Longhorn Network

Longhorn Network is a sophisticated social network simulation project developed for ECE 422C at the University of Texas at Austin. The project implements advanced algorithms for roommate matching and internship referral systems, demonstrating practical applications of graph theory and algorithm design.

Project Overview

The Longhorn Network system provides:

Implementation of the Gale-Shapley algorithm for roommate matching
Graph-based referral path finding using Dijkstra’s algorithm
Connection strength calculation between students
Multithreaded friend request and chat system
Interactive Swing UI for visualization

Technical Implementation

The system is built using:

Java as the primary programming language
Graph data structures for student connections
Swing UI for visualization
Multithreading for concurrent operations
Advanced algorithms (Gale-Shapley, Dijkstra’s)

Key Features

Roommate Matching: Implements the Gale-Shapley algorithm to create stable roommate pairs based on student preferences
Referral Path Finding: Uses Dijkstra’s algorithm to find optimal paths to students with specific internship experiences
Connection Strength: Calculates relationship strength based on:
- Roommate status (+4 points)
- Shared internships (+3 points each)
- Same major (+2 points)
- Same age (+1 point)
Multithreaded Operations: Concurrent handling of friend requests and chat messages
Interactive UI: Visual representation of:
- Student graph with weighted connections
- Roommate assignments
- Referral paths
- Friend requests and chat histories

Development Goals

Demonstrate practical implementation of advanced algorithms
Create an efficient and scalable social network simulation
Provide intuitive visualization of complex relationships
Ensure thread-safe concurrent operations
Implement robust error handling for edge cases

Future Enhancements

Enhanced visualization options
Additional matching algorithms
Extended social features
Performance optimizations
Mobile application interface

Project Repository

Longhorn Network Lab GitHub repo