Planar graph checker
Test whether a graph is likely planar. Enter an edge list and the tool applies Euler's necessary inequalities (E ≤ 3V−6, and E ≤ 2V−4 when triangle-free) and searches for K5 and K3,3 subgraphs from Kuratowski's theorem. It is an honest heuristic, not a full planarity algorithm: "non-planar" is certain, "likely planar" is not a proof. Capped at 16 vertices.
Related tools
All Discrete maths & graphs tools →Planar graph checker is free to use as often as you like, directly from this page. It covers E ≤ 3V−6, and E ≤ 2V−4 when triangle-free — adjust any of them and the result follows immediately.
How to use it
- Open the tool — no signup or install needed.
- Enter your input or adjust the available options.
- Get your result instantly, then copy or download it.
Frequently asked questions
What does Planar graph checker do?
Test whether a graph is likely planar. Enter an edge list and the tool applies Euler's necessary inequalities (E ≤ 3V−6, and E ≤ 2V−4 when triangle-free) and searches for K5 and K3,3 subgraphs from Kuratowski's theorem. It is an honest heuristic, not a full planarity algorithm: "non-planar" is certain, "likely planar" is not a proof. Capped at 16 vertices.
What does a concrete case look like?
K₄ ✓ · K₅ ✗ · K₃,₃ ✗ (Kuratowski) — the tool shows every step in between, not just the final figure.
What does it take into account?
It factors in E ≤ 3V−6, and E ≤ 2V−4 when triangle-free. Change any of them and the output follows immediately.
When would I actually use this?
Anything modelled as points and connections: a shortest route, a network's capacity, a schedule with dependencies, or a circuit reduced to its logic.
What is the most common mistake?
Assuming a shortest path stays shortest when a weight changes sign. Negative edges break the greedy argument Dijkstra rests on, and the algorithm returns a confident wrong answer rather than an error.
How is Planar graph checker different from Graph coloring calculator?
They sit next to each other but answer different questions: Graph coloring calculator is the one to open when you need it to color a graph so that no two adjacent vertices share a color. Enter an edge list and the DSATUR (or greedy) heuristic assigns a color to every vertex, shows the color classes, and reports an upper bound on the chromatic number χ. K4 needs 4 colors, an even cycle 2, an odd cycle 3 — see it instantly. Pick whichever matches what you're starting from — both are free.
Where do the figures come from?
The algorithms are the textbook ones and their results are exact for the graph you enter. What varies is cost: several of these problems have no known efficient solution, so large inputs are answered by heuristic and the tool says when that is the case.