mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

A Survey of Large Language Models for Graphs

arXiv 2405.08011 ↗First posted 10 May 2024cs.LG cs.AIcited by 72

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Abstract (arXiv)

Graphs are an essential data structure utilized to represent relationships in real-world scenarios. Prior research has established that Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) deliver impressive outcomes in graph-centric tasks, such as link prediction and node classification. Despite these advancements, challenges like data sparsity and limited generalization capabilities continue to persist. Recently, Large Language Models (LLMs) have gained attention in natural language processing. They excel in language comprehension and summarization. Integrating LLMs with graph learning techniques has attracted interest as a way to enhance performance in graph learning tasks. In this survey, we conduct an in-depth review of the latest state-of-the-art LLMs applied in graph learning and introduce a novel taxonomy to categorize existing methods based on their framework design. We detail four unique designs: i) GNNs as Prefix, ii) LLMs as Prefix, iii) LLMs-Graphs Integration, and iv) LLMs-Only, highlighting key methodologies within each category. We explore the strengths and limitations of each framework, and emphasize potential avenues for future research, including overcoming current integration challenges between LLMs and graph learning techniques, and venturing into new application areas. This survey aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners eager to leverage large language models in graph learning, and to inspire continued progress in this dynamic field. We consistently maintain the related open-source materials at urlhttps://github.com/HKUDS/Awesome-LLM4Graph-Papers.

Key facts. Cited by 72 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 72 of its 93 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 10 May 2024.

Builds on

72 of 93 references.

References · 72

  1. 2018BERT: Pre-training of Deep Bidirectional Transformers for Language Understandingcited by 40,399
  2. 2019Exploring the Limits of Transfer Learning with a Unified Text-to-Text Transformercited by 14,599
  3. 2023LLaMA: Open and Efficient Foundation Language Modelscited by 14,132
  4. 2019RoBERTa: A Robustly Optimized BERT Pretraining Approachcited by 13,372
  5. 2016Semi-Supervised Classification with Graph Convolutional Networkscited by 11,361
  6. 2017Graph Attention Networkscited by 8,923
  7. 2022ReAct: Synergizing Reasoning and Acting in Language Modelscited by 8,695
  8. 2023Direct Preference Optimization: Your Language Model is Secretly a Reward Modelcited by 8,065
  9. 2019A Comprehensive Survey on Graph Neural Networkscited by 2,919
  10. 2023A Survey on Large Language Model based Autonomous Agentscited by 2,242
  11. 2020Open Graph Benchmark: Datasets for Machine Learning on Graphscited by 2,163
  12. 2023Video-LLaMA: An Instruction-tuned Audio-Visual Language Model for Video Understandingcited by 1,471
38 more
  1. 2020LightGCN: Simplifying and Powering Graph Convolution Network for Recommendationcited by 1,139
  2. 2018Link Prediction Based on Graph Neural Networkscited by 832
