Understanding Cosine Similarity in Python with Scikit-Learn
Blog post from Memgraph
Cosine similarity is a valuable metric used to measure the similarity between two non-zero vectors by calculating the cosine of the angle between them, with applications in machine learning, natural language processing, and information retrieval. This method is particularly useful in text analytics, where documents are represented as vectors, allowing for straightforward comparisons by measuring the cosine of the angle between them. Python, with its range of libraries like NumPy, SciPy, and scikit-learn, facilitates efficient calculation of cosine similarity, especially for large datasets, with scikit-learn offering direct computation through its `cosine_similarity` function. The article demonstrates the practical application of cosine similarity using social media descriptions and highlights its utility in graph databases, such as Memgraph, where it aids in understanding node relationships beyond structural connections. This similarity measure finds relevance in various data-driven tasks, including recommendation systems, text analysis, and data clustering, making it an essential tool for data scientists and analytics professionals.