Techniques are provided for strategy-based graph simplification. In an embodiment, a computer provides configurable strategies that simplify edges of a graph. A client selects and configures a strategy subset of the configurable strategies to define a particular simplification scheme. The computer simplifies a graph by applying the strategy subset to the graph. In embodiments, predefined classes or other application programming interface (API) is provided to clients to obtain and customize strategy instances, such as with a factory or builder. Strategy instances may be imperative or declarative. A service implementation, such as a graph engine, may be embedded or remoted. Techniques herein provide for reuse and optimization.