Influential nodes identification in complex networks: a comprehensive literature review

Researchers have paid a lot of attention to complex networks in recent decades. Due to their rapid evolution, they turn into a major scientific and innovative field. Several studies on complex networks are carried out, and other subjects are evolving every day such as the challenge of detecting influential nodes. In this study, we provide a brief overview of complex networks, as well as several concepts key related to measurements, the structure of complex network and social influence, an important state of the art on complex networks including basic metrics on complex networks, the evolution of their topology over the years as well as the dynamic of networks. A detailed literature about influential finding approaches is also provided to indicate their strength and shortcomings. We aim that our contribution of literature can be an interesting base of information for beginners’ scientists in this field. At the end of this paper, some conclusions are drawn and some future perspectives are mentioned to be studied as new directions in the future. More detailed references are provided to go further and deep in this area.