Comparison of modularity-based approaches for nodes clustering in hypergraphs

Statistical analysis and node clustering in hypergraphs constitute an emerging topic suffering from a lack of standardization. In contrast to the case of graphs, the concept of nodes' community in hypergraphs is not unique and encompasses various distinct situations. In this work, we conducted a comparative analysis of the performance of modularity-based methods for clustering nodes in binary hypergraphs. To address this, we begin by presenting, within a unified framework, the various hypergraph modularity criteria proposed in the literature, emphasizing their differences and respective focuses. Subsequently, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art codes available to maximize hypergraph modularities for detecting node communities in binary hypergraphs. Through exploration of various simulation settings with controlled ground truth clustering, we offer a comparison of these methods using different quality measures, including true clustering recovery, running time, (local) maximization of the objective, and the number of clusters detected. Our contribution marks the first attempt to clarify the advantages and drawbacks of these newly available methods. This effort lays the foundation for a better understanding of the primary objectives of modularity-based node clustering methods for binary hypergraphs.