`nwneighbor`

Extract the network neighbors of a node

Syntax

nwneighbor 
[netname],
ego(nodename)
[mode(context)
generate(newvarname)
replace
subnet(newnetname)
subreplace]


`mode`(context)	Defines the network neighborhood of node ego; default = outgoing
`generate(newvarname)`	Save information about network neighbors in variable.
`replace`	Overwrite variable newvarname.
`subnet(newnetname)`	Save the induced subgraph on ego plus its own neighbors (and every tie among them) as a new network
`subreplace`	Overwrite network newnetname if it already exists

Description

` nwneighbor returns the network neighbors of *nodename* specified in **ego()**. The network neighborhood of a node is defined in mode()`. By default, the neighborhood of a node ego consists of all nodes j, who receive a tie from node ego. Tie values are ignored.

subnet(newnetname) additionally saves the INDUCED SUBGRAPH on ego plus its own neighbors - a genuine new network containing exactly those nodes and every tie the original network has among them (not just ego’s own ties) - as newnetname. Useful as a starting point for any ego-network-level analysis that needs an actual standalone network object (as opposed to a per-node attribute aggregate, which nwaltergen/nwego already compute directly without needing one). The original network is left untouched; newnetname inherits its directedness/valued/self-loop/two-mode status.

Examples

. nwwebuse florentine, nwclear
. nwneighbor flobusiness, ego(ginori)

----------------------------------------
  Network: flobusiness
----------------------------------------
    Ego        : ginori
    Neighbors  : barbadori , medici
----------------------------------------

This shows that the “ginori” family has business relationships with the “barbadori” and the “medici”.

Supported network types

Binary: yes. Directed: yes, via mode(incoming|outgoing|either). Weighted: not applicable - returns which nodes are neighbors, not tie values. Signed: not applicable. Two-mode: same as for the bipartite graph read as a one-mode network (valid; no mode-specific normalisation).

Stored results

Macros

r(ego) name of ego (a string, not a nodeid)
r(oneneighbor) one randomly selected neighbor’s name; empty if ego has no neighbors

Scalars

r(egoid) nodeid of ego
r(num_neighbors) number of neighbors ego has

Matrices

r(neighbors) reshuffled list of all neighbors

nwcommands version 3.17.6, 9 November 2026 (check your installed version)