  3. 2023Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmapcited by 668
  4. 2023NExT-GPT: Any-to-Any Multimodal LLMcited by 615
  5. 2019Graph Transformer Networkscited by 523
  6. 2023How Far Can Camels Go? Exploring the State of Instruction Tuning on Open Resourcescited by 408
  7. 2023Reasoning on Graphs: Faithful and Interpretable Large Language Model Reasoningcited by 328
  8. 2021Graph Contrastive Learning Automatedcited by 287
  9. 2023Exploring the Potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) in Learning on Graphscited by 274
  10. 2023Can Language Models Solve Graph Problems in Natural Language?cited by 252
  11. 2023One for All: Towards Training One Graph Model for All Classification Taskscited by 243
  12. 2023Language is All a Graph Needscited by 220
  13. 2020Generalization and Representational Limits of Graph Neural Networkscited by 218
  14. 2023GPT4Graph: Can Large Language Models Understand Graph Structured Data ? An Empirical Evaluation and Benchmarkingcited by 210
  15. 2023NodeFormer: A Scalable Graph Structure Learning Transformer for Node Classificationcited by 210
  16. 2023Large Language Models on Graphs: A Comprehensive Surveycited by 192
  17. 2024LLaGA: Large Language and Graph Assistantcited by 181
  18. 2023LLMRec: Large Language Models with Graph Augmentation for Recommendationcited by 172
  19. 2022GreaseLM: Graph REASoning Enhanced Language Models for Question Answeringcited by 171
  20. 2022Multi-modal Molecule Structure-text Model for Text-based Retrieval and Editingcited by 166
  21. 2022Learning on Large-scale Text-attributed Graphs via Variational Inferencecited by 155
  22. 2023Representation Learning with Large Language Models for Recommendationcited by 155
  23. 2022A Molecular Multimodal Foundation Model Associating Molecule Graphs with Natural Languagecited by 131
  24. 2023MolCA: Molecular Graph-Language Modeling with Cross-Modal Projector and Uni-Modal Adaptercited by 128
  25. 2023GraphText: Graph Reasoning in Text Spacecited by 111
  26. 2024Data-efficient Fine-tuning for LLM-based Recommendationcited by 104
  27. 2023DIFFormer: Scalable (Graph) Transformers Induced by Energy Constrained Diffusioncited by 87
  28. 2023InstructMol: Multi-Modal Integration for Building a Versatile and Reliable Molecular Assistant in Drug Discoverycited by 86
  29. 2024ZeroG: Investigating Cross-dataset Zero-shot Transferability in Graphscited by 85
  30. 2023GIT-Mol: A Multi-modal Large Language Model for Molecular Science with Graph, Image, and Textcited by 82
  31. 2024OpenGraph: Towards Open Graph Foundation Modelscited by 78
  32. 2023SimTeG: A Frustratingly Simple Approach Improves Textual Graph Learningcited by 73
  33. 2023Label-free Node Classification on Graphs with Large Language Models (LLMS)cited by 72
  34. 2024Can GNN be Good Adapter for LLMs?cited by 71
  35. 2023GIMLET: A Unified Graph-Text Model for Instruction-Based Molecule Zero-Shot Learningcited by 70
  36. 2023Graph Neural Prompting with Large Language Modelscited by 64
  37. 2023Collaborative Large Language Model for Recommender Systemscited by 64
  38. 2024GraphTranslator: Aligning Graph Model to Large Language Model for Open-ended Taskscited by 63

