cultural, social, or intellectual histories. Whether mapping correspondence networks or tracking artistic influence, Palladio turns tabular data into visual arguments that deepen interpretation and storytelling.

The Artistic Network Toolkit (ANT) is a digital humanities resource designed to model and visualize relationships among artists, institutions, and cultural artifacts across time and space. It allows scholars to construct and analyze artistic networks through structured datasets, spatial mapping, and interactive visualizations—making it especially valuable for research in art history, cultural heritage, and performance studies. ANT supports explorations of influence, collaboration, and transmission by linking biographical data, artworks, and archival records, enabling rich storytelling and new interpretations of creative communities.

Google Sheets is a cloud-based spreadsheet tool that enables collaborative data entry, analysis, and visualization—making it an agile platform for digital humanities projects that prioritize accessibility and real-time teamwork. From cataloging historical sources and annotating text datasets to designing interactive timelines and tracking archival metadata, Sheets offers an intuitive interface with powerful features like formulas, charts, filters, and add-ons. Its integration with Google Workspace and open APIs makes it a flexible choice for cross-disciplinary research, open data publishing, and digital pedagogy.

Microsoft Excel is a versatile spreadsheet program that supports data organization, analysis, and visualization—making it a core tool for digital humanities scholars working with structured information. From mapping historical trends and organizing metadata to performing text analysis and cleaning datasets for digital publication, Excel offers an accessible platform for both quantitative and qualitative research. With features like pivot tables, formula functions, charts, and Power Query, it’s indispensable for managing complex archival records, cataloging cultural artifacts, or supporting interdisciplinary collaboration with clear, interpretable data.

StoryMaps by Esri is a narrative-driven web platform that combines maps, multimedia, and text to craft engaging stories about place, history, and culture—making it a go-to tool in digital humanities. Users can layer spatial data with archival material, oral histories, videos, and curated narratives to visualize complex topics through geographic lenses. Whether documenting migrations, mapping literary journeys, or exploring architectural heritage, StoryMaps empowers scholars to build immersive, interactive experiences that bring research and public storytelling to life.

Linked Open Data (LOD) is a publishing method that connects structured datasets across the web using semantic standards like RDF and URIs, enabling powerful interoperability, discovery, and reuse—especially vital for digital humanities research. By linking historical records, bibliographies, museum collections, and archival materials in a machine-readable format, LOD allows scholars to visualize relationships across time, place, and discipline. Projects using LOD can weave together disparate cultural resources, enhance metadata richness, and create web-native scholarly ecosystems that reflect the complexity of human knowledge.

ArcGIS is a powerful geographic information system (GIS) developed by Esri that enables spatial analysis, mapping, and data visualization—making it a cornerstone tool in the digital humanities. Scholars use ArcGIS to explore historical geography, plot cultural phenomena, and analyze spatial patterns across time and place. Its suite of tools—including StoryMaps, web maps, and spatial statistics—empowers users to build richly interactive narratives, visual archives, and geospatial dashboards that reveal the deeper connections between place, culture, and history.

JavaScript is a versatile scripting language that powers interactivity and dynamic behavior on the web, making it an essential tool for digital humanities projects that prioritize engagement, visualization, and responsive design. From building interactive timelines and maps to animating archival content and crafting digital exhibits, JavaScript enables scholars and developers to bring data and stories to life. Its compatibility with libraries like D3.js, Leaflet, and jQuery—and its ability to integrate with HTML and CSS—makes it a foundational skill for creating accessible, multimedia-rich DH platforms.