Similarity-based future common neighbors model for link prediction in complex networks

Link prediction aims to predict the existence of unknown links via the network information. However, most similarity-based algorithms only utilize the current common neighbor information and cannot get high enough prediction accuracy in evolving networks. So this paper firstly defines the future common neighbors that can turn into the common neighbors in the future. To analyse whether the future common neighbors contribute to the current link prediction, we propose the similarity-based future common neighbors (SFCN) model for link prediction, which accurately locate all the future common neighbors besides the current common neighbors in networks and effectively measure their contributions. We also design and observe three MATLAB simulation experiments. The first experiment, which adjusts two parameter weights in the SFCN model, reveals that the future common neighbors make more contributions than the current common neighbors in complex networks. And two more experiments, which compares the SFCN model with eight algorithms in five networks, demonstrate that the SFCN model has higher accuracy and better performance robustness.