50 most cited of 72 All 72 (JSON)

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Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2024: 8; 2025: 41; 2026: 23.

72 papers.

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  1. 2025Knowledge Graph-Guided Retrieval Augmented Generationcited by 58
  2. 2025Advancing Tool-Augmented Large Language Models via Meta-Verification and Reflection Learningcited by 24
  3. 2025LLM as GNN: Graph Vocabulary Learning for Text-Attributed Graph Foundation Modelscited by 22
  4. 2024GraphOTTER: Evolving LLM-based Graph Reasoning for Complex Table Question Answeringcited by 18
  5. 2025GRAPHGPT-O: Synergistic Multimodal Comprehension and Generation on Graphscited by 17
  6. 2025LLM/Agent-as-Data-Analyst: A Surveycited by 16
  7. 2025Graph2text or Graph2token: A Perspective of Large Language Models for Graph Learningcited by 12
  8. 2025HyperG: Hypergraph-Enhanced LLMs for Structured Knowledgecited by 11
  9. 2025GraphThought: Graph Combinatorial Optimization with Thought Generationcited by 9
  10. 2025Align-GRAG: Anchor and Rationale Guided Dual Alignment for Graph Retrieval-Augmented Generationcited by 9
  11. 2025Graph-MLLM: Harnessing Multimodal Large Language Models for Multimodal Graph Learningcited by 9
  12. 2025GiGL: Large-Scale Graph Neural Networks at Snapchatcited by 8
38 more
  1. 2025Few-Shot Graph Out-of-Distribution Detection with LLMscited by 6
  2. 2025From Nodes to Narratives: Explaining Graph Neural Networks with LLMs and Graph Contextcited by 6
  3. 2025Large Language Models Meet Text-Attributed Graphs: A Survey of Integration Frameworks and Applicationscited by 6
  4. 2025TrustGLM: Evaluating the Robustness of GraphLLMs Against Prompt, Text, and Structure Attackscited by 5
  5. 2026Multi-Domain Riemannian Graph Gluing for Building Graph Foundation Modelscited by 5
  6. 2024Demystifying Higher-Order Graph Neural Networkscited by 4
  7. 2024Causal Inference with Latent Variables: Recent Advances and Future Prospectivescited by 4
  8. 2024How to Make LMs Strong Node Classifiers?cited by 4
  9. 2024From Anchors to Answers: A Novel Node Tokenizer for Integrating Graph Structure into Large Language Modelscited by 4
  10. 2025GraphSOS: Graph Sampling and Order Selection to Help LLMs Understand Graphs Bettercited by 4
  11. 2025Graph Foundation Models for Recommendation: A Comprehensive Surveycited by 4
  12. 2025Graph-Grounded LLMs: Leveraging Graphical Function Calling to Minimize LLM Hallucinationscited by 4
  13. 2026Breaking the Static Graph: Context-Aware Traversal for Robust Retrieval-Augmented Generationcited by 4
  14. 2024A Hierarchical Language Model For Interpretable Graph Reasoningcited by 3
  15. 2025Language Models, Graph Searching, and Supervision Adulteration: When More Supervision is Less and How to Make More Morecited by 3
  16. 2025Integrating Structural and Semantic Signals in Text-Attributed Graphs with BiGTexcited by 3
  17. 2025Learning Noise-Resilient and Transferable Graph-Text Alignment via Dynamic Quality Assessmentcited by 3
  18. 2024Enhancing ID-based Recommendation with Large Language Modelscited by 2
  19. 2025GLTW: Joint Improved Graph Transformer and LLM via Three-Word Language for Knowledge Graph Completioncited by 2
  20. 2025Graph Drawing for LLMs: An Empirical Evaluationcited by 2
  21. 2025Language Models as Messengers: Enhancing Message Passing in Heterophilic Graph Learningcited by 2
  22. 2025'Hello, World!': Making GNNs Talk with LLMscited by 2
  23. 2025GILT: An LLM-Free, Tuning-Free Graph Foundational Model for In-Context Learningcited by 2
  24. 2025See or Say Graphs: Agent-Driven Scalable Graph Structure Understanding with Vision-Language Modelscited by 2
  25. 2025NeuroPath: Neurobiology-Inspired Path Tracking and Reflection for Semantically Coherent Retrievalcited by 2
  26. 2026Picking the Right Specialist: Attentive Neural Process-based Selection of Task-Specialized Models as Tools for Agentic Healthcare Systemscited by 2
  27. 2024Towards Graph Prompt Learning: A Survey and Beyondcited by 1
  28. 2025Query-Aware Learnable Graph Pooling Tokens as Prompt for Large Language Modelscited by 1
  29. 2025Graph Repairs with Large Language Models: An Empirical Studycited by 1
  30. 2025Multi-dimensional Data Analysis and Applications Basing on LLM Agents and Knowledge Graph Interactionscited by 1
  31. 2025Multimodal Large Language Models with Adaptive Preference Optimization for Sequential Recommendationcited by 1
  32. 2026Colorful Talks with Graphs: Human-Interpretable Graph Encodings for Large Language Modelscited by 1
  33. 2026Uncertainty-aware Language Guidance for Concept Bottleneck Modelscited by 1
  34. 2026LLM-Enhanced Energy Contrastive Learning for Out-of-Distribution Detection in Text-Attributed Graphscited by 1
  35. 2026Integrating Graphs, Large Language Models, and Agents: Reasoning and Retrievalcited by 1
  36. 2026Detecting Differences Is Not Understanding Structure: Large Language Models Fail at Graph Isomorphismcited by 1
  37. 2025Testing Individual Fairness in Graph Neural Networkscited by 0
  38. 2025Scalability Matters: Overcoming Challenges in InstructGLM with Similarity-Degree-Based Samplingcited by 0

50 most cited of 72 All 72 (JSON)