What is a GV file?
The .GV file extension is most commonly known as a Graphviz DOT File. It contains plain text code written in the DOT graph description language. This language describes graphs, nodes, edges, and their mathematical relationships. Originally developed by researchers at AT&T, these files are used by the open-source software Graphviz to automatically generate visual diagrams and network layouts.
While Graphviz is the primary use case, .GV files can sometimes represent other formats. These include game localization voice archives created by the GamesVoice team, or JSON-based geospatial scene data exports from Google Earth Engine.
How to open GV files?
Because standard .GV files are plain text, you can open, read, and edit the raw code using standard text editors like Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, or Sublime Text. However, viewing the actual visual diagram requires rendering the file. You can do this using the Graphviz command-line tools (such as `dot` or `neato`) or by using compatible graphical viewer applications.
Identify your file
Because .GV has multiple possible meanings—ranging from text-based graph configurations to binary audio archives—it can be confusing to know exactly what your file contains. viewer.online/gv can analyze .GV files to identify the exact format and creator software, inspect the file structure, extract readable text, and check whether an online preview is available.
Converting GV files
If you need to share a graph visualization with someone who does not have graph software installed, you should convert the code into a standard image. We recommend using convert.guru to easily convert your .GV files into sensible target formats like .PNG, .SVG, or .PDF.
Summary
viewer.online/gv is useful for identifying, inspecting, and understanding .GV files without installing software or dealing with compatibility problems.