 String frequently asked question, functional or physical network. The String database provides two types of networks. One is made up of functional associations, the other physical interactions. It's tempting to ask which is better, but the answer is, it depends. The functional network has the advantage that it integrates more types of evidence, is therefore more comprehensive and better suited for tasks like candidate gene prioritization. This was convincingly shown in a benchmark by Triadicus Group comparing many different networks. However, it is a very dense network and visualizing it, you often end up with hairballs like this. This is a feature, not a bug. The physical network is a much sparser network by comparison, which makes it easier to visualize. Also, it's easier to interpret as the interactions have a more specific meaning. The networks have different strings. That's why we provide both. Thank you.